mirror, diamond, donkey, crow

Last week I was walking in the front field when something shiny caught my eye. It was a diamond-shaped shard of mirror. I picked it up, intrigued with the diamond shape as well as the mirror itself, which didn't appear to have been buried, but was so clean it looked like it had been dropped from the sky. I immediately thought it might have been a crow's special treasure. I picked it up and brought it inside, and it's been sitting on my desk ever since.

Today, I took it out to take a photo in daylight, and not only is it a treasure, it's a magical little mirror. Click on the photo and see what is inside!

Sometime later last week I was out buying beet pulp shreds and noticed this little smiling donkey. I decided he wanted to come join my sandplay miniature collection, so he hopped in the cart and ended up coming home with me. But instead of taking him upstairs to my sandplay garret, he too ended up on my desk.

Here he is outside looking at the herd:

At some point after arriving on my desk, which is very crowded and necessitates my constantly shifting things to make room for other things, the donkey ended up by the diamond mirror, looking something like this:

I became mesmerized by the little smiling donkey gazing into the diamond mirror. So I left them on my desk that way for several days, just letting the two things lend their magic to my workspace, and to my daily life.

At some point I decided to do a little research into the symbolism of the diamond shape. I found that the diamond shape appears in every culture, and generally represents clarity, ascension, and wisdom - of a kind that transcends everyday life.

The diamond shape also represents breakthrough and enlightenment, as well as awakening, epiphany, new beginnings, and connections to the mystical.

In alchemy the diamond shape symbolizes creativity that is expressed via the four elements: fire, air, earth, and water, and how funneling creativity through these four elements leads us to our true creative purpose.

In Native American culture, the diamond shape symbolizes wind, and is considered a protective emblem which represents life. The four sides represent unity, freedom, eternity and balance.

If you combine this diamond shape symbolism with that of the mirror, you get all of that plus reflection, illumination, and again, enlightenment.

The donkey symbolizes versatility, intelligence, determination, stubbornness, spiritual dedication, undying faith in the creative force,  and the willingness to take on the responsibilities and burdens of others.

A lot to think about and absorb, which is why I let these two sit together on my desk for several days. Each time I looked at them I felt rejuvenated and inspired.

So today, I had a little time and wanted to photograph these two. I put them on my windowsill thinking the morning sun might be enough light to get a good picture. It wasn't, so I left them there and turned back to my desk to do something else. Within a few minutes I heard an unusual bird song, one I have never heard before today. It repeated several times.  I looked out the window and there was a big black crow, walking in circles right outside my window, arching his neck as he made the first three notes of song, and then lifting his beak into the air for the last plaintive note. 


I wondered if the crow had seen the diamond mirror and come to let me know it had once belonged to him.


I'll probably never know if that crow dropped the mirror in our front field, and I won't know if he spotted it in my window and came to reclaim it. But I do know all of these things - the sequence of finding them and their finding one another - are a gift. The diamond, the mirror, the donkey, and today, the crow. 


What has popped into your life in an unexpected but wonderful way this week? I think we all have encounters with symbols and synchronicities and if we stop and make time for them, they have a lot to say.

the complexities of a busy, crazy week

I have had a blog post on my mind for about a week now, but it requires my camera (which is upstairs and not at hand when I think about posting), daylight (which is now waning due to thunder-stormy day), and time (which I feel like I haven't had much of all week).

So, I'm here to report that something more interesting is en route, but I'm not sure when.

Meanwhile we've had hooves trimmed, lots of chauffeur work, several big rains, some big wind (one spell that made me stop what I was doing to run to the barn and secure things), and a Corgi boy who chewed up the same person's wallet and credit cards that he did last time.

He also steals things like pens and bowls and rolls of toilet paper and muck boots. (which is why I've been online trying to find a pair of Bogs in my size, in the color/print I actually WANT, and since I have not yet succeeded I am wearing my paddock boots to do chores in and have to clean them daily b/c of all the MUD!)

You can see how this week is being.

Not bad, exactly. Just more complicated than usual.

How can it be Thursday already?

signs that might be omens

As usual, writing group weekend kickstarted me into high gear and I'm thrilled to report that I am close to getting my next adult novel, Signs That Might Be Omens, up on Amazon.

Although not part of a series per se, Signs is the second book in what I think of as the "Claire Quartet."

In claire-obscure, we meet Claire in her early twenties, during one very difficult and life-changing year. In Signs, time has moved forward 20 years, Claire is in her early forties, and we discover that there are two sides to every story, synchronicities connect people whether they know it or not, and horses can and do play a pivotal role in the resolution of old trauma and the shift into schwung.

In my mind I have always visioned four novels when I think of the character Claire. In addition to the two I have already written, I suspect there is a novel that looks at Claire's childhood, probably from her eyes, although I recently realized there might be a neighbor who tells that story, giving us yet another perspective on her life. A view from the outside in, perhaps.

And there is another one not yet written that I jokingly think of as the AARP Claire novel. Which is misleading, since I also think this one might also be subtitled: Claire Hits Middle Age and Goes High Speed, Low Drag.

She's the kind of late blooming woman I suspect might find her fire late in life. We will see.

Right now, it's Sunday afternoon and I am perched on my bed with laptop continuing the writing weekend as it rains, gusts, and goes light and then dark and then light again outside my window. 

more weekend

Salina got her massage yesterday and although fidgety initially, she soon relaxed into the bodywork. At one point she leaned her head and neck into me, letting me hold her a bit as the massage was being done on the opposite side. Salina is a grand and wise mare, but she is very rarely affectionate or "snuggly." Her connection with humans and with me is almost telepathic. It's very strong and very obvious, but it isn't physical. So I was touched and honored to bear the weight of her head for a little while as she got her muscles worked.

I also realized that she is able to "close her eye" on the side where her eye was removed. I've always been intrigued with the muscles that remain in the healed over socket. You can easily see the blinking motion. But for some reason I had never noted before that not only can she blink, she can close that "eye." I watched carefully and as she relaxed and the massage went deeper, she did indeed close both eyes. Amazing.

As the day moved on daughter had two more beautiful rides on the pony and Cody. You might notice that I haven't posted about beautiful rides on the Big Bay... that is because last Sunday I fell backwards down the stairs and landed flat on my tailbone. Arnica, a softgel ice pack, and pure stubbornness minimized the damage, but I am trying to let things heal before riding.

And living vicariously through my daughter, who took Cody over a little jump course yesterday and reported he did very well. I asked her to give the pony a break from jumping since she's doing it bareback, and I saw his work in the arena - very lovely and willing.

As the sun began to set yesterday evening, I felt a rise in the energy on the farm and went looking for what was going on. All three geldings were doing huge, fancy trots up and down the paddock. Cody lifted his tail straight up and went into a big, collected trot that was so gorgeous it took my breath away. Sometimes when he moves like this, I have to wonder if he really is a QH at all - even though I have the papers in my files. And with his PSSM issues it's all the more beautiful when he uses his body so perfectly.

To see the geldings, three sizes ranging from 13.2 - 16.2, in three different colors, red bay, chestnut, and painted, doing these gorgeous trots up and down was pure heaven. And the absolute best way to move into a weekend of writing and planning and yes, creating and celebrating forward motion in my work.

weekend!

It's Friday and not only is it the weekend, but it's writing group weekend, which makes me very happy.

Yesterday afternoon started things off - it was lovely out, and I got caught up in horse chores and horse time, which included watching daughter ride Cody over some of the baby jumps in the back field. He looked fabulous, and it's nice to see her keeping him fit and healthy as we watch the greening begin.

As if that weren't fun enough, she then took the pony and did the same thing! He is quite the cutie over jumps and every time I see him take one happily I remember the time a few years back when he was not happy jumping, and the year we spent sorting all that out.

This morning it is sunny again and Salina has her massage therapist coming shortly. When I went out to feed breakfast Cody was out in the front field and I called his name and he galloped all the way up the hill, down the length of the paddock, and came to a lovely halt right at the gate where I was standing. I love that kind of enthusiasm!

Keil Bay was banging away for his breakfast, and now they're all out munching their hay.

Books and horses, massage therapists and writers, sunshine and spring. It's a great time of year for a really fun and productive weekend.

Enjoy!