Author: ladyoftheabyss

Noteworthy Stellar Events for the Week

Noteworthy Stellar Events for the Week

Saturday March 9

  • 02:10 am – Sun sextile Saturn from Thursday to next Monday gives patience, perseverance and a strong work ethic. These attributes together with a sense of duty and serious attitude make this an excellent time to meet your goals. You will be determined to get practical results and make no mistakes. This is a good time to complete serious or difficult tasks. You may need to show your leadership qualities or be asked to instruct others. Younger people may seek out your wisdom and this is also a good time to ask for professional advice or that of your elders.

 

Source

Astrology King

The Sky This Week from March 8 to 10

The Sky This Week from March 8 to 10

After the crescent Moon has a close encounter with Venus in the March 2 predawn sky, it returns as a young Moon in the evening sky on the 7th and 8th.

By Richard Talcott
Friday, March 8
If you couldn’t find the Moon yesterday evening, try again tonight. It lies 10° higher and shows a noticeably fatter — but still stunning — crescent phase. The Moon gains altitude quickly from night to night because the ecliptic — the apparent path of the Sun across the sky that the Moon and planets follow closely — makes a steep angle to the western horizon after sunset in March. It causes the Moon to gain 10° of altitude each evening despite moving only 11° eastward relative to the Sun.

Mars continues to put on a nice show these March evenings. It appears nearly 40° high in the west once twilight fades to darkness and doesn’t set until after 10:30 p.m. local time. The magnitude 1.3 Red Planet lies among the background stars of Aries the Ram. Unfortunately, Mars shows little if any detail on its 5″-diameter disk when viewed through a telescope.

Saturday, March 9
This is a good week to look for Sirius in the evening sky. The night sky’s brightest star (at magnitude –1.5) appears highest in the south just as twilight ends. It then lies about one-third of the way from the horizon to the zenith when viewed from mid-northern latitudes. (The farther south you live, the higher it appears.) If you point binoculars at Sirius, look for the pretty star cluster M41 in the same field, just 4° below the star.

Sunday, March 10
Jupiter continues to grow more prominent before dawn. The giant planet shines at magnitude –2.1 and climbs 25° high in the south-southeast by the first hint of twilight. A telescope reveals Jupiter’s 37″-diameter disk and at least two conspicuous cloud belts as well as the planet’s four bright Galilean moons.

For most people in the United States and Canada, daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. local time this morning. Set your clocks ahead one hour.

Source

Good Friday Morning, my dear sweet brothers & sisters of the Craft!

Blessed Be

I hope everyone is doing great this Friday morning. It is Friday, isn’t it? I am hoping like heck it is or else I have lost a day some place. We are running on an abbreviated schedule this morning. I hope you don’t mind. In fact, you seemed to enjoy it the other day, lol! But seriously, I have got to take the pup to the vet this afternoon and a few other things to get done. Life calls, what can I say?

As far as our new site is coming, it is coming. It is going to be a monster of a site too. Oh boy, is it ever. First of all, you know I suggested a new name for the site, The United States Pagan Alliance Network. Well, I guess the site I am building it on is a lot smarter than I am. I put the new name in and it kept kicking me back to “The United States Pagan Alliance.” I fought the website several times and the same thing kept happening, The United States Pagan Alliance. I finally gave up and decide what the heck the site was smarter than I was. Our new site’s name is officially “The United States Pagan Alliance.” I researched that name and no other site on the internet has that name so we are safe on that front. I had one lady comment from Mexico and I know I will probably hear from some in Canada about issues they want addressed. But somewhere along the line, I believe they feel since it is called “The United States…..” that we would not include them. I hate to tell you, you are wrong. As close as these two countries are to us, we would gladly extend our reach to you. So there is no problem there and I am sure the rest of the WOTC would agree with me. The only thing I ask is that you keep us abreast of the issues in your country.

I do like the new name of the site. It sounds official and it sounds like we are a powerful organization, which we will become eventually. I have found out all goods things do not happen overnight. You have to keep working at them and working at them. I said I wanted a name that you not only liked but I could really sink my teeth into, this one I can. I need your help though, this site has so many diverse topics on it, we need writers. When I say writers don’t run off on me. If you are familiar with one of the topics below and would like to write an article or viewpoint on the topic, we would love to have you. You don’t have to write a daily article, you can write a weekly article or even a monthly article. Let us know what is going on in your community that we need to be made aware of. You will find below a list of topics that are going to be addressed on the site, if any of them grab you and you want to write, feel free to let me know. We already have one writer who is writing a political article for the site and boy, do I love it. It is about one of my favorite politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York. I can’t help it, I associate that woman with farting cows, gee whiz! She wants to send us back to the stone age with her “New Green Deal,” in case you are not familiar with her, you will be.

Now on to the list of topics that are going to appear on our site so far. If there are any I have left out or any others that you can think of that need to be addressed, let me know. Remember this is your site. Here are the topics(oh, and they are in no particular order at this time):

Hatred & Bigotry

Human Rights

Homeless & Hunger

Gay Rights

Child Welfare

Veterans’ Affairs

Environmental Issues

National Disasters

Animal Rights

State by State Concerns

Women’s Rights

Men’s Rights

Bullying

National Security

Media Bias

Internet Scams

News Worthy Items of the Day??? (in other words got a shorter name for it?)

Tell me what you think. If you have a better name for some of these topics, I want to hear them. These are not set in stone yet so there is plenty of time to change any of them. Also if you want to add any to the list, feel free. Be glad to have them. I hope you, guys and gals are ready for this. Remember it is going to take all of us to make this happen. Another idea, if you are in a Pagan group or site, tell them about this new site launching and what it is going to involve. I know what most of them are going to say already, “the last time we mixed Politics with Religions, we got burned.” First of all, It isn’t going to happen this time, we have learned from our past. You ought to know me by now, I have the Burning Times scorched in my memory and I will not let that happen. Second, we are not a Political site, we are an Activism Site, Third, there are more Pagans in this nation than any other religion and that is a proven fact. More people are giving up on mainstream religions and coming to the faith-based ones more than ever now. Our numbers are enormous. We are now a forced to be reckoned with. We must always remember our past, never forget who we are and that we have issues and concerns just like everyone else. It is past time for our voice to be heard.  Remember that.

One more thing and I swear I will hush and get to work or else I will never get the pooch to the vet…………

It is International Women’s Day

Go do something nice for that special lady in your life today. Bring her breakfast in bed, a rose, just something to show her that you appreciate all she does for your everyday.

 

Have a very bless Friday, my dear sweet family,

All my love,

Lady of the Abyss

Yeah, I know, I promised I would hush but I forgot something. If you are interested in contributing to the new site you can email us at:

u.s.pagan_alliance_network@outlook.com

We will get to posting back here tomorrow, I promise but first…..

Since this new site is all of ours, I want to run something by you. Truthfully, I have never liked the name “Pagans in Action.” I don’t know why, it just didn’t do anything for me. I have to have a name that holds meaning to me to actually sink myself into. Like you can tell by The WOTC, I love that name and I sink, no I dive in head first and think later, lol. But back to the topic at hand, since this new site is covering the entire states, what do you think about the name…..

The United States Pagan Alliance Network

Might be hell putting on a banner but that’s my problem to figure out. To me, that name sounds official and serious. Perhaps with this name, we will be taken seriously and we will sound like we mean business, which we do. I promise this is the last name change. With anything new, there are always going to be changes but I promise this is the last name change, if you agree. I have checked the name by doing a search and it doesn’t exist anywhere on the internet. I like it, now what do you think? Stick with “Pagans in Action,” or change it to the new one.

Lady A

Well I definitely know how to get you to reply now, lol!

I sincerely appreciate everyone who replied to my post yesterday. I have collected all the topics and now have a list of what to put on our new site. Seriously, let’s talk. This new endeavor is going to take work if we are going to accomplish anything. I don’t mean just make a little dent in whatever topic we go after, I mean make a huge impact. For that to happen, it is going to take all of us. I can’t do this by myself nor can the WOTC. I need all the followers of the WOTC everywhere to get involved. We need various contacts for various agencies. We need people all over the country to tell us what is going on in your area. We need names of politicians or individuals who might be discriminating against the gay community for example. We need names of people who might not have our Mother Earth’s best interest at heart. We need you to be our eyes and ears. You don’t have to worry. I will never, ever let the source of our information be known. You can report anything and everything to me and I will hold it in strict confidence. But the issues you report, you have my word, we will hit head on and as strong as possible.

Frankly, our country has got to hell in a handbag. Sorry for the language but you know it as well as I do. Something has got to change. The politicians speak and promise, but they never keeps those promises. Someone needs to hold them accountable and that someone is going to be us. We have people and politicians again that want to destroy the family unit in our country. They want to send trillions of dollars overseas while we have veterans, families and children sleep on our streets and go hungry everyday. That has got to stop. We have people who still to this day, discriminate against the Gay community, their is racism in our country, their is hatred for our fellow citizens. Why? It leads all back to the politicians in our country as well as others. Our veterans, those proud men and women who served to protect the freedoms we have today, living homeless and on our streets, that is a shame. It is a shame our country allows this to happen to the veterans, to the families and most of all our children. It breaks my heart.

I know I left out a few of the suggestions I received but don’t worry they will be on the site. Others have tried to tackle these problems and have not succeeded. I want us to succeed. It is going to take everyone of us to make it happen. I beg you again, once this gets started and up and running to become an active participant. Don’t sit idly by on the sidelines and think, “oh, they can get it done.” We can’t get it done without YOU! I have seen with my own eyes what this site and the million of followers we have can do when we set our minds to it. I don’t mean to offend anyone but I believe I have said it before, it is time we get off our rumps and make a difference in this world. Perhaps that is what we are meant to do. No one else has succeeded, perhaps we can. No, we will. We will be the difference. We can accomplish anything as long as we all stand together and support each other in our efforts to make that change happen.

Now what I would like for you to do, is to do a little research. Check out the local organization or individuals in your area that can be helpful to us to contact. This is a sea to shining sea effort, from the state of Washington to the tip of Florida, we don’t know the organizations in your area but we need to know. We also need to know the problems that are critical in your area. Those who are either opposing or discriminating against a certain class of people or doing environmental harm, we need to know. We need you to be our eyes and our ears. Again, everything is strictly confidential.

Once this site is up and running, you will have a voice in it and the topics we chose to tackle. We will start out by having monthly meetings to hear from you. If monthly don’t work, we will go for meetings every three months or whatever is convenient for you. We will even take a vote on that. I want this to succeed. You will have an input and together we can make a change. We have to make a change because we cannot let things continue on the path they are currently on. Most of all I want you to remember one thing, it will take all of us to accomplish anything. Together, we can make changes, not one person but all of us, TOGETHER!

Thank you again for your input. Now I know how to get you to reply to me. Just say, I am down on my hands and knees begging you and you respond. Truthfully, I was down on my hands and knees, no joke. There are just so many issues it is overwhelming, I will admit that. That is why I need you, we need you, all of you.

Remember, my dear sweet family, I love you and I thank you.

Lady of the Abyss

Just Curious and Want Your Input, Desperately!!!!

Ok, I have been busting my a** on our new site, “Pagans in Action.” Now I have a few ideas or topics I want to see on there. But I am stuck on just my ideas. I need your help, what topics or suggestions do you have for the site? Something that might interest us all and we might actually want to do something about. Right now, I have political issues, veterans affairs, animal welfare, environment issues, somewhere along the line I want to work in disaster relief too and that’s it. What do you think would go good on a site like this one coming up? I need your opinion. Do you think the topics I have are ok or do I need to change any of them? Again, I am begging you, what topics do you have in mind or want to see tackled? Yeah, tackled, that’s it! I like that idea. So what do you want us to tackle?

I am down on my hands and knees begging you, let me have some input, please!

Love ya,

Lady A

And remember I don’t bite so feel free to criticize my topics or give your own!

Today’s Extra for March 5: Why Do We Dream (and Does It Really Mean Anything)?

Why Do We Dream (and Does It Really Mean Anything)?

Why we need sleep is pretty obvious. The brain needs (and deserves) time to shut down and reset in order to function at its highest. But have you ever wondered why we dream? What role do they play in our lives?

The average person has four to six dreams a night, each lasting between five and 34 minutes. Dreams generally occur during deep sleep—in the REM phase. During the REM cycle, the chemical associated with memory and recall (norepinephrine) is at its lowest levels. That, along with the fact that our memory-supporting frontal lobes become inactive while we sleep, is why we are generally unable to remember most of our dreams in the morning. In fact, the only time many of us are actually able to recall a dream is if we are awoken from it.

WHY DO WE DREAM?

So, what’s the point of dreams, if we can’t even remember most of them? The truth is, no one really knows for sure. But, there are a few widely-accepted theories as to the underlying purpose of dreaming.

Self-Therapy

If you’re experiencing a lot of drama or have experienced trauma in your life, your dreams may be helping you to process those stressful events in unique ways.

Dreams allow you to make emotional connections that you simply cannot make consciously and help you to work through the challenging thoughts, emotions, and events of daily life. Think of them as built-in therapy.

Yeah, the brain is pretty cool.

Training

The part of the brain, known as the amygdala, is highly active while we dream. Interestingly, it’s also the part of the brain that is associated with “flight or fight” responses. Some researchers theorize that the amygdala becomes active when we dream to help train us for dealing with potential threats, which would explain those universal chasing and falling dreams.

Think of it as a dry run for survival scenarios. There’s no real danger in the dream space, so we get to test how we would instinctively react. And for more modern-day issues, it’s a way for us to rehearse and sort out solutions to our daily problems.

Inspiration

Creativity is one of the defining factors of being human, and dreams might play a massive role in that process.

Think about all of the famous songs that have been inspired or delivered through dreams—like Yesterday by The Beatles and Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones. It’s tough to explain scientifically, but time and again, dreams have served as powerful creative inspiration for artists and intellectuals alike.

Memory Support

Perhaps the most popular theory about why we dream is that dreams allow us to store new memories and sort through old ones to reduce mental clutter.

Sleep itself has been shown in studies to improve memory retention, but could this be the result of our dreaming? Perhaps.

Regardless of why we dream, dreaming is wonderful. Paying more attention to the dreams you do remember could bring you greater insight into yourself and the world around you. So grab your dream journal and prepare for a wild ride into your brain!

 

Care2.com

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for March 5: HOW MARDI GRAS STARTED: HARD WINTERS AND CHARITY

 

HOW MARDI GRAS STARTED: HARD WINTERS AND CHARITY

By James J. Garriss

It’s Mardi Gras time in New Orleans. Can spring be far away?

It’s hard to believe that Mardi Gras started with long hard winters and acts of charity. However, before it was a day for parties, Mardi Gras started out as a day to help the hungry and the poor.

Most people know Mardi Gras as the last extravagant day before Lent. Even the name, Mardi Gras, translates to Fat Tuesday suggesting the last feast of rich food before the self-denial some Christians observe before Easter. However, before it was a day for parties, Mardi Gras started out as hungry day near the end of winter, when people needed charity.

In the past, the last six weeks of winter could be very harsh and food supplies frequently ran short. In Medieval France, Mardi Gras became a traditional day when the poor were allowed to visit their wealthier neighbors and beg for food. In return, they would sing, dance and entertain their hosts. As traditions evolved, the beggars began to wear costumes, hiding their identities and salvaging their pride. They formed parades and a painful begging process evolved into a party.

 

Local communities in Louisiana celebrate old-fashioned Courir de Mardi Gras, closer to the original days of sharing food, drink and hospitality. Source: Wikipedia

Today, rural Louisiana has the costumed parades from house to house, as neighbors share food, drink and hospitality. These Courir de Mardi Gras usually end with gumbo and contests in a community center. In cities, it has evolved into more of a spectator sport with parades, parties and extravagant costumes. In memory of the older days of charity, necklaces and tokens are thrown to spectators.

Different versions of this celebration occur around the world, from Carnival in Europe to North and South America. Pity me, gentle reader, as I shovel snow this February and correspond with my student son in Brazil. I shiver in the cold, while he is wearing shorts and has a week off for Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Called “The Greatest Show on Earth”, their carnivals combine European, African and Native American traditions to become citywide festivals, filled with samba, feasts and parades.

 

Brazil calls its Carnival “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Source: Wikipedia

Yet behind all this glorious fun lies a simple truth: Winter was hard and people were kind. The parties of Mardi Gras celebrated charity and generosity

 

ABOUT THIS BLOG

Are you a weather watcher? Welcome to “Weather Whispers” by James Garriss and until recently, Evelyn Browning Garriss. With expertise and humor, this column covers everything weather—from weather forecasts to WHY extreme weather happens to ways that weather affects your life from farming to your grocery bill. Enjoy weather facts, folklore, and fun!

With heavy hearts, we share the news that historical climatologist and immensely entertaining Almanac contributor Evelyn Browning Garriss passed away in late June 2017. Evelyn shared her lifetime of weather knowledge with Almanac editors and readers, explaining weather phenomena in conversation and expounding on topics in articles for the print edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac as well as in these articles. We were honored to know and work with her as her time allowed, which is to say when she was not giving lectures to, writing articles for, and consulting with scientists, academia, investors, and government agencies around the world. She will be greatly missed by the Almanac staff and readers.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for March 5: WHEN IS MARDI GRAS 2019?

 

WHEN IS MARDI GRAS 2019?

LEARN THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS TRADITIONAL FEAST DAY
By The Editors

When is Mardi Gras 2019? Why is this day—also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday—celebrated? Read what The Old Farmer’s Almanac has to say about this festive holiday.

I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
– Mark Twain, American writer (1835–1910)

WHEN IS MARDI GRAS?

Mardi Gras takes place

Year Mardi Gras
2019 Tuesday, March 5
2020 Tuesday, February 25
2021 Tuesday, February 16

WHAT IS MARDI GRAS OR SHROVE TUESDAY?

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday” and is the final feasting day before the Christian season of Lent, which begins on the day after Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday.

Fat Tuesday is also called Shrove Tuesday, a name that comes from the practice of “shriving”—purifying oneself through confession—prior to Lent.

For many Christians, Shrove Tuesday is a time to receive penance and absolution. It is the last day to finish up the eggs, milk, and fat that are forbidden during the 40-day Lenten fast, which begins the next day (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Holy Thursday (three days before Easter Sunday).

In England, where the event is also known as Pancake Tuesday, festivities include flapjack-related activities. The pancake race held by women in Olney, Buckinghamshire, dates back to 1445. Legend says that the idea started when a woman cooking pancakes lost track of the time. When she heard the church bells ring, she rushed out the door to attend the shriving service while still wearing her apron and holding a skillet containing a pancake.

Serve up some Shrove Tuesday Pancakes to celebrate.

In 1950, Liberal, Kansas, having seen photos of the English pancake race, challenged Olney to a competition: The International Pancake Day Race has been held annually ever since. The two towns run their own race, after which the scores are compared and the international champion announced. Each contestant, wearing a head scarf and apron, holds a pancake in a skillet while running a 415-yard course. She must flip the pancake at the beginning and end of the race, without dropping it.

Other cultures also cook up rich treats and fried foods, which was traditionally based on using up all the butter, flour, and fat in the house.

  • Among the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Tuesday is called Fastnacht (fast night), and everyone enjoys the traditional fastnachtkuchen, a rectangular doughnut with a slit in the middle.
  • In Polish communities, the Tuesday is called “Paczki Day,” after the puffy jelly-filled doughnuts traditionally enjoyed.
  • In Sweden, the Tuesday is calledsemmeldagen, semlans dag, or fettisdagen. They enjoy a sweet cream bun called semla. Happy Semlans Dag!
  • In Louisiana, the favorite treat is the beignet, a pillowy fried dough concoction.

In countries with large Roman Catholic populations, Mardi Gras is also a day of revelry with festivals, parades, masked balls, and lavish dinners. In the United States, New Orleans is the most known for its Mardi Gras celebrations with marching bands, decorated floats, colorful costumes and masks, lots of beads, and King Cakes.

LEARN MORE

In the spirit of New Orleans, try cooking up some great Cajun food for Mardi Gras, such as this soul-warming Jambalaya.

Discover more about the history and traditions of this holiday on the City of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras Website.

 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

 

 

 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac for March 5: ALL ABOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH

 

ALL ABOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH

By Catherine Boeckmann

March brings with it the promise of gardening and warm(er), sunny days, as Earth turns its frostbitten cheek to winter and springs forth from the vernal equinox. Read about this month’s holidays, happenings, seasonal recipes, gardening tips, Moon phases, folklore, and much more!

Unbound, the free streams sing,
As March leads forth across the leas
The wild and windy spring.

–Elizabeth Akers Allen (1832–1911)

MARCH CALENDAR

The month of March was named for the Roman god of war, Mars. Traditionally, this was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter.

  • March 5: Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday”) or Shrove Tuesday.
  • March 8: International Women’s Day.
  • March 10: Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 A.M. Don’t forget to “spring forward” and set your clocks ahead one hour!
  • March 15: The Ides of March. Legend surrounds this ill-fated day. Beware the Ides of March!
  • March 17: St. Patrick’s Day. 
  • March 20: The vernal equinox, also called the Spring Equinox, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs on Wednesday, March 20, at 5:58 P.M. EDT. On this day, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. In the Southern Hemisphere, this date marks the autumnal equinox. Read more about the First Day of Spring!
  • The Borrowing Days: According to lore, the last three days of March have a reputation for being stormy.
  • Easter Sunday: This year, Easter Sunday will occur on April 21, culminating the Holy Week for Christian churches and commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Read more about Easter Sunday and why the date changes every year.

“Just for Fun” Days

Did you know that March is National Umbrella Month? Here are some more wacky things to celebrate this month:

  • March 3: What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day
  • March 9: International Fanny Pack Day
  • March 13: National Ear Muff Day
  • March 16: National Panda Day
  • March 21: Absolutely Incredible Kid Day
  • March 23: World Meteorological Day
  • March 31: World Backup Day

March Quiz

The March equinox occurs on March 20 at 5:58 P.M. EDT this year, ushering in the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. At this time, the Sun’s position will be at which of the following coordinates on the celestial sphere?

A. 0 hour right ascension, 0° declination.
B. 6 hours right ascension, 23.5° North declination.
C. 12 hours right ascension, 0° declination
D. 18 hours right ascension, 23.5° South declination

.

.

Answer: A. B describes the Sun’s position during the June (summer) solstice; C, during the September (fall) equinox; and D, during the December (winter) solstice.

GARDENING

  • Planning a vegetable garden? We’ve done all the research for you—from how far to space plants to seeding dates to best crops to plant together.
  • Wondering when to plant what?
  • Just getting started with gardening?

 

RECIPES FOR THE SEASON

  • In celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day, try making some traditional Irish food—from Irish Soda Bread to Corned Beef and Cabbage.
  • March is the start of spring!
  • Now is the time for making maple sugar.

EVERYDAY ADVICE

  • According to folklore, wear a sprig of rosemary in your hair to improve your memory!
  • March brings rain and mud! Sprinkle salt on carpets to dry out muddy footprints before vacuuming.

BIRDS & FISHING

According to Henry David Thoreau, the call of a bluebird is a song that “melts the ear, as the snow.”

Check birdhouses for damage and give them a spring cleaning before tenants arrive for the season.

Spring means fishing!

FOLKLORE FOR THE SEASON

  • A wet spring, a dry harvest.
  • On St. Patrick’s Day, the warm side of a stone turns up, and the broad-back goose begins to lay. 
  • March comes in with adders’ heads and goes out with peacocks’ tails.
  • Thunder in spring, Cold will bring.
  • So many mists in March you see, So many frosts in May will be.
  • In beginning or in end, March its gifts will send.
  • Bleak winds assault us all around;
    Dances aloft, or skims the ground:
    See the school-boy—his hat in hand,
    While on the path he scarce can stand

March’s birth flower is the daffodil or jonquil. The daffodil signifies regard or unrequited love. The jonquil means “I desire a return of affection.”

March’s birthstone is the aquamarine. This gem is a type of beryl; its color can be pale to dark blue, greenish-blue, or blue-green; deep, intense blue versions are more valuable.

March’s Zodiac signs are Pisces (February 20 to March 20) and Aries (March 21 to April 20).

 

–The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Celebrations Around the World for March 5: Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day

Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day

 

In England Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Lent, is also known as “Pancake Day” (for more on Shrove Tuesday, see Shrovetide). Hundreds of years ago the English observed a strict fast throughout Lent, during which they ate neither meat nor dairy products. They hurried to consume all these foods in the last several days before Lent, lest they go to waste during the fast. One of the quickest ways to use up butter, milk, and eggs was to make and eat pancakes. Hence Shrove Tuesday became “Pancake Day.”

In medieval times church bells tolled on Shrove Tuesday reminding people to confess their sins to a priest before the start of Lent. In England, the Reformation, a sixteenth-century religious reform movement, reduced the importance of the pre-Lenten confession. The bell-ringing custom remained, however, although people reinterpreted its meaning. They began to hear the clanging bells as a reminder to use up all their butter, milk, and eggs before the start of Lent. Thus the Shrove Tuesday bell became known as the “pancake bell.”

In the year 1621, English writer John Taylor penned a humorous description of these proceedings:

. . . by that time that the clock strikes eleven, which (by the help of a knavish sexton) is commonly before nine, then there is a bell rung, called the Pancake-bell, the sound whereof makes thousands of people distracted, and forgetful of manners or of humanity; then there is a thing called wheaten flour, which the sulphury, Necromantic cooks do mingle with water, eggs, spice and other tragical, magical enchantments, then they put it by little and little into a frying-pan of boiling suet, where it makes a confused, dismal hissing (like the Lemean snakes in the reeds of Acheron, Styx or Phlegeton) until at last, by the skill of the cooks it is transformed into the form of a Flap-Jack, which in our translation is called a Pancake, which ominous incantation the ignorant people do devour very greedily. (Hutton, 152)

In past times English lads went door to door on Shrove Tuesday, begging for pancakes and other soon-to-be-forbidden treats. Folklorists have preserved one of the rhymes that accompanied this annual outing:

Dibbity, dibbity, dibbity, doe, Give me a pancake and I’ll go; Dibbity, dibbity, dibbity, ditter, Please to give me a bit of a fritter. (Lord and Foley, 63)

Perhaps this old begging custom inspired Westminster School’s “Pancake Greeze,” an event which continues to this day. At 11 a.m. on Shrove Tuesday the school cook tosses a large pancake up over a crowd of students chosen to represent their grades. The boys scramble for possession of the flapjack and the one emerging with the cake – or the largest piece of it – receives a monetary reward from the school dean. The cook also receives a reward for his participation in this annual event.

Pancake Race

The annual pancake race that takes place in the town of Olney, England, is perhaps the most famous pancake-related event that occurs on Shrove Tuesday. According to local legend, this race began in the year 1445 when a housewife engaged in making pancakes heard the church bells summoning worshipers to confession. Not wanting to be late for church, but at the same time not wanting to leave her pancake uncooked, she wrapped a scarf around her head and dashed off to church, still wearing her apron and still flipping her pancake in the skillet. This unusual feat attracted the attention of the neighbors. In succeeding years they followed her example, and a local tradition was born. Each year the housewives of Olney race each other to the village church, wearing housedresses, aprons, and headscarves, and carrying a skillet containing a flapjack, which they are required to flip three times during the race. The prize for winning is a kiss from the verger, or church caretaker.

In 1950 the housewives of Liberal, Kansas, decided to take up Shrove Tuesday pancake racing. They challenged the women of Olney to a competition to see whose winner turned in the best time. Liberal’s pancake race has thrived since that day, and a friendly rivalry has grown up between the two pancake-loving towns. Liberal racers follow the same rules and receive the same prize as do their colleagues in England. These two well-known events have inspired other communities and church congregations to sponsor pancake races on Shrove Tuesday.

Although few English people maintain the strict Lenten fasting that gave rise to these events, many still crave pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. This customary dish is also consumed in the United States, where some churches hold “pancake suppers” on this day.

Further Reading

Hole, Christina. Easter and Its Customs. New York: M. Barrows and Company, 1961. Hutton, Ronald. Stations of theSun. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1996. Lord, Priscilla Sawyer, and Daniel J. Foley. Easter the WorldOver. Philadelphia, PA: Chilton Book Company, 1971.

Web Sites

For the history of the pancake race in Liberal, Kansas, see the following page, written by local resident Virginia Leete:

The following site, posted by the town of Olney, England, furnishes a description and photos of the pancake race at:99/gallery/pancake99.htm

This Day in History, March 5: Navigium Isidis

Navigium Isidis

The Navigium Isidis or Isidis Navigium (trans. the vessel of Isis)[1] was an annual ancient Roman religious festival in honor of the goddess Isis,[2] held on March 5.[3] The festival outlived Christian persecution by Theodosius (391) and Arcadius’ persecution against the Roman religion (395).[4]

In the Roman Empire, it was still celebrated in Italy at least until the year 416.[5] In Egypt, it was suppressed by Christian authorities in the 6th century.[5]

The Navigium Isidis celebrated Isis’ influence over the sea and served as a prayer for the safety of seafarers and, eventually, of the Roman people and their leaders.[6] It consisted of an elaborate procession, including Isiac priests and devotees with a wide variety of costumes and sacred emblems, carrying a model ship from the local Isis temple to the sea[7] or to a nearby river.[8]

Modern carnival resembles the festival of the Navigium Isidis,[1] and some scholars argue that they share the same origin (via carrus navalis, meaning naval wagon, i.e. float – later becoming car-nival).[9][10][11][12][13] Many elements of Carnival were in turn appropriated in the Corpus Christi festival, most prominently in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal).[14]

Notes

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b Valantasis (2000) p.378
  2. ^ Haase and Temporini (1986) p.1931
  3. ^ Michele Renee Salzman, On Roman Time: The Codex Calendar of 354 and the Rhythms of Urban Life in Late Antiquity (University of California Press, 1990), p. 124.
  4. ^ Alföldi (1937) p.47
  5. ^ Jump up to:a b Valantasis (2000) p.370
  6. ^ Michele Renee Salzman, On Roman Time: The Codex-Calendar of 354 and the Rhythms of Urban Life in Late Antiquity (University of California Press, 1990), 169–175.
  7. ^ Malcolm Drew Donalson, The Cult of Isis in the Roman Empire: Isis Invicta (The Edwin Mellen Press, 2003), 68–73.
  8. ^ Jaime Alvar, Romanising Oriental Gods: Myth, Salvation, and Ethics in the Cults of Cybele, Isis, and Mithras, trans. & ed. Richard Gordon (Leiden: Brill, 2008), 299.
  9. ^ Rudwin (1919)
  10. ^ di Cocco (2007)
  11. ^ Alföldi (1937) pp.57-8
  12. ^ Forrest (2001) p.114
  13. ^ Griffiths (1975) p.172
  14. ^ Ruiz, Teofilo (2012). “8”. A King Travels: Festive Traditions in Late Medieval and Early Modern Spain. p. 359-ff.

References

Further reading

  • Brady, Thomas A. (1938) Reviewed work(s): A Festival of Isis in Rome under the Christian Emperors of the Fourth Century by Andrew Alföldi, in The Journal of Roman Studies Vol. 28, Part 1 (1938), pp. 88–90
  • Rademacher, Carl (1932) Carnival in Hastings ERE 3, pp. 225–9

Get A Jump On Tomorrow, Your Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, March 6th

Get A Jump On Tomorrow…..

Your Daily Horoscopes for Wednesday, March 6th

Moon Alert

We have the “all clear” today to shop and do business. The New Moon is in Pisces.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Today is a New Moon, and at different times, both the Sun and the Moon are lined up with Neptune. In a weird way, this can make you second guess yourself. You might doubt your abilities to do something. Don’t take this seriously because it’s a temporary confusion.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

It’s easy to idealize a friend today or a member of a group. Your admiration might even instill a desire in you to emulate this person or to change your goals so that you follow in their footsteps. This might be a good idea – but it might not be.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

You might want to present a certain image of yourself to others today, especially bosses and parents. You might strive to be something that you hope to be, or it might just be an act. Conversely, someone might present this sort of thing to you. It’s a tricky day.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Because your appreciation of beauty is heightened today, give yourself a chance to enjoy beautiful places and beautiful things. Visit art galleries, museums, beautiful boutique shops or pristine parks because you will be inspired by the creativity of others.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Avoid making important financial decisions today, especially if you are giving away money or sharing something. Your ideals are inspired and because of this, you might be tempted to give away the farm. Generosity is a good thing, but you must act when you are clear and know what you’re doing. Today is fuzzy.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You might over idealize a partner or close friend today or they might see you in the same idealistic way, which can be flattering, but it is unrealistic. Therefore, think very carefully before you agree to anything important so that you do not end up with regrets.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

You might be inspired to help a coworker today or someone you encounter through your job. Or this same astrological influence might instead make you feel world-weary and overwhelmed by the tasks that you face. Don’t worry because this is a fleeting influence.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Today you are in touch with your muse and your creative vibes, which is why you might have imaginative ideas about artistic projects. You might also feel sympathetic to the needs of children. Meanwhile, romance will be the stuff of movies – which could be an illusion.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You will want to help a family member today if you can because you feel genuinely sympathetic to their needs. You might also want to plan some kind of family occasion that is a bonding, heartwarming event because your idealism is aroused.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Don’t worry if you spend a lot of time daydreaming today or being lost in a fantasy world because it’s very easy to do this today. In discussions with others, clarify what they are saying because it’s easy to misread people today.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

Be careful shopping today because you will be tempted to spend too much money on elegant, luxurious items. Later you might wonder why you even bought them? (Five ostrich boas? One, yes — but five?) Keep your receipts.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

This is a good day to take a realistic look in the mirror and check out the image you create on your world. What can you do to create a better impression? When people meet you, they immediately size you up- never underestimate this. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actor Tom Arnold (1959) shares your birthday today. You are free-spirited and live by your own rules. You’re a perfectionist who can inspire others. This is a party year! Enjoy a heightened popularity and warm friendships with others. You will have much to be grateful for this year. Learn to appreciate the happiness and beauty around you. This year you will make an important choice. Happiness is having alternatives.

 

–GeorgiaNicols

Born on March 5, Happy Birthday Pisces!

Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Pisces!

IF YOU ARE BORN ON March 5, you are not afraid to take a stand. The March zodiac sign for this day is Pisces. You are well spoken and sociable. You are very sensitive but open about your feelings.

What the birthday horoscope for 5th March says is that you can be opinionated but have the gift of gab. You can sell a peanut farmer and fig tree. This ability to charm people makes it easy for you to speak to people publicly.You also have the ability to write. Maybe you would be interested in a career as a journalist. In business, you tend to show up late for things that are time-based. You cannot seem to make the meeting on time or hit those deadlines.

Those with birthday March 5 also have problems with criticisms but find it hard to turn down anyone that needs a favor. Sacrifice is no stranger to you. Being of help to others is what compels you to be a better person.

The thought of someone mistreating another is ugly to you. This is just the reality of things though, Pisces. You cannot escape the truth just because it is not a part of March 5th birthday personality.

Sometimes, Pisces, this is not a good thing, but you learned to express yourself by way of writing. You are notorious for writing poetry or for performing what is known as the “spoken word.” Pisceans are demonstrative people.

Yes, the ones who talk with their hands and bounce all over the place while they tell a story. That is one reason you make awesome storytellers according to your birthday analysis.

If today is your birthday, then amongst your friends and family, you are highly thought of. Those of you born on March 5 are great parents. You love kids and they return the favor.

Pisces, you have your favorites though. They are usually the ones with a special talent or gift. Therefore, you try to bring out the best in them. Piscean birthday individuals are very helpful and caring people especially when it comes to children.

Pisceans do not normally trust just anyone with their heart – you have to earn it. To have a Piscean as a friend or lover is to find someone that deserves to be treasured. Those with a March 5 zodiac birthday look for attractive but intelligent lovers. Someone with whom you can hold a meaningful conversation.

Although you hate hurting anyone’s feelings, you will. With you Pisces, it is the combination of both or nothing at all. Nothing is more irritating to a Pisces than a space cadet or someone without a sense of humor.

As discussed earlier, Pisceans have creative ability. You could easily be an art major, an animator, or musician. Any profession or career that is open to expression, you are a good match. Marketing and advertising is another field to think give some thought.

The 5th March birthday astrology suggests that it would give you the freedom to bring some of your ideas to fruition. Whatever you do, stay away from any job that uses an itinerary and time clocks. Those born on this day are oblivious when it comes to following maps or directions.

Most Pisceans would work for free. You find yourself in a position that reaching your goals is more important than the salary. At the same time, you realize that money must be made to afford your lifestyle.

You could be guilty of spending too much or being so tight with a dollar, you need the WD40 to pry it away from you! Whichever the case may be, you use it to help others or to splurge on those kids you love so much.

If you are born on March 5, you may suffer with bad legs and feet. This could be something that is hereditary or a general problem such as an injury that has given you chronic pain.

Try using an alternative method of healing to possibly reducing inflammation or joint pain. Treat yourself to a good therapeutic massage or relax in a Jacuzzi or hot tub.

March 5 birthday meanings show that you make great parents, friends, and salespersons. You have the ability to express yourself through writing but cannot read a map.

In a lover, you seek the companionship of a like-minded intelligent individual. You being Pisces born should take care of your body.

 

Famous People And Celebrities Born On March 5

Alana Blanchard, Mike Brown, Jack Cassidy, Rex Harrison, Michael Irvin, Joel Osteen, Michael Warren, Fred Williamson

 

This Day That Year – March 5 In History

1558 – Francisco Fernandes introduces Europe to smoking tobacco
1750 – NYC; Shakespearean first American production
1842 – Rafael Vasquez and 500 Mexican troops invade San Antonio, Texas
1910 – Ottawa Senators defeated; Montreal Wanderers Stanley Cup winners

March 5  Meen Rashi (Vedic Moon Sign)
March 5 Chinese Zodiac RABBIT

March 5 Birthday Planet

Your ruling planet is Neptune that symbolizes illusions, dreams, mercy, and clairvoyance.

March 5 Birthday Symbols

The Two Fishes Are The Symbol For The Pisces Zodiac Sign

March 5 Birthday Tarot Card

Your Birth Day Tarot Card is The Hierophant. This card symbolizes new relationships, consent, and approval. The Minor Arcana cards are Nine of Cups and King of Cups.

March 5 Birthday Compatibility

You are most compatible with people born under Zodiac Sign Leo: Mutual love and adoration for each other make this a great match!
You are not compatible with people born under Zodiac Sign Sagittarius: This relationship has a steep learning curve.

March 5 Lucky Numbers

Number 5 – This number stands for passion, movement, quests, new ventures and risks.
Number 8 – This is a balancing number that symbolizes the equilibrium between your past and current Karma.

Lucky Colors For March 5 Birthday

Turquoise: This is a refreshing color that symbolizes good luck, psychic abilities, style, balance, and foundation.
Green: This is a rejuvenating color associated with progress, harmony, money, and optimism.

Lucky Days For March 5 Birthday

Thursday – This day ruled by Jupiter stands for planning, luck, confidence, and abundance.
Wednesday – This day ruled by Mercury stands for networking to get work done, socializing, inquisitiveness and speed.

March 5 Birthstone Aquamarine 

Aquamarine is a calming gemstone that helps purify your mind and interact better with people.

Ideal Zodiac Birthday Gifts For People Born On The 5th Of March:

An aftershave for the man and perfumed floating candles for the woman.

 

SunSigns.org

 

Your Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, March 5

Moon Alert

After 3:30 AM EST today, we have the “all clear” to shop and do business. The Moon is in Pisces.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

Generally, you’re first in line. You get the first word and the last, cuz there’s no moss growing on you! Today however, you prefer to step back and work alone or behind the scenes because it just feels better. You want to keep a low profile.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

You’re keen to interact with others today, especially friends or members of groups. You will identify with someone and be ready to sympathize with their situation, which is why you might have a heart-to-heart talk. You might also be involved with a group today.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Whether you choose to be or not, you are high viz. today. People notice you, especially bosses and parents. Do take note because this also includes the police. (Good to know.) You’ll find you carry extra authority in whatever you do or say.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

As a rule, you are a nester, which means you generally travel for a reason – business, family or a special occasion. Today however, you want to do something different. You want some stimulation and a chance to learn something new! You want to meet new faces.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

You are gung ho now to achieve your mission (whatever it is) because fiery Mars is at the top of your chart arousing your ambition. Today your focus is on shared property, taxes, debt, insurance issues, wills and inheritances. All that red tape stuff that we try to ignore but it never goes away on its own.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Because the Moon today is opposite your sign, you have to be more accommodating than usual when dealing with others. Be prepared to go more than halfway. This doesn’t mean you’re giving up anything or “losing” – it is simply skilful means on your part.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

Look around you to see what you can do to work more efficiently and run your life more smoothly. Start with small things. It’s funny how little things like making your bed or doing your laundry, give you the impetus to tackle bigger tasks with confidence. (The reverse is true, too.)

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

This is a playful, fun-loving day, which means you need to get out and socialize! Enjoy fun activities with children. Be open to romantic flirtations and meeting others. Be patient with partners and close friends because Mars is opposite your sign. (By April this is over for another two years.)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

No sign more than you likes to be outdoors. You love to have sky overhead. Today however, you might want to cocoon at home because it suit your needs. Maybe you need a breather? Maybe your home situation demands your attention?

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Make a point of talking to others today, especially neighbours, relatives and siblings because you need to enlighten others about something. You have something you want to say and you need an audience! Yada, yada, yada.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

“There’s money in them thar hills!” Money, financial discussions, earnings, cash flow and shopping are a strong focus for you today. With respect to your financial deals, remember that this year your interaction with others will actually benefit you. Keep this in mind.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

Wow – the Sun, the Moon, Mercury retrograde and your ruler Neptune are all in your sign! This means the entire world is having a Pisces hit. (Surely there is a great shoe sale somewhere.) Ask for what you want because you just might get it!

If Your Birthday Is Today

Actress Eva Mendes (1974) shares your birthday today. You are a talented, independent thinker. You have a mind of your own and feel free to express your opinions. Because this will be a fast-paced year, get ready for action. Expect fresh excitement! Enjoy travel opportunities and chances to expand your horizons. Be open to embracing change and new opportunities. Your personal freedom is one of your goals this year.

–GeorgiaNichols

Inspiration for the Day for May 5: Finding Our Life’s Work

 

 

Finding Our Life’s Work

 

BY MADISYN TAYLOR

Your most important work in this lifetime may not be your job – it’s a conviction within your soul, recognizable if you allow it to shine.

 

Sometimes it takes us the better part of a lifetime to discover our life’s work, even though we may have been doing it our whole lives without necessarily realizing it. Our life’s work is not always what we do to make money, although we often think it should be, and sometimes this way of thinking prevents us from seeing clearly what it is. It may be the work of having children, caring for them, and running a household. The way we know our life’s work is by how we feel when we are doing it.When we are doing our life’s work, we feel an uncanny sense of ease and alignment. This doesn’t mean that the work is always easy, and it doesn’t mean that it’s the only work we have to do; it just means that there is a conviction deep inside us that tells us we are in tune with our innermost self. When we are engaged in our life’s work, our bodies feel more alive, because our energy is devoted to a cause that, in turn, feeds us. We may be tired after engaging in our life’s work, but we are almost never depleted. We feel grounded in the world, knowing that we belong here and have something important to offer.When we are deeply unhappy, depressed, or subject to one illness after another, this may be due to a sense of disconnection from our life’s work. At times like these, finding the work we are meant to do is an essential act of healing. Most of us remember a time when we felt fully engaged in some act of work, service or creativity, and it is here that we may rediscover the work we are meant to do now. On the other hand, it may be time to explore what inspires us through volunteering, taking a class, going back to school, or just doing whatever it is we long to try. We all have callings, and when we find them, we owe it to ourselves to nurture and protect them, because while they may or may not be our livelihood, they are the keys to our wellbeing.

 

Daily OM