Monday Morning This and That

 “At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.” 

  Rainer Maria Rilke

Good morning, dear friends, and what a wonderful morning it is.  The weather has been wonderfully cool, and my early Autumn cold has pretty much gone.  I am feeling so much better.  I guess it is all the fruit that I eat lately.  The antioxidants knock the germs right out of me. It also felt good to 'choose' to stay home and nurse myself back to health and not have to worry about losing a sick day.

I am so excited.  As you can see from the above order, I received my package from Yankee Candle.  I have to admit, I did go a little crazy, but I just couldn't make up my mind so I figured I would try everything. I even ordered some Christmas scents.  But, when you look at it, I'd be buying candles for the holidays anyway, so why not buy from the best and have them in stock.  Besides, there was a great half price sale that I couldnt resist. So....

For Halloween I purchased...
Candy Corn 

For Autumn in General I purchased
Autumn Wreath
MacIntosh
November Rain  
Cozy Sweater

For Thanksbiving I purchased...
Spiced Pumpkin
Caramel Pecan Pie
Harvest
Banana Nut Bread  

And for Christmas....
Christmas Eve
Balsam  and Cedar

The other night, I had a dream about frogs.  It was the strangest dream. My dream friend had them as pets, and she carried them about in a glass aquarium.  It seems that these frogs were seemed to disappear at times, but they were really always there, just out of sight. When another friend came along and remarked that they were gone, we pointed out that they were still there, that all you had to do was take the time to look for them. Weird. 

Since this was the first time I ever remember seeing frogs in a dream, I dug out some of my old dream books and did some research. First of all, dreaming of frogs is basically a good omen. They are, in fact, a message from your unconscious mind. The frog is a symbol of transition and transformation--both spiritual and emotional. Frog can  represent positive changes in one's life, and in my opinion, because was able to see them while my friend couldn't, shows I am heading in the right direction. 

Then, as if to serve as reinforcement, the first news I heard when I turned on the television that morning was of Space Frog.  I am sure everyone has seen this picture before, but if you click to enlarge it you will see that that little dot is a frog that was sent flying in the blast off of the LADEE spacecraft. Poor little critter. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Let's hope he survived, but it doesn't look good.

The ancient Egyptians associated frog with fertility and childbirth.  The water goddess, Heket, was so associated with fertility and childbirth. She was usually depicted as a woman with the head of a frog.  Egyptian women often wore amulets of frogs to insure their fertility.  In ancient China, frog is an emblem of Yin energy It was a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and wealth. They often placed a frog in living room in the left corner or opposite the door to ensure that  money would come into the house.

The Greeks and Romans associated frogs with fertility and harmony and were a symbol of Aphrodite and Venus.  In Scotland frog was believed to be associated with luck, and households often kept stone frogs in their gardens.  The Irish related them to leprechauns. And we find in early Christian myth that the frog was a symbol of resurrection and a higher stage of spiritual awakening. 

As a spirit animal, frog can remind us of the transient nature of our lives. Strongly associated with the element of water, frog connects us to the world of our emotions and feminine energies. Frog is a creature of the night and is associated with the mysteries of life, magic,  and the unknown.  In fairy tales, we find that frogs are very often a prince in disguise, thus signifying renewal or rebirth. 

So, how does this all fit into my life?  Still sorting it all out.

And finally, I do apologize for such a long post.  Sometimes I just don't know when to stop. So, I will take my leave and wish you well.  May your Monday be bright, sunny, and the source of joy.