Month: May 2011
Daily Horoscopes for Monday, May 16th

You don’t care about logic today; if you want to do something, no one will be able to talk you out of your plan. You might even be willing to conveniently forget about your obligations, although you’ll probably create trouble for yourself by your irresponsible behavior. Using your common sense can save the day. Take a moment and think about the consequences before impulsively running off to pursue pleasure. You will have a better time if you fulfill your responsibilities first.

You get off to a slow start this morning, so it may be tough to motivate yourself. You have no problem visualizing the amazing things you could be doing, but your dreams won’t become real on their own. You may have to set aside concerns of comfort and be willing to work extra hard today. Although you are being asked to stretch yourself now, you will feel a great deal of satisfaction if you have something positive to show for your efforts by the end of the day.

Your need for peace and quiet may tempt you to withdraw from unnecessary social interactions today, even if your friends want you to join them for some fun. You’re not willing to just go along for the ride now, especially if it appears that the excitement will outweigh the serenity. You have enough work to do so you aren’t interested in wasting your energy when it could be applied toward more useful endeavors. Take care of important business and save your playtime for the weekend.

It’s difficult to speak your mind without having a plan today. You would prefer to figure out what you’re going to say before sharing your thoughts with your friends or associates. However, you may be able to explore your alternatives out loud if you feel very comfortable with the others in your group. Ideally, your best bet will be to test a couple of your options on a friendly audience, if given the chance.

Your co-worker or friend may be exaggerating today, but you will most likely take what you hear at face value. Your natural generosity of spirit enables you to give others the benefit of the doubt. Trusting someone else might initiate an emotional connection that adds value to your life. Although you must be ready to jump in with the right person when an opportunity is presented, make sure that you feel comfortable with the situation before you leap.

You can become quite obsessed with making plans for an upcoming adventure, but your innate powers of discrimination may fall to the wayside as you try to finalize your strategy. You might skim over the details and miss something important while you justify what you want now with opinions rather than facts. But you won’t find satisfaction if you race toward the wrong destination. Slow down and reconsider your assumptions. Rethinking your current approach can save you from running into obstacles down the road.

Your key planet Venus is visiting dreamland today as she sextiles imaginative Neptune, making this a fairytale day that brings you love. Unfortunately, an idyllic fantasy might not last as long as you wish. Although there may be opportunities for romance, the mysterious Scorpio Moon increases your need to go deep. Happiness depends upon finding a balance between lighthearted pleasures and passionate explorations. You don’t have to miss out on the fun, yet entertaining unrealistic hopes could lead to disappointment.

Your current notion of personal satisfaction doesn’t require approval from someone else. Enjoying yourself now is more about your internal state than what anyone else thinks. Retreating into your own world as the Moon moves through your introspective sign can be quite productive. But you must also remain vigilant, for you are tempted to just relax and take it easy. Living in the moment has its upside, but you can be very self-judgmental if you don’t finish your work.

You might believe that you have a healthy attitude about balancing work and play, but your responsibilities will pile up very quickly today if you don’t stay focused on them. Although sweet distractions can break your concentration, you are blessed with an extraordinary level of willpower now. Don’t be self-critical if you slip; just redirect your attention onto your current chores and keep moving forward one step at a time.

Some people mistakenly think that you Mountain Goats don’t know how to enjoy yourself. Today is a day when you can happily prove them wrong. There are four planets now dancing in your 5th House of Spontaneous Pleasure, enabling you to emotionally detach yourself from unfulfilled responsibilities. Once you’re ready to play, you won’t need to justify your actions to anyone else. Fortunately, you could be even more productive after you have had some well-deserved fun.

Although you may be floating on a Neptunian cloud today, it’s still a challenge to let go of someone else’s expectations, especially if others are depending on you. But you don’t have to succumb to their pressures and deadlines. You can obtain great benefit from setting your regular workday aside for a while. Take some wellness time for yourself, if you can; your responsibilities will wait for your return.

You may feel bogged down in your everyday routines, leading you to spend more time dreaming of a different life. But breaking free from old habits might be tougher than it appears. Although the anticipation lures you into new ground today, saying something contrary to the status quo can be a bit disconcerting. Instead of trying to change your situation, consciously alter your attitude first. This may be sufficient to shift your experience out of a rut and gradually into a different direction.
Flavorful Oil
Use this oil to flavor vegetables and baked potatoes, and brush on garlic bread before serving.
1 tablespoon combined fresh lemon grass, lemon verbena, and lemon thyme
1 cup heated almond oil
Steep and strain.
Marinade Oil
Flavor rice, vegetables and meat marinades
1 (1/4-inch) slice ginger
1/2 teaspoon each crushed cardamom and coriander seeds
1 cup safflower oil
Simmer ginger, cardamom, and coriander seeds in safflower oil for 3 minutes. strain.
Herbal Oil for Salads and Sautes
Enjoy this spicy oil for Mexican salad and rice dishes, or add it to a fresh garden salad.
1 cup oil
3 (2-inch) sprigs each of oregano and basil or rosemary and thyme
1 tablespoon each fresh oregano and basil or rosemary and thyme
1 (1/4-inch piece ginger
1 chili
1/2 teaspoon seeds, crushed with mortar and pestle
Gently heat oil 3 – 5 minutes. Pour into a glass jar with six 2-inch sprigs of herbs for each cup of oil. or one of the following fresh herbs, ginger, chili, or seeds. Cool, cover, and refrigerate up to six months.
*Note: Only add garlic to oils to be used within three days,. Garlic forms a botulism in oil that can cause severe diarrhea.
Pasta and Vegetable Oil
Season pasta salads and steamed zucchini for a hint of minty flavor.
2 (6-inch) sprigs each oregano, thyme, and spearmint
1 cup heated olive oil
Steep oregano, thyme, and spearmint in heated olive oil.
Fruit Salad Vinegar
Add this vinegar to a salad of oranges, apples, pears, peaches and dates.
6 rose petals
6 violets
3 sprigs lavender, optional
1 cup heated rice vinegar
Steep rose petals, violets, and lavender in heated rice vinegar.
Vinegar Marinade
Use this vinegar as a marinade for fajita meats
1 chili
1 garlic clove
3 sprigs oregano
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Steep chili, garlic, and oregano in apple cider vinegar overnight.
Salad Vinegar
The cucumber taste of burnet will heighten the taste of a simple green salad.
3 springs each sign, salad burnet, and shallots
1 cup heated red wine vinegar
Steep sage, salad burnet, and shallots in heated red wine vinegar for 30 minutes. Strain and serve or store in a glass bottle.
Herb Vinegars and Oils
Combine your favorite herbs and spices in a delicious herb vinegar or oil to flavor salads, vegetables, pastas, and marinades. Add six two-inch sprigs or one tablespoon of fresh leaves to every cup of heated vinegar or oil. Cool, cover, and store in a glass bottle in a cool, dark place up to one year. Reuse the vinegar bottles to store herb vinegar. When adding garlic, chilies, or chives, use one for every cup of vinegar.
Rose Geranium Butter
Spread on toast, biscuits or cakes. This butter can also be used to make biscuits and cakes.
1 pound unsalted butter
Several fresh geranium leaves, finely chopped
Blend butter with geranium leaves and refrigerate.
Lemon Butter
Add to vegetable dishes.
1/3 cup chopped lemon grass bulb or lemon balm, lemon thyme, or lemon basil
Lemon zest and juice of 1/4 fresh lemon
2 sticks unsalted butter.
Melt herbs and butter together. Simmer lightly 5-10 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.
Mint Butter
Use on breads, muffins, carrots and parsnips.
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 stick unsalted butter
Lemon zest to taste
2 tablespoons marmalade, preserves or honey of choice
Simmer 10 minutes or less for a lighter flavor.
Herb Butters
Herb butters add a delightful flavor to vegetables, crackers, breads and meats. They are quick and easy to prepare and turn an ordinary dinner into a meal to remember
Hints:
-
Use unsalted butter
-
Use lemon zest to enhance flavor
-
Mix into softened butter or simmer
-
Herb butters get stronger with time. Refrigerate two to three weeks. Freeze two to three months
-
Add nuts just prior to serving
-
Chop fresh herbs, cut with scissors, or food process fully dry
-
Simmer herbs about ten minutes. Do not bubble.
Your Rune For May 15 is Eihwaz
day’s I Ching Hexagram for May 15 is 38: Diverging Interests
day’s I Ching Hexagram for Everyone:
38: Diverging Interests
Sunday, May 15th, 2011

General Meaning: An image of estrangement is indicated here. One example used in ancient Chinese texts is how when brothers and sisters marry, they grow apart, since their allegiances now lie with new family groups. Though they will remain close enough to successfully deal with problems and share minor interests, they will be unable to undertake anything big together. Simply put, when people grow apart — even for the most natural of reasons — their points of view, values and interests start to diverge.
Diverging interests bring opposition into the world of human affairs. And when differences morph into alienation and enmity, no good results. But when opposition takes the form of healthy competition, or when contrasting energies or positions are seen as part of the natural order of things, good fortune is still possible.
Even when diverging energies make a situation seem stagnant or futile, there are always creative possibilities inherent in polarities. One is reminded of the yin-yang interplay that is fundamental to the creation of life itself. But when opposition arises from issues of principle, you must hold to your integrity and individuality. And avoid becoming involved with vulgar or base people who do not share your values. With both people and companies, one measure of stature is the quality of the competition.
Today’s Tarot Card for May 15 is The Devil
Today’s Tarot Cardfor Everyone:
The Devil

This Tarot Deck: Hanson Roberts
The image which emerged in the mid-1700’s gives us a more sophisticated rendition — that of the “scapegoated Goddess,” whose esoteric name is Baphomet. Volcanic reserves of passion and primal desire empower her efforts to overcome the pressure of stereotyped roles and experience true freedom of soul. Tavaglione’s highly evolved image (Stella deck) portrays the magical formula for harnessing and transmuting primal and obsessive emotions into transformative energies. As a part of the Gnostic message of Tarot, this fearsome passion and power must be reintegrated into the personality, to fuel the soul’s passage from mortal to immortal.
Daily Horoscopes for Sunday, May 15

Even if you take the time to share your point of view with those close to you, they may not acknowledge your feelings. Apparently, you might not be communicating as clearly as you think or, maybe, someone else just can’t see beyond his or her assumptions. You could inadvertently increase everyone’s frustration level if you keep trying to say the same thing. It’s probably more sensible to start over again in a day or two. Your chances of being heard are better once your emotions have settled.

You might hold back your feelings if something goes wrong today because you don’t want to stir up any more trouble. Although you believe that your strategy is based on common sense, your unexpressed feelings can create fallout of their own. Someone might think you are hard to get along with because you’re not participating in the discussion. It’s best in the long run to say what’s on your mind without placing blame on anyone else.

You are quite willing to express your feelings of attraction now to someone you admire. You could be inclined to take care of a close friend, because doing things for others might be the safest way for you to share your love today. Even if your intentions are good, allow plenty of emotional space so you don’t smother anyone with your need for affection.

Your frustration with others today may ultimately stem from your own discomfort. You would like to be more emotionally detached so your feelings don’t interfere with having a good time. Unfortunately, intellectualizing your reactions by telling everyone that you’re okay won’t necessarily work, because you don’t sound like you mean it. When you realize that you don’t need to share your opinions on everything that happens, you’ll be free from projecting your fears onto anyone else.

It’s difficult to keep your emotions from influencing your objectivity, even if you recognize that it’s smarter to stay neutral today. Ironically, you are more flexible than you sound because your words convey a high level of certainty that makes you seem unwilling to negotiate. Be as open as possible and let others know you haven’t made up your mind and that you’re willing to listen to their point of view.

You find it challenging to demonstrate your authority today because others want you to justify your choices. Unfortunately, you don’t share the same need for closure now and you’re content to sit on the fence as a conversation unfolds. You’re eager to take either position just to keep the discussion going, but you might not be ready to make up your mind. Don’t let anyone else’s sense of urgency force you to give your final answer until you’re ready.

Your feelings swing like a pendulum today as you try to get comfortable with your changing moods. But even if you do find peace with the rise and fall of your emotional tides, your inconsistency may grate on others. You might try to convince someone that you aren’t attached to any particular outcome, only to get angry later in the day when things don’t go your way. Exhibiting a bit of self-control will help now because losing your temper won’t make anyone happy.

The Moon’s opposition to four planets and her return to your sign indicate that you could get bent out of shape if you cannot find the peace and quiet that you want. Taking some time off sounds like a good idea, but the demands of others might make your escape impossible. Isolation can be reassuring if it offers you the space you need to think about an unresolved issue, without having to report every thought back to someone else. Enjoy your solitude when it finally arrives.

You are pulled between extremes today — doing the casual social thing and digging deeper to get to the bottom of a spiritual dilemma. Thankfully, you are able to play both ends of the spectrum now, without having to choose one over the other until you are ready. Give yourself permission to respond to circumstances and make the most of each moment, whether you are enjoying the company of your friends or solving the mysteries of the universe.

Allow extra time today to acknowledge that your life is less complicated, even if it doesn’t appear that it will last. It’s wise to receive the good will that comes your way now, although you might not get much work accomplished. If someone special wants to nurture you, don’t put up a fight. Accepting love with an open heart is the right thing to do, even if it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable at first.

Your feelings take you on a journey today and there really isn’t much to be gained by resisting the sojourn. Fortunately, you won’t cause any harm by just floating off into Fantasyland. It’s crucial for you to escape from the routine now, even if you can’t really go anywhere at all. If you keep up appearances by quietly fulfilling your responsibilities, you’ll be able to travel in your mind wherever you please.

You may attempt to sidestep your emotions now, at least long enough to dig into a complex problem. However, you can’t separate your opinions from the answers you seek. Being aware of your bias, though, can make all the difference in the world. There’s no need for you to pretend that you are just a rational scientist when, in fact, you are also a passionate artist. Integrating your head and your heart into each situation will broaden your experience.
New Moon Report for May 15th – Mercury in Taurus

Mercury in Taurus
Sunday, May 15, 4:19 pm PDT, 7:19 pm EDT
Brainy Mercury in pragmatic Taurus prefers facts to fantasies. Steady thinking and realistic ideas provide a solid foundation for honest communication. Minds will dig in and resist pressure to examine alternative points of view, open to new ideas or tackle complex subjects. Sweet and subtle ways of addressing opposition are likely to prove much more effective than direct attacks that will spur even stronger defenses.
New Moon Report for May 15 – Venus in Taurus

Venus in Taurus
Sunday, May 15, 3:12 pm PDT, 6:12 pm EDT
Amorous Venus’ return to her earthy home sign is a celebration of sensuality and simple pleasures. A more leisurely romantic pace allows love to grow with comfort and ease. Accepting ourselves as we are increases self-worth and the ability to attract who and what we desire. There is, though, a risk of becoming self-indulgent, overly possessive and stuck in old patterns that make it more difficult to adapt to new experiences or accept change in relationships.

You must be logged in to post a comment.