BOOKS

Dark Nantucket Noon by Jane Langton. 1975
Book Description
Sleuthing Harvard professor Homer Kelly, on Nantucket island researching Herman Melville, sets out to prove the innocence of poet Kitty Clark, arrested for the murder of her ex-lover's wife during a total eclipse of the sun.

The Memorial Hall Murder by Jane Langton. 197?
#3 in the Homer Kelly series. This one uses Handel's Messiah as a theme. Delightful! I've requested the next book in the series. Enough said.

Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler. 2000
Not short enough. But I suppose I learned something, which is the whole point of reading these...

On tape:
The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. 1998
A tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English Dictionary.

A Common Life: The Wedding Story by Jan Karon. 2001
#6 in the series, but chronologically it comes after A Light in the Window.
Book Description
Mitford's Lord's Chapel seats barely two hundred souls, yet millions of Jan Karon's fans will be there for the most joyful event in years: the wedding of Father Tim Kavanagh and Cynthia Coppersmith. Here at last are the long-awaited answers to these deeply probing questions: Will Father Tim fall apart when he takes his vows? Will Cynthia make it to the church on time? Who'll arrange the flowers and bake the wedding cake? And will Uncle Billy's prayers for a great joke be answered in time for the reception?

These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon. 1996
Book Description
For years, Mitford's sixtysomething rector has been happily married to his parish. Now he's also married to Cynthia, his vivacious next-door neighbor. For Father Tim, life in Mitford has never been so full of surprises. His wife is "aging" his already ancient kitchen walls, not to mention burning his draperies. The mountain boy he's learned to love as his own makes a heartrending decision. And the agony of mastering the church computer system is as boggling as the pandemonium that breaks loose when his quiet rectory becomes a nursery. All this, however, is small potatoes compared to what happens on a wilderness camping trip that sends him home a changed man.

Out to Canaan by Jan Karon. 1997
Book Description
Thousands of readers have come home to Mitford, the little town with the big heart, whose endearing and eccentric residents have become like family members. But now change is coming to the hamlet. Father Tim, the Episcopal rector, and his wife Cynthia are pondering retirement; a brash new mayoral candidate is calling for aggressive development; a suspicious realtor with plans for a health spa is eyeing the beloved house on the hill; and, worst of all, the Sweet Stuff Bakery may be closing. Meanwhile, ordinary people are leading the extraordinary lives that hundreds of thousands of readers have found so inviting and inspiring.

Nope, I'm not tired of Mitford yet...

The New Year - Off and Running!

Running isn't quite the right word.... It's been more like stepping onto one of those moving walkways, like at the airport. Moving merrily along at a pretty good pace, without too much effort. Things are in flux and changes upon changes are in process, yet I don't feel insecure. Just moving along wherever this takes me.

I had a whirlwind trip to Illinois to be with the family for Christmas, with only Saturday and Monday off, and then back home and back to work. New Year's Day was absolutely delightful. Church choir was on break, and I got to do the special music singing two solos: "Ding Dong! Merrily on High" and an arrangement of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (not the traditional tune). Dawn and her partner Kathy came to hear me (a rare treat in itself) and then we all went out to lunch. Later I went over to Dawn's and made gingerbread cookies for them, and we settled in with a movie for the evening.

The next day, I treated myself to a shopping spree, and bought some new clothes with a Christmas gift certificate from my folks. One of the items was a lovely velvety indigo robe with gold trim. It will do very nicely, both to wear around the house on days off (I'm wearing it now), AND it will be perfect as the robe for my naming/croning or whatever-you-want-to-call-it ceremony later in the year. I wish the trim were silver, but it is okay. I will make (or buy) some kind of stole to go over the shoulders and down the front, like an ordination stole. It will be silver with violet trim, or perhaps violet with silver trim. Perhaps I will knit one out of some interesting yarn with violet and silver metallic threads. Perhaps I will add three "birds" like on the Bradshaw family crest -- silver birds on a violet background?? Hmmm. Or should it be more like a baldric than a stole, worn like a Scottish tartan across the chest?

Also that week, I had a crisis in the kitchen with the hot water pipe breaking and water gushing out all over. The landlord was able to tell me how to turn off the hot water down in the basement, but not before the kitchen floor was flooded. I envisioned having to have the kitchen sink removed and part of the wall, but the plumber was able to put in a new section of pipe without any such drastic measures. Things were back to normal by noon on the following day.

Still, that spurred me to call the woman in Waconia that manages some apartments near the library. I didn't expect her to have an opening right away, but she did, and I went to look at it. It is in a nice looking white colonial building, called "Galway on the Lake", heheh. Yes, it faces Lake Waconia and is within easy walking distance of the library. It also has offstreet parking. The price (with a thirteen-month lease) is just doable with my present income, and no extra cost for the cats. In fact it is quite a bargain. I liked the location very much, but the apartment itself was very small.

When I expressed my disappointment with the size, she offered another possibility. It seems there is an apartment with 4-feet extra length in the main living room, and an extra room-length closet off of it -- big enough that a former tenant made it into a little computer room. Well! I would make it into a storage and cat room. And the extra square-footage in the living room would accommodate the piano and the harpsichord very nicely. Her niece is currently in this apartment, but she is getting married in May and they are looking for a house. I asked how much extra I would have to pay, and the manager said "Oh, I'd let you have it for the same price." I told her I would definitely be interested, and she will let me know what her niece's plans are as they develop.

My landlord stopped by a day or two later to check on the work of the plumber. We talked about a moving out date, since I've been bugging him to give me something in writing for months, and he thought I could stay at LEAST until the end of March. I told him about the prospective apartment, and that it could be May before it is available, and that was fine with him. Work has already begun on the empty apartments, but there is plenty to do yet, before they need to get to mine.

I've got to say, how could all of this have been any easier? I mean a woman walks into the library in December, I mention (don't ask me how it came up - I don't know!) that I am going to have to move in a few months, and it turns out she manages these apartments near the library. And all the rest follows. I still haven't SEEN the actual apartment, but I just know it will be perfect. Oh yes! She also said it had all new kitchen cupboards and a brand new bathroom. Should I be pinching myself maybe?

Moving right along -- I have set up rehearsals for the dance group which will resume tomorrow. I have picked up the packets for the Festival of Nations. I took my car in for an oil change, and it got a clean bill of health. My own health is good. The colitis has been in remission now since before Christmas. I am back to my normal schedule at work (20 hours a week) since the children's librarian is back from maternity leave. Yes that means less income, but more free time. It has been a welcome respite after the hectic pace of November and December. On the other hand, I've had two extra days of subbing this month.

I've joined a new online group, formed by a fellow Michael student. He calls it the Gaeia Goddess Matrix, and except for himself it is all women. Its purpose is to celebrate and nurture the feminine energies needed to heal the earth. He is quite serious about it, though I think most of us women involved see it as a bit of a lark. I have adopted Sophia, and call myself the "Know-it-all" Goddess. Topics have ranged from haiku, to harems, to Mayan astrology, to cats. Who knows what will develop, but it has been fun.

Even more fun was my birthday weekend. It was the Wild Welsh Winter Weekend, planned and pulled off by my friend Danny Proud in Madison. I had been invited to come and teach Welsh dancing -- all expenses paid. I took Friday and Monday off with vacation pay -- something I haven't had for years! It turned out that the language teacher backed out at the last minute, so I ended up helping with the language classes as well. We had an excellent turn out for the dancing. I was helped by Todd McCall and his wife Jude -- former dancers with Traed y Ddraig here in Minneapolis who also moved to Madison about ten years ago. It was great to see them again. We had live musicians for part of the afternoon. There was supposed to have been another band for Sunday's session, but they also cancelled at the last minute. Good thing Todd and Jude had their tapes and CDs, because I didn't bring any, expecting live music!

We had dinner that evening at Brocach Irish Pub. Wonderful food! But wouldn't you know -- another glitch for poor Danny! They told him they didn't have any reservations for the 50-some people that were showing up, and some didn't get their food until 8pm or later. It wasn't the "Noson Lawen" (like a Ceilidh) that Danny had planned, but ended up being more of a pub sing. Even that wasn't entirely satisfactory. It was too dark to see the song sheets, and difficult to hear over the general pub din. BUT I got a large piece of Chocolate Torte on the house for my birthday, and everyone sang Happy Birthday in Welsh. I thought it was a wonderful day!

After Sunday's sessions, I went on to Geneva, Illinois to spend a few days with Becky and family, like I always do for my birthday (and Connor's and Cash's.) With the kids in school, Becky and I got to do something we've wanted to do for ages -- window shopping in all the cute little Geneva shops. She took me out to lunch on Monday, where I had some kind of avocado and scrambled egg crepes. Yum! I did very well at not spending money, until we went into the Southwest Trading shop. I did not intend to buy, but they had some native American flutes. Now I have wanted one for a VERY long time. But it needed to be just the right flute. I saw one in Durango on a family camping trip once that had a rabbit carving tied over the flue. I almost bought it, but it was expensive so I hesitated, and that flute has stayed with me ever since. I think we tried to go back the next day and the store was closed. I've never seen another flute with a rabbit block. Usually it is a bird. And so I've never bought one, because it wasn't THAT flute.

These flutes weren't anything special, but I wanted to play one for the fun of it. As I was trying the two that I had seen on display, the proprietor brought out a third flute that I had NOT seen. OH! It was beautiful! Red and white cedar with turquoise inlays along the top between each hole. The carved block was a bird, of course, but a very attractive one. Turquoise is one of my favorite stones, being my favorite color. I felt drawn to it immediately, like I had been so many years ago in Durango. And when I played the flute it was absolutely effortless. It might have been playing itself. It was part of me. I didn't hesitate this time. I wasn't about to spend another twenty-five years regretting not getting it. And there were the "truth" tears...

I'm holding it now, and I've just played "How Can I Keep From Singing." The first tune I played on it, at Becky's, was "Amazing Grace." Just before the trip, I had gotten my annual holiday paycheck. We don't get paid for holidays until the end of the year when we get this extra check. It was quite a bit more than I expected. I've earmarked some of it for moving expenses, but I was glad I could give myself this very special birthday gift. I think I will also get the software I need to create and publish my beaded flower patterns.

I've decided to give myself another gift as well. It's been a LONG time since I've been able to do more than a book here and there. And I probably won't be moving until May. The money will be there. I know it will. My dear friends Kathryn and Joe are having a Michael gathering in Atlanta the weekend of February 25. And it seems as if EVERYONE is going to be there. Last night, I couldn't stand hearing everyone online making plans and talking about it anymore, so I checked out the cost of flights to Atlanta and it isn't nearly as much as I thought it would be. I have plenty of vacation time yet to take. The only potential glitch is that I have promised to do a Welsh dance gig in Willmar, Minnesota on Feb. 25. So I emailed Audrey and she seems to be willing to take that on if I go over some dances with her. At worst, I would still do the gig and fly out to Atlanta on Saturday evening instead of Friday. I'm pretty sure I can get Friday off and the following Monday. I'm not sure about Tuesday (if I couldn't go until Saturday) as there is already a sub scheduled for Karla on that day.

This is further complicated by the fact that our branch manager will be gone by then. It turns out SHE had applied for the Hopkins job with Hennepin County and got it! It is not a managerial position, but it is close to home for her (5 blocks away!), and she wanted more time to spend with her baby. Her last day is February 22nd. Anyway -- I AM GOING TO ATLANTA. I'm just not sure yet which day or for how long. But it will all work out, I'm sure.

As for the library, Susan's position will be open, and there will be some shifting of personnel going on in the next couple of months. I'll apply for it, but I would expect it to go to the branch manager at Watertown, as she lives in St. Paul and it would be a much better commute for her as well as being a bigger library. That will then leave HER position open... How that will all play out, I don't know, but it's certainly possible that I might end up with a different position at a different location. And then I might or might not move to Waconia after all! At the very least, I will have extra hours until the position is filled, just as I did while she was on maternity leave last spring.

Stay tuned! Things seem to be changing daily around here. But all is moving in a very positive direction.

Coat of Arms

Channeling with Terri Benning (Momhawk) from December 2004:

Momhawk:
Seems they are going to give you each three key words, and a key color tonight. These are "keys" to creating your own personal coat of arms. It reflects what we, in true personality most respect in both self and others, or, what we "stand up for" with our lives. It is like a positive affirmation of our true personalities in this incarnation. It's also "self validating" to do something like this, and gives us an opportunity to create a visual image of WHO WE ARE that we can reflect upon when we are not "quite" as clear in some moments as we may be in others. I think I will let them explain it more clearly for themselves from this point on...

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Michael Entity:
Good evening to you each tonight. We are pleased to be making conscious contact with you each tonight, and will now begin our opening comments.

This notion of creating a "shield" or a "coat of arms" is not a new one to many of you, nor would we estimate that it would be the first time that most of you have entertained the notion of "bearing" arms in this regard, we would surmise. In this case, it may be a case of "bareing" arms, as each of you grow in soul age perception and move steadily along into the older souled perceptions and perspectives in your progress along the path of return to the Tao.

Here, we are entertaining the notion or the idea that there is something that each fragment/essence possesses within itself that is intrinsic to its very nature, and that remains so 'essentially true' for that fragment throughout the course of its evolutionary pathwork, that it is something that cannot be undermined, sacrificed, belittled, nor invalidated no matter what the obstacle or the challenge may be.

Over many lifetimes, it becomes the 'staff' by which a fragment's life may be guided. It is the "sword" by which the fragment's obstacles and challenges might be overcome and its inner freedom "won", so to speak. It becomes the shield, or the values by which each fragment will evaluate and if need be, defend it's own intrinsic "value" as both a spiritual and a physical being.

It is the "thing" that each fragment holds most near and dear to it's own spiritual "heart of hearts" and "soul of souls", and it is this ONE THING that both essence and true personality will often feel it simply MUST UPHOLD, REGARDLESS OF THE PRICE PAID IN ORDER TO DO SO.

It is what the essence itself KNOWS to BE its OWN INTRINSIC NATURE, OR ITS OWN "ESSENTIAL VALUE", and thus, this "essential quality" is held to be most 'sacred' territory or 'land' to STAND UP UPON and to draw its sword if need be, in order to protect, defend and uphold no matter what the consequences may entail. It is, in a sense, representative of what one might term their own "essential values" and/or "principles" in life, that cannot be sacrificed to any LESSER "vehicle" or "dominion".

This is the ESSENCE of the "essential quality" of true respect for both oneself and others. It is what essence itself most cherishes as its own personal "truths" from one life to the next, as it would be made manifest through the true personality perceptions in the life experiences.

The color "key" word reflects each fragments "dedication" to a specific 'cause' or to a specific type of pathwork, from our perspective. It is also reflective of the nature of the fragment itself, and the 'energy signature' by which this fragment may be most commonly recognized and "known" upon the spiritual planes of existence.

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Good evening to you Laurel. We would like to meet and to greet you this evening with a cloak of bright, deep indigo blue. Your "metal" is showing quite silver in the light these days as well we would add. We would offer a deep violet 'accent' or trim on your cloak, or upon your coat of arms, as this will ensure that all that is perceived and received is of the highest order, yes?

Indigo is the color of the mystic, and this would be especially true of one whose essence bears the silvery tone of essential 'feminine' aspect, as well as that of the OVERTONE of the visionary violet frequency, which lends direction and purpose to the quest.

Fortitude, Strength, Wisdom are your key words.

We see this one to be in deep meditation most of the hours of her day, regardless of what she may outwardly "appear" to be DOING in the life. There is a sense of both mystery, and of magic surrounding this fragment, but it is entirely up to her HOW she would choose to use and/or to UTILIZE such gifts, for good or for not.

This is why we have chosen a touch of deep violet to augment her garb, as this 'presence' of the divine aspect of the higher mind will serve to remind this fragment that there are always TWO sharp edges to EVERY sword of truth, and that wisdom is knowing when, how, and where to wield the power of the two edged sword of truth in the life. Sometimes, it is best to simply hold one's sword until the precise moment when it will do the most GOOD, and not always choose to wield it simply because it is THERE in your sheath, yes? Therein lies the WISDOM of knowing when to speak, and when to simply hold one's tongue and leave the room, so to speak.

This energy is akin to that of the Merlin energy signature as well, however, as we 'see it' to manifest within this fragment's auric field energies, it is of a far more fluid and feminine aspect. What would a feminine Merlin look like to you Laurel? This image might best capture the essence of the energy we are attempting to impart and to describe to you herein.

Sometimes mysterious and secretive, sometimes throwing all cautions and 'robes' to the wind, one never knows how this one is going to manifest its true role in essence when the precise moment makes itself known TO HER, and often to her alone.

Laurel: the druid priestess

Michael: The raven energy is very strong here as well...which is where your birds enter the ensignia, so to speak.

[The Bradshaw coat of arms has three birds on it....]

Michael: Raven is companion to this aspect of the feminine side of "great mystery" as well we would surmise. As is owl and in it's darker 'night-time' aspect, bat replaces raven whose dominion reigns strongest in the sun and in the daylight hours. Do you see where we are going with this a bit more clearly now Laurel?

Laurel: yes okay -- bat is my power animal

Michael: Bat is one of them, yes, but in your 'crested' nature, you also carry raven, owl and bat, yes.

Laurel: hmm -- the triple aspect of the goddess?

Michael: Yes, there is some of this symbology present in your 'cloak' as well. As you make friends with who you truly are in essence, all else will begin to resolve itself in the life as well we would offer.

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