Storms, Hurricanes And Flooding

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Weather Events Across The U.S.

It's hurricane season and the United States is swirling in the midst of eventful storms and hurricanes. Following the news on the television, we are acutely aware of the risks, threats and damage that is occurring.

It is, indeed, nature being nature.

Below is a weather image of Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

And in September 2018, a visual of Hurricane Florence.

In The Path Of The Storm

A storm, in and of itself, doesn't have a price tag on it. That exorbitant price comes from all the infrastructure that we've built that lies in the path of a storm and its resulting damage. The flooding in Houston after Hurricane Harvey was widespread and deep.

Recovery is expensive, but we choose to rebuild those structures, right in the same spot of destruction, because under non-storm circumstances, these are wonderful places.

Not Just Humans

Sometimes they say the storm is headed to an unpopulated area and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Well, unpopulated with humans, but there are many animals and plants living there and my thoughts and prayers go out to all of them, too. 

Support From Within

To support my students of The Radiance Technique® (TRT®) – you are able to participate in supporting everyone and everything in the path of a storm. If you are a student of The Second Degree of The Radiance Technique®, you can direct radiant energy with the precise technique taught in your class.

TRT® is not a panacea or a magic wand. It doesn't make a storm disappear from existence or change the fact that it causes damage, or even that there might be loss of life. It's about aligning energies with wholeness even while things on the outside are chaotic, such as in a storm.

When you direct radiant energy., you weave radiant light within the inner planes and help to build an inner reservoir of energy that others can drink from deep inside. With TRT®, you access transcendental, universal energy that is beyond the outer planes.

Direct Radiant Energy With TRT®

You can also direct energy to the hurricane or the storm, itself. You don't know, maybe it will support the hurricane to lessen or turn, but then again, it may not. 

It's not about controlling an outcome. It's about supporting a process in wholeness. The energy accessed with TRT® is always harmless.

You can direct to the people affected by the storm. Radiant energy mighthelp someone calm a fear or support them to make a decision that is beneficial to them. 

Perhaps you're thinking of all the animals and vegetation, wild and domestic, that are impacted by the storm. When you direct radiant energy, deep inside the structure of the inner planes, you are weaving radiant light and inner support for all of our creatures.

You won't know what support your inner work has provided. Your service will be given in silence and without conditions. 

TRT® Hands-on, Radiant Touch®

Once you have studied TRT®, you have Radiant Touch®. When you apply Radiant Touch® as taught in your seminar, you access universal energy. Within your Radiant Touch®, you then learn TRT® hands-on with positions for the head, front and back that support the healing process.

As a student of The First Degree of The Radiance Technique®, remember to apply TRT® hands-on for yourself while watching the news of the storm. You can also apply TRT® with your meditation of the storm. You are bringing greater light to your own fears and concerns that may arise.

Interconnected Service

The strings of all our hearts hum together and when you do TRT® hands-on, you are supporting all our hearts as they are connected in energy beyond time and space.

Students of The Second Degree of TRT® also want to remember to use their hands-on. TRT® hands-on and Radiant Touch® are important aspects in all degrees of The Radiance Technique®.

Of course, there are also ways you can donate money or volunteer to help if you live close enough. Working from within and without, it's all about service to one another and the planet. 

 

Dandelions Are Beautiful

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A Rose By Any Other Name

Dandelions have not always been considered "weeds." They were considered their own kind of rose before a pristine carpet of green grass became the predominant fad across suburbia.

Weed Or Flower

How fickle we humans are!

We define and judge everything that walks, crawls, grows, and exists.

Accepted flower, condemned weed. It's exhausting when you think about it.

If you make the "bad" list, look out. Humans are more interested in eradication than co-existence.

“Herbicides used on lawns take a terrible toll on wildlife. More than seven million wild birds are estimated to die annually due to the use of lawn pesticides.

Thirty million acres of the United States are lawns, and an estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on them annually.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that “homeowners use up to ten times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops.”
— Maine Organic Farmers
 

Dandelions Smile With The Sun

Hundreds of species of Dandelion grow in the temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and North America.

The Dandelion is a hardy perennial that can grow to a height of nearly 12 inches. Its leaves are deeply-notched, toothy and long and the grooves in them funnel rain to the roots. Sunny, yellow flowers perch on top of the stems.

Dandelion flowers open with the sun in the morning and close in the evening or during gloomy weather. This living movement gives us pause. How alive this humble flower is, how responsive to the day.

Maine Organic Farmers wrote an article about these sunshine flowers. Ten Things You Might Not Know About Dandelions.

The Problem With Dandelions

The difficulty with Dandelions is that one species was brought over from Eurasia and is not native to America. This Eurasian Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is considered an alien, invasive species that lacks its own checks and balances.

“Alien invasive species have a great edge over native species, be they plant or animal, largely because the invasive or introduced species generally arrives in a new land without its predators, pests and diseases in tow.
They have an unfair advantage over native species which have an extensive array of things that like to eat or kill them that have evolved in place with the natives.”
— NatureNorth.com
 

It's difficult to tell the difference between native Dandelions that are meant to be here and invasive Dandelions. They all get lumped in together.

In North America there are various species of False Dandelion (Agoseris spp.) whose flowers look like classic Dandelion flowers, but which have quite different leaves.

False Dandelion (Agoseris glauca) is a native prairie plant and its flower and wispy seeds look quite similar to the Eurasian Dandelion, but you'll note the difference in the photos below.

The seeds of the Eurasian Dandelion are on the left and the seeds of the False Dandelion, the native prairie flower, are on the right.

Seeds That Fly On The Wind

Children dance in the magic of a dandelion – make a wish and blow the seeds on to the wind (much to the chagrin of anyone trying to limit their growth).

Dandelion seeds are the parachutes of woodland fairies and grantors of wishes in imaginary kingdoms.

For those interested in how Dandelions are used in teas, herbs and remedies, The University of Maryland published this article. They also offer good information on possible side effects and drug interactions.

Yards Without Herbicides

When I lived in Germany, we were not allowed to use herbicides on the lawns. This was to protect the water sources. Living inland, we depended on water that seeped into the ground. No need to drag chemicals into it for us to drink. 

As for the yards – what grew, grew. You mowed what was there, be it flowers, clover, and/or grass. Yards seemed to do just fine like this. As a human, it was relaxing to not have a compulsion to rip, pull or spray into death each and every plant designated as subpar.

Co-existence was, indeed, possible.

“Only in the twentieth century did humans decide that the dandelion was a weed.
Before the invention of lawns, the golden blossoms and lion-toothed leaves were more likely to be praised as a bounty of food, medicine and magic.
Gardeners used to weed out the grass to make room for the dandelions.”
— Maine Organic Farmers
 

We humans come in all types. Some homeowners desire a pristine yard free of any vagrant weed and some nature-nuts think dandelions are cool. Count me in with the nature-nuts. 

Black bears love dandelions too. To eat!

Throw Open Wide Your Window

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Nature Beckons

It's March. The sky is filled with grey pillows, weighing down into the tops of tall firs that stretch heavenwards to touch the clouds.

Throw Open Your Window

It's still o-dark-hundred. I throw open the window for fresh air into the bedroom, then jump back under the covers on the bed to relax before the morning begins.

It's my idea of an ideal "camping out" situation. The comfort of my own bed with heavy, warm blankets accompanied by the fresh air and the sounds of nature.

 

The joy of listening to a Pileated Woodpecker drumming on the trees.
An owl, staying up late, chimes in with soft hooting.
It's Sunday – no construction guys to compete with unnatural noise.
Who needs a TV in times like these?

Outer And Inner Light

I close my eyes and drink in the light of spirit, the sounds of nature.

Cold air sneaks in the window and swirls above my covers, but I'm tucked in – safe and warm. 

What a grateful way to begin a morning. 

Pileated Woodpecker

Great Horned Owl

 

 

 

Seattle And Puget Sound

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Get Your Rain Coat

Seattle is known for its rain and cloudy weather. If you live here, you learn to carry on in spite of it.

One of the first things to do is invest in a waterproof rain coat. A rain coat makes everything possible and you feel invincible.

Then off you go. Because you never know when sun breaks will shine through.

Especially at this time of year, with fall moving into winter, changes of sun, rain, mist, and clouds are mercurial. 

This rain coat is from an Eddie Bauer outlet store. When you're on the ferry, the wind blows your hair everywhere in the obligatory photo-op with the Seattle Space Needle in the background.

Puget Sound

 
“In geography, a sound is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight, and wider than a fjord; or a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land.”
— Wikipedia
 

Seattle sits next to the large body of water known as Puget Sound.

Interesting facts from Explore The Sound:

  • Puget Sound covers 1.6 million acres and has 2,500 miles of shoreline.

  • The region’s 2.1 million acres of state-owned submerged saltwater lands are home to 211 fish species, 100 sea bird species and 13 types of marine mammals.

  • There are 68 state parks and 3 national parks, as well as wildlife refuges, national forests and other public lands that border Puget Sound.

  • The Sound helps drive $20 billion of economic activity in Washington State.

  • The Puget Sound region encompasses 12 counties populated by approximately 4.3 million people.

  • Ninety cities and towns border the Sound.

  • There are 19 major watersheds in the Puget Sound region.

Out On The Water

The deep, salt-water of Puget Sound laps at the shore of Seattle. While it's wondrous to observe from land, it's even more satisfying to be out on it.

On this day, we headed out on a private boat. Although the forecast called for rain, we were lucky to have none during our time on the water. Just another example of making your plans and seeing where they take you.

We encountered powerful waves due to a strong wind. Our boat rocked up and down and we imagined ourselves as pirates on a wild sea. 

The boat captain adeptly navigated the waves that tossed us like a bucking bronco and he maneuvered our boat into calmer waters. The sun glistened and danced across the water in happy delight.

Being In Nature

We expand their connection with nature when we are outside, be it on land or water. Atoms hum together in a song of the universe whether they be liquid, vapor or solid. The song spins out loving threads binding us in a tapestry that sparkles in the firmaments of the heavens.

Being in nature uplifts our hearts and the Seattle area provides ample opportunity to be outdoors.

 

 

Dahlia Flowers

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City Flower of Seattle

Although I've lived in the Seattle area before, now that I'm "settling down," I'm learning more details about this place that I'll be calling home.

One thing I discovered through Seattle Refined – a television program dedicated to all the ins-and-outs of the Seattle area – is that Seattle has a city flower. It's the Dahlia.

 
“Ordinance 32137, approved November 19, 1913, established the dahlia as the City’s official flower and requested that the Park Board of the City plant and cultivate the flower in suitable quantities to make effective displays in the City parks.”
— Seattle City Symbols
 

In this post is a set of photos of Dahlias that I took with my iPhone 7. These flowers were blooming with wild abandon even at the end of September.

In this first photo, I was lucky to share a dahlia with a busy bee. His wings were buzzing so quickly that you can scarcely see them. The rich yellow of his body contrasts with the intense red color of the flower. 

Stop And Smell The Flowers

Flowers speak to our hearts. I was lucky to discover an entire garden dedicated to Dahlias in the town of Silverdale which is just across the water from Seattle. It's an interesting little patch that was cultivated and located at the town's post office. 

I've been there before, running into the post office to take care of mailing errands. I had not paid attention to these sweet flowers blooming in all their glory.

When I finally noticed, it was a great reminder to increase my awareness of my surroundings and to "stop and smell the roses" – or in this case, the dahlias. There's often some truth to be found in an old adage.

Dance With The Flowers

I loved taking the time to wander in the garden, snapping pictures with my phone camera. Standing amidst so many flowers, all singing their melodious songs, my spirit was filled with wonder and appreciation for nature.

Gratitude washed over me to be with the open hearts of these flowers in all their many shapes and sizes. We shared a dance of our spirits.

Many Variations Of Dahlias

Dahlia flowers have many variations in their shapes, colors and petals. In the photo above, this one appears to have a fire burning within.

I was surprised to learn that Dahlias originated from Mexico and Central America since The Pacific Northwest is markedly cooler and wetter than those areas. However, a post about growing Dahlias had this to say:

 
“Although dahlias are native to the highland areas of Mexico and Central America, they are particularly fond of our cool-summer Northwest Coast climate in Washington State, and it’s easy for anyone to grow them to perfection with very little care.”
— Puget Sound Dahlia Association
 

Gardens As Sweet As Your Smile

Wistful inner petals encircled the nectar-filled jewel at the center of this lavender flower above. Its feathered patterns enchanted both pollinators and me. I was intrigued that it, too, was a Dahlia.

The Old Farmers Almanac informs us that the Dahlia was named for Anders Dahl (botanist), born on 17 March 1751.

 
“The Dahlia you brought to our isle
Your praises forever shall speak
‘Mid gardens as sweet as your smile
And colour as bright as your cheek.”
— Lord Holland (1773-1840)
 

Dahlias Are Magical

 
“Did you know that the city of Seattle has an official flower?
It’s the beautiful dahlia, and there is nowhere better to see them than the Volunteer Park Dahlia Garden, and no better time than August - when they’re in full bloom.”
— Seattle Refined
 

In the dahlia garden, there were many more flowers in colors of orange, yellow and white. There wasn't enough time to photograph them all.

When dahlias are blooming, be sure to bring your camera to capture photos of these magical flowers. Maybe even plan a visit to Volunteer Park Dahlia Garden.

 

A Song For Ariel

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Saying Goodbye To The Neighbor's Kitty

Moving can include saying goodbye to the neighbor's kitty. 

Ariel, a long-haired grey cat, came into my life a couple of years after I moved in to my place in California. The neighbors in the two-story house behind me moved out and soon after, she started to appear in my backyard.

"Hello! I'm heading over the fence to hang out in your backyard." 

Whose Kitty Is This?

I visited the people in the house behind me, to check if the cat was theirs. I was deeply concerned this might a situation of people moving and abandoning their pets. But, fortunately, they confirmed the cat belonged to them and that her name was Ariel.

I have to say I don't "approve" of outdoor cats. Veterinarians agree that cats are healthier, safer and live longer lives when kept as indoor cats. 

A Backyard And A Kitty

But, when Ariel decided to make my backyard, her backyard, it didn't seem appropriate to lecture the neighbors on my views of proper care for cats.

Trying to chase her away would have been silly, as we're all familiar with the challenges of herding cats. 

I certainly couldn't wish her harm. In fact, on the contrary, I fell in love with her as my friendly neighbor and frequent visitor.

"Meow! I'm at your sliding glass door. Are you there?"

Enjoying The Backyard

Ariel and I both enjoyed the backyard. She would pop over the fence early in the morning and spend most of the day there. She had a couple of spots that had been worn smooth into comfy lairs by her body. 

She would greet me with a soft meow and come out from under the bushes when I entered the backyard. She'd come to the sliding glass door to say hello in the evening.

Being a cat lover, I wouldn't dream of resisting her sweet face and freely shared TRT® hands-on with her. I talked with her.

What a sweet, loving kitty. I could pick her up and hold her; she loved being petted. She was always kind and gentle with me when I handled her.

 I consciously made a decision to never feed her any food so she wouldn't think of my place as her real home, but she, nonetheless, made it her second home.

She would head over the fence, sometimes late at night, back to her own house. I'd tell her that she should be home with her family.

"My name is Ariel, and there are secrets within my eyes."

Saying Goodbye

I told Ariel, more than once, that I had to go away for good, that I was moving. Trying to explain that to humans is not so easy, much less animals.

I left a note for the new homeowners about her and I hope they will be kind to her. 

She remains in my prayers that she will be safe and sound.

 

Seasons And Their Names

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The Names Of Our Seasons

Fall is here.

Slipping past the autumnal equinox, we now march headlong into cooler weather, sweaters and steaming cups of coffee.

Or, do you call it Autumn?

Why does this time of year have two names whilst the other seasons have only one?

Fall And Autumn

Before we had either Fall or Autumn, the season was called Harvest in England. This came from the Old Norse word haust, meaning to gather or pluck. However, in the 1600s, when more people moved into the cities, it fell out of favor. People no longer worked in the fields with the earth's rhythm of gathering the harvest.

In the 1540s, people started to use the poetic phrase Fall of the Leaf, referring to the falling leaves that they could see around them, even in the city. 

How lovely it would be to hear someone call out, "Aye, Fall of the Leaf is upon us and I best get busy knitting you that new scarf."

Fall Of The Leaf

Over time, Fall of the Leaf was shortened to just one word, Fall. Use of the word Fall became popular in the 17th century and traveled over to North America with emigrating pilgrims.

By the 16th century, the French exerted their influence with the word autumn, derived from the Old French – l'autompne. This, in turn, came from the Latin autumnus, which meant autumn.

Although Fall had its beginnings in England, the word Autumn took hold there in the 17th century and today the British primarily use the word Autumn. Fall is now used mostly in the United States.

However, some British have a bit of word-envy. The Fowler Brothers who wrote the book The King's English in 1906 had this to say about the word Fall:

“Fall is better on the merits than autumn, in every way: it is short, Saxon (like the other three season names), picturesque; it reveals its derivation to every one who uses it, not to the scholar only, like autumn.”
— The King's English
 

Spring And Lenten

Spring actually had another name in the 12th and 13th centuries. In Old English it was known as Lencten, meaning Spring, which derived from Anglo-Saxon. In Middle English, spring was called Lent or Lenten. 

In the Christian Church, Lent refers to the period of abstinence that was preparatory for the celebration of Easter. Lent, which originally meant spring, was gradually confined to this liturgical use.

By the 14th century, the season of spring became the Springing Time. In the 15th century, it became Spring-Time and eventually was shortened even more to Spring. 

Summer And Winter

Summer and winter don't seem to have many other names. Summer came from the Old English name, sumor. Winter derives from the Proto-Germanic word wentruz and this word, winter, has remained over time.

Name The Seasons

Lest the other seasons feel left out, I took it upon myself to create my own secondary names for winter, spring and summer. Like Fall and Spring, which are both a noun and a verb, I chose words that reflected a state of being and doing.

Winter – Burrow

Burrow – We burrow within the fallen leaves and plant our acorns and nuts to sustain us through the coming cold. We burrow into our sweaters and under our quilts. 

“Burrow is coming soon, does your coat from last Burrow still fit? Perhaps it’s time to buy a new one.”

Spring – Lift

Lift – the plants lift out of the earth. And we lift ourselves up after being huddled in the cold, and out of the darkness.

“I can’t wait for the warmth of Lift and to have longer days. It’s been a cold and bitter Burrow this year.”

Summer – Shine

Shine – the sun shines in full, bringing its life-giving light to one and all. Our produce shines with freshness. Our brows shine in the heat of the season.

“I love Shine because of all the fresh fruit and vegetables! Shine is a great time for canning and putting up preserves.”
 

These words have no historical background and originate only from my imagination.

What names would you make up to give the seasons?

As we delve into the richness of the Autumn harvest and celebrate the dropping leaves of Fall, which word do you use most to describe the season?

Fall or Autumn?