Spring Fever

I'm sitting here at my computer looking outside. What is it that I see? Snow. Yup. It's March 24, and it's snowing outside. Several parts of the state I live in got nearly a foot or more of snow in the last two days. It's not that bad here, but the snow is starting to pick up, and I can't see the brownish-greenish grass anymore.

I so desperately want spring.

We had a few days of tempting sun and warmth earlier in the month. You know, Mother Nature taunting us. I'm sure I'm not the only one with cabin fever. Heck, I've also managed to catch a pretty nasty crud that one of my kids likely dragged into the house. The crud plummets my productivity.

I so desperately need spring.

Not only does the crud destroy productivity, but winter does as well. It effects me in a bad way. I'm sure I've mentioned this before.

I long for warmer days to invigorate me, to give me extra energy to stay up a bit later and get a scene written or a chapter revised. I yearn for the sun to infuse me with its heat -- after all, I am a Leo, and Leos need their sun!

The last three months have been pretty dismal. While I haven't stalled out completely (which is great), and I'm not behind on my publication schedule (thank the gods), I haven't gotten done as much as I wanted to.

Now, again, I know I'm not the only one who wants spring to finally arrive. So, I think we all need to band together and use our collective brain power to wish it into being. Let's all ask Mother Nature to be kinder to us, to pack winter away for a few months and let the sun run free!

Who's with me? Come on, now. If you want spring to show up as badly as I do, you have to be ready to try anything. So, think hard, make your will be heard, and maybe we can all make a little magic and Mother Nature will finally unleash spring upon us.

Magic Is Reality, Reality Is Magic: Orange

Magic is Reality, Reality is Magic is a series that highlights aspects of religions, particularly Paganism. We pull things from everyday life to use in our fiction. Magic is one of the key attributes of fantasy. Why not explore the realm of magic that many people already have in their lives?

Picture By Jean-Pol GRANDMONT Fall is creeping in (a bit too early in many areas!), and it will be the Fall Equinox in a few days. I've already touched on green, a color associated with spring. So now it's only appropriate to take a look at orange, a clear symbol of fall. It's one of the predominant colors when the leaves change colors, after all.

Orange really opens your eyes when you see it, so it makes sense that it represents energy. Do you ever get that revitalized feeling when you breathe in the crisp fall air? If you do, think of the color orange coursing through your body and giving you renewed energy to tackle anything.

Not only does it inspire energy, but orange is also the color of warmth--like a loaf of pumpkin bread fresh from the oven, or the cascading colors of the setting sun. It radiates enthusiasm. Why not jump into a pile of fallen leaves? You know you want to! Sometimes when I think of orange, I think of a child on a fall day, gleefully spinning around in circles until she's dizzy and splats onto her butt. Such joy and happiness.

Orange can also symbolize vitality, endurance, encouragement, stimulation, adaptability, attraction, and balance.

Now go find yourself an orange to eat--you know you want to after all this talk of the color.

What comes to mind when you think of the color orange?

If you'd like to read a bit more about this color, you can take a look at the following websites: The Color Orange, Orange Color Meanings, and The Meanings of Orange.

Further Reading Suggestions:

Buckland, Raymond. Practical Candleburning Rituals. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1999.

I hope you found this tidbit interesting! If you would like me to touch on a particular topic that fits in this series, please don't hesitate to contact me with suggestions.

NEXT UP: Lavender Legacy - Ch. 3