Category Archives: ancestors

October…

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“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.

It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it?

—L.M. Montgomery (from Anne of Green Gables)

A herd of cows grazing in a grassy field with a backdrop of vibrant autumn foliage and a mountain in the distance.
A classic red convertible parked in a scenic area featuring vibrant autumn trees under a clear blue sky.
Handwritten words on paper pieces: 'wind', 'HOLDS(S)', 'geography' on a textured, light-colored background.
View of a blurred tree and landscape through a rain-streaked window.
A grassy field with clusters of green plants and yellow flowers, under a colorful sunrise sky.
A field with green grass and yellow flowering plants under a blue sky.
A stone statue of an angel embracing a child surrounded by colorful flowers in a garden under a clear blue sky.
A brown dog sleeping on the wooden floor in a cozy boutique, surrounded by various items like fabrics, glassware, and baskets.
Scenic view of a calm lake reflecting the colorful sky at sunset, surrounded by lush greenery and trees.
A group of three cattle standing in a grassy field behind a barbed wire fence, with a hazy background.
A red barn and white farmhouse sit on a green farm with rolling hills and blue sky filled with clouds in the background.
A field of wildflowers featuring bright yellow blooms against a grey sky, with sparse vegetation and dried grass in the foreground.
Silhouette of trees and a calm river at sunrise, with mist rising over the water and warm orange hues in the sky.
A deer standing in a grassy field next to a line of trees during sunset.
Aerial view of the horizon during sunset, showcasing a gradient of orange and blue skies with a landscape below featuring land and water.

Thank you to all of my friends and family who made my 60th birthday incredibly fun, meaningful, and memorable. Watch out world, FIRE HORSE WOMEN are being unbridled this year.

A celebratory table setting featuring a gold '60 & Fabulous' sash, a Modern Witch Tarot deck, various nostalgic photographs, and colorful postcards, indicative of a 60th birthday celebration.
A round chocolate cake with the words 'Libra Witches Never Age' written on top, surrounded by a decorative icing border. In the background, a glass and part of two people's arms are visible.
Handwritten labels on a white tablecloth featuring the words 'balanced', 'oysters', 'champagne', and 'wisdom', next to a plate of apple-topped toast.
Close-up of feet submerged in bubbles in a bathtub, with light pink nail polish on the toes.

A “Curse” That Changed Demographics by Angela Chan-Danisi

In East Asian astrology, a “Fire Horse” year is said to produce women of extraordinary spirit—brilliant, independent, and unafraid to defy convention. Yet this same astrological sign is often viewed with suspicion, its energy seen as too intense or disruptive. This paradox, known as the “Fire Horse Effect,” still echoes today: powerful women are frequently celebrated for their ambition and drive, but just as often criticized for being “too much.”
In 1966, Japan saw a notable drop in births, which has been linked to the belief that women born in the Year of the Fire Horse would bring bad luck to their marriages and families.
Neither the economy nor new policies caused this drop. It was driven by superstition.
For generations, people believed women born in the Year of the Fire Horse were too strong, independent, and too disruptive for traditional families.
What matters most is not the belief itself, but its impact. Even irrational cultural stories can be strong enough to change a country’s population trends.
This isn’t about astrology. It’s about how people behave as a society.
The Fire Horse superstition illustrated this pattern symbolically. When systems feel threatened, they look for someone to blame. https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelachan/2026/02/08/the-fire-horse-effect-why-powerful-women-are-still-labeled-too-much/

GIDDY UP

sometimes it’s hard to keep the thread…

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Illustration of chaotic thoughts with phrases like 'incoming texts', 'potential spam calls', 'email', and 'BREAKING NEWS' in a scribbled style.

Information moves at a speed my younger self couldn’t possibly have imagined. How do I want my nearly 60-year-old psyche to respond to the constant information thrown at me in modern life?

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” —Ferris Bueller

Yesterday, I took some time to look back at my week and sift through the endless noise. I want to give more care to the significant threads of my life. I took time to assess what distracted me, activated my curiosity, or grabbed my heart. This was a worthwhile exercise…something I want to keep up.

A close-up image of tangled threads in various colors, resting on a textured surface.

Last week, I celebrated a friend’s 60th birthday, and a heartbroken friend lost her mother. I had a long conversation with a friend in challenging circumstances and made her laugh. My great-grand nephew turned six. I hosted an Easter lunch filled with love, laughs and a discussion about life’s mysteries and the power of intuition. These events deserve some memory savoring.

I also learned the term—DREAMSTORMING…interpret as you wish or need.

A scenic autumn pathway lined with colorful fall foliage, featuring vibrant red and orange leaves among green trees. The image also includes a decorative textile with floral embroidery on the right side.
A vintage sepia-toned composite image featuring a sailing ship at sea on the left and a historical street scene with a church steeple on the right.

The ARTEMIS II Crew and their trip around the moon captured my curiosity (a big thank you to my daughter, Willa for her insights and research). I shot the photo below as I watched the lunar eclipse on March 3rd.

A nighttime scene featuring a partially illuminated moon in a clear sky, above snowy streets lined with parked vehicles, including an orange car in the foreground and a stop sign visible on the right.

Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen wears a personal patch while in space of the Seven Grandfather Teachings inspired by his relationship with Indigenous communities. I appreciated what his experience brought to the mission. ARTEMIS II returns to earth tonight.


The Seven Grandfather Teachings (Ojibwe/Anishinaabe):

WISDOM (Nibwaakaawin): Represented by the Beaver. To cherish knowledge is to know Wisdom.

LOVE (Zaagidiwin): Represented by the Eagle. To know love is to know peace.

RESPECT (Minaadendamowin): Represented by the Buffalo. To honor all creation is to have respect.

BRAVERY (Aakode’ewin): Represented by the Bear. The bear provides the courage to face life’s challenges.

HONESTY (Gwayakwaadiziwin): Represented by the Raven. To do something with honesty is to be truthful with oneself and others.

HUMILITY (Dbaadendiziwin): Represented by the Wolf. To think of yourself as equal to everyone else.

TRUTH (Debwewin): Represented by the Turtle. To know truth is to know and understand all of these teachings.

NOTE: The patch was designed specifically for him by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond of Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/04/09/artemis-ii-astronaut-carries-indigenous-wisdom-to-the-moon

What events deserve some memory savoring for you?