Tuesday 31 December 2013

Want to know what 2014 holds?

Fra Angelico and Filippo Lippi: Adoration of the Magi. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
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The New Year of 2014 is almost upon us, so here is a preview of the important astrological events that will occur during the year. I’ve designed it as a reference, so you might want to print it to keep for the year.


Retrogrades
These are the editing phases, which are the times to regroup
Venus             December 22nd, 2013 – January 31st, 2014
Mercury          February 6th – February 28th, June 7th – June 30th, October 4th – October 25th.

Eclipses
Times of change, especially when they connect to your individual chart
April 15th         Total eclipse of the Moon
April 29th         Annular eclipse of the Sun
October 8th      Total eclipse of the Moon
October 15th    Partial eclipse of the Sun

Major Meteor Showers
January 4th                   Quadrantids     25 meteors per hour
August 12th and 13th     Perseids           40 meteors per hour
October 8th                   Draconids        25 meteors per hour
December 13th             Geminids         85 meteors per hour

Visible Planets
Morning
Mercury                         February 22 – April 18, June 29 – August 1, May 4 – June 10,  October                                                 23  -  November 22
Venus                           January 17 – September 17
Mars                            January 1 – April 8
Jupiter                          January 1 – January 5, Aug 8 – Dec 31
Saturn                          January 1 – May 10, December 6 – Dec 31
Evening
Mercury                        January 13 – February 9, May 4 – June 10, August 18 – October 11,                                                        December 25 – December 31
Venus                          January 1 – January 5, December 5 – December 31
Mars                            April 8 – December 31
Jupiter                          January 5 – July 11
Saturn                          May 10 – November 1

Planetary Alignments
January 31st                                   Jupiter opposes Pluto. Expansion.
February 26th and April 20th            Jupiter squares Uranus. Dramatic New Changes.
April 21st and December 15th              Uranus squares Pluto. This transit will free us from limitations.
May 24th                                       Jupiter trines Saturn. Compassion and caring for humanity.
September 25th                                       Jupiter trines Uranus. Ease with beginning anew.

Chinese Year of the Wood Horse
  • The Chinese New Year starts on January 30th and has the Wood Horse as the animal for 2014.
  • Horse personality – High-spirited, friendly, lively, whimsical, impulsive, self-confident with a fast tempo.
  • Wood element brings logic and a sense of calm that is not normal for the excitable horse.
  • Year of adventure, action, excitement, romance and spontaneous decisions.

Venice - Three Magi gobelin
 
The Sun enters the sign of Capricorn on December 21st at 10:11 a.m., MST. Capricorn is an earth sign that is associated with the planet Saturn, who is the taskmaster of all the planets. Capricorn is the Executive because they are  the astrological authority figure and  know instinctively how to succeed. But there is a tradeoff . . . Capricorn is the workaholic of the Zodiac.
December 21st is the Winter Equinox, which welcomes a new season. In the northern hemisphere, this is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. It has always been celebrated as the time when the light returns to the world, since the days immediately get longer after December 21st.
Well, finally that strong Scorpio party has separated, but guess what? It rushed through fun Sagittarius and is now turning into a Capricorn party. In fact, the year of 2014 starts out with a New Moon in Capricorn, which occurs exactly on January 1st! Not only is there a New Moon, but there are also four other planets in the sign of Capricorn. What a great way to start out a new year with the powerful intention of Capricorn to get thing going right! This is a perfect year to make serious New Year’s resolutions, because they can actually get accomplished with this Capricorn party helping out



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The biggest thing happening astrologically this month is that Venus is turning retrograde on December 22nd and doesn’t change to direct motion until January 31st. Venus, the planet of love and beauty, retrogrades approximately every 1 ½ years, and is the time to rethink our creativity, art or our love lives. Maybe go through your closet and give things away to make it more organized. I call retrograde the “editing phase,” so this is editing the Venus part of our lives. As Venus retrogrades, she moves part Mercury on January 7th. Often brilliant ideas surface at that time. Then, on January 11th, Venus joins with the Sun, which combines with a time of awareness about what we need to change to make us happier. Get a new hairstyle or buy some art you’ve been wanting. Bring new Venus activities into your life in mid-January.
 
Marvelous "Three Wise Men on a Boat" by artist James Christensen.
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Regarding the visible planets this month, we’ll see the last of Venus for a while. Venus is always retrograde for 40 days and then will emerge as the “Morning Star” in the predawn sky. It sure has been fabulous watching bright Venus after sunset for the last few months. Enjoy viewing Venus now, because she will disappear into the glow of the sun soon. But we have almost-as-bright Jupiter that is now rising after sunset in the eastern sky. Each night Jupiter will be higher in the sky and we’ll be able to watch it moving along the ecliptic in the sky for the next few months. For your viewing pleasure, be sure to watch the Moon joining bright Jupiter on January 14th and 15th.
 
All Info via Susie Cox
 
May 2014 be a good year
 
 
Glass mosaic of Madonna, Schottenkirche, Vienna, Austria
 

Monday 30 December 2013

Nordic Winter Feast





 
Queen Sylvia of Sweden turned 70 on December 23
 

 






 
All images Ikea
Queen Silvia Official portrait and Royal palaces via Sveriges Kungahus

Winter Gardens

 
Inside
 
 
Outside
 

Walking
 
 
Caring
 

 
Christmasing
 
 
Decorating

 
Homeying
 
Winter Greens
 
{with Thanks}

Monday 23 December 2013

Thoughts on what matters most


First, there was sparkle
then light
and beauty
 


and everything looked so pure and NEW
 

and that was called Creation

 
There are all kinds of creating

 
 but the key is to seek Beauty
 

in all the right places
 
 
and documenting it in all its beauty and glory

 
 no matter how big or small steps one should take
 

one needs to pay attention

 
and look for the signs

 
 because beauty is delicate
yet strong and demanding

and one should rush to catch it and savor it while they can


Prince or poor
 
 
There is only so much one can do

 
in order to be happy.
 
 
Merry Christmas
 
All images via Zsa Zsa and Tongue in cheek.Thank you for the inspiration.

Friday 20 December 2013

A Neon Christmas


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Pretty and fun, and perfect for families with young kids...

Red and Green Christmas

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May all your Christmases be Happy...



Thursday 19 December 2013

Some thoughts on this year's Christmas

  "The funny thing about life is that sometimes we feel as though we might die of sadness yet we keep on taking in air and find a way to carve out happiness in spite of it all.    I’m certain that those of you who live far from your family or have lost loved ones are nodding your heads right now.

Because not only do we have to keep inhaling and exhaling but if we take time to really think about it, we realize that these moments are the ones that our children, and the new friends we gather with, will remember.  I believe that the best thing we can do when we feel so far away is to embrace the happiness before us.   I have stopped trying to make Christmas away from my family feel easier to digest and have simply accepted it, allowing myself the time I need to grieve.  Then I throw all of my energy into re-creating as many traditions as possible for my children and celebrating all of the good things that life has given us".


Ciao Domenica

This passage from Tina of Traveling Mama speaks volumes to me this Christmas.
Let's look at the bright side of life and rejoice in all that really matters.


Wednesday 18 December 2013

Oh Christmas Tree!

There is something so
happy,
fresh
and w
elcoming
 about Scandinavian Christmas.
 
Something that speaks of a NEW day,
of  hope and light.




 
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Ah , happy times!

Best buys