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| Name: | Aurora |
Age: | Unknown |
| Gender: | Female |
Kind: | Long-tailed Tamandua |
| Home: | Oakridge, Oregon, USA |
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This is Aurora Jane and she’s a Long-tailed Tamandua (anteater), the Latin name is Tamandua tetradactyla longicaudata.
Aurora is not your typical pet because she was rescued. Her full history is not known. Her age is unknown, but she may be four to five years old. One night I got a call from a friend who runs a rescue and she said there was a tamandua in desperate need of a home. She was taking in several other animals so was short on room and knew we would take good care of the tamandua, as I own one already, and had another until he passed away. At first I said only if it was a male but after discussing it with the family we agreed to take it no matter the gender. And so we were off to pick up what turned out to be a very pregnant female. We had a peek at her there but she was not going to let us move her from her box to the crate so we took her home that way. When we got her home we had to move her from the box to her cage because the box was too big for the door. I’ve never seen a tamandua hyperventilate before. We thought she might die of fright. She was in surprisingly good health though aside from being thin. Then I saw how big her belly was and declared her pregnant as a cow. She calmed down and soon was exploring my room, though not that same night. She was desperate for a friend but Pua, my first anteater, wanted nothing to do with her and would chase her off. Aurora would camp out as close as Pua would let her but she wasn’t winning her over. Aurora got so desperate for a friend she was grooming my geriatric cat. She would let me touch her but didn’t like it and would only take treats of cheese from me. Less than two weeks after arrival Aurora had her baby. Then Pua got curious but Aurora would chase her off like the momma bear she is. Aurora has been a great momma. Eventually, when baby was bigger, Pua won Aurora over. It took lots of grooming by Pua. Pua did lots of grooming while Aurora pretended to ignore her. Now they are best friends. They play together and snuggle together but when it’s time for bed Pua still chooses to sleep alone in her washer while mother and Daughter sleep together in their fabric house. Pua almost seems to think Aurora is her new mommy, as she loves to try and ride her like the babies ride their moms. Though, now that she is big, Aurora sometimes tries to ride her own baby too. One time Baby was riding Aurora and Pua hopped onto the big baby but the triple decker anteater did not go very far. Aurora is so gentle and sweet she puts up with a lot from both her babies, adopted and natural. To Aurora, she is no pet. I am but her lowly servant and must bring her fresh cold food. She won’t eat unless her food is ice cold. She still growls at me if I pick her up but she is very sweet and has never tried to hurt me. She is just not shy of telling you when she doesn’t like something. She’s not the brightest anteater. She kept panicking that her baby was lost but baby was merely clinging to her rump, like they are supposed to do. With some help from me she was able to figure that out after a while. Aurora may not be a true, snuggle and cuddle pet, but is happy here with her baby and best friend so I am happy with her. In fact, I love her a great deal. Despite her not returning my feelings Aurora has stolen a special place in my heart. She’s a sweet gentle soul.  |
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Spell for Psychic Housecleaning
Calendar of the Moon
9 Beth/Poseideion II
Winter Waxing Moon
Color: White
Element: Water
Altar: Upon a silver cloth set four silver candles on it, a cauldron with dry ice in it, a silver vase containing some naked birch twigs, some dry stalks of burdock, a few briar canes, a round moon-shaped mirror, a silver bell; and goblets containing pale white wine, anise liqueur, white corn syrup, and extract of bitter almonds; a spool of silver thread, and a small vial of jasmine oil.
Offerings: Do community service for the mentally ill.
Daily Meal: White food.
Winter Waxing Moon Invocation
(Ring bell after each line. Hold moon-mirror up where all can see.)
Call: Hail Luna of the Growing Belly!
Response: Hail Selene of the Waxing Light!
Call: Spirit of night,
Response: Spectre of Sun,
Call: Egg of the serpent,
Response: Web of the spider,
Call: Servant of dreams,
Response: Lamp of delusion,
Call: Beacon of madness,
Response: Bearer of power,
Call: Crystal of knowledge,
Response: Mirror of knowing,
Call: Bringest thou visions of joys or of fears?
Response: We rejoice in this awakening.
Call: We live again, and we are fair!
Response: The Moon has risen here to bear
Call: A mirror for our altered faces
Response: For her love that all things seizes.
Call: We are risen in her light,
Response: Where the dying live again,
Call: Silver serpent, silver spider,
Response: All show fair within her mirror.
(One who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual brings the goblets around for each to drink, one at a time. For the first, they say, “Taste madness.” For the second, “Taste purity.” For the third, “Taste sweetness.” For the fourth, “Taste bitterness.” Anoint all with jasmine oil, and say, “Scent of dreams.” The bell is rung, and all exit.)
The line of the horizon was clear and hard against the sky,
and in one particular quarter it showed black against
a silvery climbing phosphorescence that grew and grew.
At last, over the rim of the waiting earth
the moon lifted with slow majesty till it swung clear
of the horizon and rode off, free of moorings;
– Grahame, “The Wind in the Willows.”
Jewels Of The Moon
Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
A Sirius Leonid Meteor
Credit & Copyright: Wally Pacholka
Explanation: In the sky or on the web, have you seen this year’s Leonid meteor shower? If you have, a bright meteor flashing through the night sky should be a familiar sight. Recorded last year during the 1998 apparation of the Leonids, this time-exposure of the sky around the constellation Canis Major (big dog) shows the trail of a spectacular fireball meteor. The meteor, by chance, seems to leap from the constellation’s brightest star Sirius, near the top right. In the foreground is the beautiful desert scenery of Joshua Tree National Park. Reports of bright meteors from this year’s Leonids are already wide-spread, with the 1999 shower predicted to peak around 0200 UTC on November 18 at rates of several hundred to thousands of meteors per hour. Awe inspiring as they are, the Leonids pose no danger to earthbound skywatchers.
By Jeff Jawer
Saturday, January 7, 10:34 pm PST, Sunday, January 8, 1:34 am EST
Cerebral Mercury in responsible Capricorn is excellent for rational thinking and clear communication. However, the speedy messenger’s aspects with boundless Jupiter and spontaneous Uranus today fill our heads with original ideas and spur provocative comments. Once this energy settles down we will quickly put our thoughts in order and find the intellectual discipline needed to concentrate on achieving our ambitions.
Moon Moon, Mother Moon
Silver rays flowing, Full Moon’s power growing.
Coming, going, coming, going, flowing down to me…….
Moonbeams flowing, Goddess power growing.
Coming, going, coming, going, flowing into me!
So Mote It Be!
MOON LORE
Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side
which he never shows to anybody
~Mark Twain~
Moon Passage
Once long ago, humans depended upon the Moon for reckoning time, planting crops and harvesting the sea. It’s phases and it’s path through the sky were matters of concern and interest to all. Today very few people indeed are even aware, beyond a casual glance, of the Moon’s presence. In a sense the lovely silver sphere which sometimes lights our darkness is more mysterious now despite the exploration of its surface. The Moon’s curious forces continue to exert their influence over us and our planet. We and the oceans of Earth still unceasingly respond to the Moon’s magnetic appeal. As a symbol of Mystic significance, appreciated by so many ancient religious expressions, the Moon remains as potent as ever, at least to the poet, the artist and the witch.
Due to the nature of its orbit, the back of the Moon is unseen by viewers on Earth. This lends one more element of mystery to our single satellite. The Moon like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Unlike the sun, its size and shape continually change. Four cycles of approximately seven days each total a lunar month, which forms the basis for our present calendar system. The ancients held that the day began at nightfall, and the custom of celebrating holidays on their eve echoes the old tradition.
The slender crescent appearing soon after dark-of-the-Moon is called, obviously enough, the new Moon. It waxes, grows larger, to the first quarter visible in the sky as a half-Moon. The quarter in this instance refers to the sequence of the four phases. As the Moon waxes, its horns point to the east until it reaches full circle. The waning Moon diminishes in size, horns pointing west, until we see no Moon at all.
The times of rising and setting relate to the phases according to a definite pattern, as recorded in this old country rhyme:
A new Moon rises with the sun,
Its waxing half at midday shows.
The full Moon climbs at sunset hour,
And waning half the midnight knows.
The Witches’ Almanac, Ltd
A Song to the Goddess
by Sataurian Thassit
Riding high atop the clouds
Before the silver moon
Dancing ’round making sound
Our love and praises heard
True and just our lady fair
Her beauty does unfold
Mysteries waiting to kiss our hearts
And secrets to be told
Lovely,round,bright,and sound
The moon shines Her beauty down
Wrapping us up in silken gown
Love to you, oh mother moon
Your glory for us to see
Goddess of mine, Goddess of yours
Goddess blessed be!!!!
You’ll have a chance to impress others today. You should be feeling optimistic and upbeat about life in general. There will be plenty of communication in your world today, and you might feel slightly scattered as a result. Take advantage of today’s creative surge to make positive changes.
About the Number 3
Theme: Expansive, Sociable, Dramatic, Diversified, Creative
Astro Association: Venus
Tarot Association: Empress
An image of the grand design spiral galaxy M100 obtained with the second generation Wide Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC-2), newly installed in the Hubble Space Telescope. Though the galaxy lies several tens of millions of light-years away, modified optics incorporated within the WFPC-2 allow Hubble to view M100 with a level of clarity and sensitivity previously possible only for the very few nearby galaxies that compose our “Local Group.” Just as one does not learn about the diversity of mankind by conversing only with your next door neighbor, astronomers must study many galaxies in a host of different environments if they are to come to understand how our own galaxy, out star, and our earth came to be. By expanding the region of the universe that can be studied in such detail a thousand fold, the WFPC-2 will help the Hubble Space Telescope to fulfill this mission.
Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2011 December 23
Shell Galaxy NGC 7600
Image Credit & Copyright: Ken Crawford (Rancho Del Sol Observatory)
Collaboration: Andrew Cooper (MPA), Carlos Frenk, John Helly, Shaun Cole (Institute for Computational Cosmology),David Martinez-Delgado (MPIA), Star Stream Pilot Survey Group
Explanation: Similar in size to the Milky Way, elliptical galaxy NGC 7600 is about 160 million light-years distant. In this deep image, spanning about 1/2 degree on the sky toward the constellation Aquarius, NGC 7600 sports a remarkable outer halo of nested shells and broad circumgalactic structures. The tantalizing features can be explained by the accretion of dark matter and stars on a cosmic timescale. In fact, a movie generated by simulating galaxy formation using a cosmological model with cold dark matter for the halos of merging galaxies reproduces the appearance of NGC 7600 in amazing detail. The remarkable simulation movie is available here on Vimeo and here in other formats. It presents compelling evidence that detailed features of galaxy mergers observed with small, wide field telescopes on planet Earth, are natural consequences of galaxy formation and fundamental properties of dark matter.
Witches Of The Craft® 
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