Discovering the deliciousness of the Crab!

Did you know the underside of the crab is the most vunerable spot? The part that is revealed only during the most intimate times of a crab's life. Sensitive to criticism and judgement. Wanting to be seen, heard and felt. Purposeful. A crab is able to walk or run sideways. Similarly, Cancer natives can sometimes "move about" in life, in a figurative sense, in an indirect manner. The crab's body is covered by a carapace (shell). Cancer natives are self-protective and sensitive, and often retreat into themselves when hurt. Crabs are able to resist changes in the environment, thereby protecting themselves from hostile elements in various habitats. Similarly, Cancer natives are thought to avoid too much change, and to be on the defensive. Crabs have "complex  behavior patterns" . The inner world of Cancer natives is thought to be rather quirky and complex. Some crabs "conceal themselves by decorating their bodies with plants and animals" . Cancer natives tend to try to blend in with their environments, preferring not to make a big splash in life.
Cancer's glyph, or symbol, may represent the breasts as a symbol of the nurturing qualities of the sign.

If the crab is long legged, the joints are vunerable. If they are spiny, the eyes are it's weak spot. Seemingly inpenetrable. Darkest eyes. Somewhat sad to others with a downward slant.  Poignant and striking. Balance of Ying and Yang command with the tides and the moon.

Crabs can live in harmony at the bottom of the ocean. being thrifty, scavenging for remnants of food, homes and shelter.
Sun in Cancer natives have a strong survival instinct. They are protective of those they care about, and of themselves too. They are often quite reticent about sharing their inner selves to the rest of the world, and are often caught up in reminisce. 
Cancers have a reputation for moodiness, although this trait is most evident when the Moon is in Cancer. Cancer needs roots. They resist change to an extent, and concern themselves about being secure and safe in most everything they do.
Cancers can be quite intrigued by objects with history attached to them — antiques, photos, souvenirs, and the like.
Cancer is a very sensitive sign, and they don't always appreciate it when you are blunt with them. Their reactions to hurt will depend on how thick a shell they have developed. Most Cancers react by withdrawing or retreating. Some have developed an ability to manipulate others to get what they want. They avoid direct confrontations almost as a rule.
Cancers are, in fact, quite yielding and soft when you have them in the right mood. They are one of the more hospitable signs of the zodiac. Sure, they can be touchy and indirect, but they are also very dependable, caring souls.

Some may choose to visit caves in a storm to ride out the currents. Some may hide in a forest off soft nurturing kelp. Some cling tenaciously to rocks and coral. In rough times they are able to weather it all well.

Guarding their eggs and offspring are paramount. Their homes are their comfort. Although outgoing and social, the retreat to the darkness or comfort of home when threatened. Luxury is keen and select.
Neglectful of themselves for the sake of sacrifice. A crab will give up their most precious items for loved ones. The hard shell that protects them is what misleads them to think they are invincible.
The colors they display are always of a flamboyant nature when in hot water.
Tenacity marks their every moment. Holding on with all their might. Sometimes at the cost of loosing an arm or pincer. Tenacious enough to grow one back for the next round of a storm or battle.  Nicer than everyone else. Encouraging. Intuitive. Protective. Perceptive. Tenacious. Supportive. Helpful. Loving. Dependable. Self-Reliant. Sensitive. Compassionate. Devoted. Caring. Kind. Home loving.

This is the most subjective position of the Moon. The Moon is "at home" in the sign of Cancer, as the Moon is the natural ruler of the sign. 
Moon in Cancer natives have a large potential to be able to get in touch with the feelings and moods of others. Often, they are quite wrapped up in themselves. Their memories of the past are outstanding, especially for all things emotional. Moon in Cancer people are never detached—they cling to things, their home, and people they care for. They seek out security and familiarity in all they do. They look for peace and quiet. Their attachment to all that is safe means they are a little leery of change.
These peace-loving souls dislike superficiality in all of its forms. They are devoted and accommodating. The insecure ones accumulate things in an attempt to feel secure.
Because of their strong attachment to, and memory of, the past, others may complain that Moon in Cancer natives tend to whip a dead horse. They may dwell on hurts long after everyone else has moved on. When they feel they have been taken for granted (which may be often!), they don't always confront others directly. This is when they can use roundabout ways to get your attention. In fact, these natives, when they are insecure, can become quite manipulative. They can also be victims of habit.
These people can have a hard time compartmentalizing their lives, simply because their watery Moon tends to know no boundaries. Sometimes, as a result, they may act irrationally.
One of the most delightful characteristics of Moon in Cancer people is their loony sense of humor. These people can be extraordinarily funny. Their moodiness can baffle others, but their unique outlook on life is something most people can appreciate.
When treated with tenderness and understanding, Moon in Cancer natives return the favor with warmth and protection. Give them security, and you'll take the crabbiness out of the Crab, at least for awhile.
These people are wonderfully dependable overall, despite their occasional mood swings. Make a friend of Moon in Cancer, and you will be taken care of for life.

Hungry, Dazed and Standing in front of the Fridge!

I know what it is, I just can't put it into words. I awoke with this haunting hunger this morning. It feels like hunger, a longing for sustenance. A knowing or feeling of satisfaction. It's like standing in front of the fridge, hungry but not finding anything appealing in the fridge.


Looking around in the fridge, moving items to see if there is an answer to my hunger. Is that yesterday's leftovers? It wasn't anymore satisfying yesterday than it looks today. I won't try that one again. I will eventually end up throwing that one out after I let it sit and grow moldy. Ah! I see that green jello salad of yesteryear. The one that was always offered at Mormon gatherings. The pat answer that was supposed to be refreshing and satisfying. Everyone knew how to make it and it was eaten without question. Still not refreshing nor satisfying.

Can it be that the hunger is bigger than this fridge can contain? Is it Universal? Is this part of the Plutonian hunger that we are feeling all around? Is it just the sense of 2012?

If I take a bite of this or that and still feel dissatisfied? Then what? Move on to the next sampling? How long till we come to the higher sense? The enlightened place of satisfaction?


I would hate to be stuck trying to feed myself the same meal over and over again, only to hope that the next feeding would make me a bit more satisfied. I am grateful to have choices and experiences in knowing despite the lingering hunger.



The question arises...Did I plan for this hunger? Was there something I could have shopped for prior to the onslaught of hunger pains? How did we know this time of hunger would be here and yet still voluntarily sign up to participate in it?

Is this a thirst or a hunger?Is it both?





How blessed can one be to be able to sample. What a time we live in! Knowing we are free to rummage through the fridge in search of something to satisfy our hunger! Mindful of those who can not, will not or are truly unable to choose.







Could take-out be the answer? Should I go to a far off exotic place to feast on the wisdom and talents of knowing from others? Could knowing by an other's hand be as satisfying? Can the flavor of a place other than my own bring me the satiated sense of comfort that I long for? I longed for the opportunity to do just that when I saw the peaceful glow a dear friend had upon her return from Bali. Did her sense of knowing get satisfied? Would that kind of experience be right for my hunger?

At his point I know that a potluck will have to occur before I can find the satiating balance I long for. A place to feed my soul and nurture myself. Staying hungry today. Is that cookies I smell?

Sweat and Tears

I was sitting in the sauna the other day and realized that the amount of sweat coming out of my skin was incredible. Was it just sweat, simply the excretion of moisture to cool my body in a terribly hot situation or was it a purging of water and toxins from my body. Likely both. Like sweat, tears also serve multiple purposes. Tears are our way to purge emotions good, bad or ugly. Emotions in themselves can be toxic or healthful. Like sweat, tear's chemical make up is that of saline and water. The vehicle of release for our bodies. I can't control for tears in certain environments and I can't control for sweat in certain environments...funny how that works out. Tears or sweat will come without my say. It's like trying to capture an ocean in your hand. Stopping tears or sweat is just as futile.

Tears over sadness and joy ...both are equal, a reaction to the stimuli. Sweat in physical pressure or stress, a reaction to stimuli.

Sometimes I hear my brother saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff kiddo!" and wonder what is small stuff when we usually can't control for any of it, big or small!

Sometimes I hear my mother saying, "Don't cry over spilled milk!" and know that even the tiniest amount of loss can still account for a tear.

Looking at the past few years and knowing what has gone by and what has transpired has ranked as some of the toughest times in my life. The tears of joy, babies being born, marriages, new opportunities for happiness and especially the new relationships that bring happiness to our lives.

The tears of sadness, heartache and broken hearted. The tears of disappointment over loss, my shortcomings and the voids left unfilled in our lives.

Do these equal the amount of sweat I have also shed? I think it has. Sweat over moving to a new home, renting out the old house, a new job, working to improve my health and attitude. Sweating over a worry, approval of others, meeting deadlines, making appointments, finding time to make everyone feel valued and wanted. Sweating over my shortcomings and failures. Knowing it is just that reaction to something internal and how I define it. My tears or my sweat. I own them. I have to learn to let them be. Let them flow. I have to find the purpose in their function and hope to gain insight into how they heal and give fluidity to my life and my life song. Now it is just that, time to swim in my sweat and tears. Taste them, be mindful of them and to also rinse them off to not allow them to cloud my vision.

2012 is here and now I can't know and understand what I am supposed to do but am ready for it none the less. All of it worthwhile in in purpose. Grateful.

My letter to Santa..Thumbs up Santa!

Dear Santa,

For days I have felt the need to sit and write to you and share of my wishes. My life raced, went up hill and down hill on a daily basis and yet I couldn't get my butt in the chair long enough and quiet enough to get this note to you.

Instead of asking for anything in this letter as in years past, I want to list so much what I am thankful for. Maybe just once I won't ask for anything but will acknowledge all that the miracles have afforded me.

Santa, thank you for all the trials and scrapes of this past year. They are so precious to me that I wouldn't trade them for anyone else's! I now have inside jokes with my children about the most darkest parts of the year and the stupidest things that I said. Being a completely imperfect human and parent is a gift. Thank you for the humility that has come from those lessons and my journey.

Thank you for the remarkable children, they are turning out quite nicely despite me and their genetics! So grateful that I am blessed with three girls and one boy. As a woman it is always nice to be surrounded by other females that share some of the most vulnerable pieces of your life and know you so intrinsically! Smart, brave, beautiful and daring, they all have their special powers that only the Amazonian women can command! Brains, beauty and kindness with a spoonful of compassion upon me while I lead the way through this dark and dreary world. A special thanks at the idea that my girls have grown into my size of clothes! I can now borrow their things equally as they borrow mine! Ahh there is a payback for all those years of dress up to have prepared us to share our closets!

Thanks to that boy of mine, he has made me smile and cry all in the same breath! Who would have thought that we would be where are today all because of the sweet little eyes that pierced my heart on the living room floor that fateful day in a small humble foster home in Sumner! He is a giant among Amazons! He breaks my heart and makes me ask for more everyday because he is salty, sweet and crunchy in how he lives each moment in our family. He amazes me with the things he says. Yet fated at birth to be voiceless and soundless, he speaks and sounds like he owns every room he steps into.

Thankful to my parents and siblings. Mindful of your imprint on me. Careful to preserve your memory in my heart when we can't be together. There is much undone and wondrous in our roots and wings. Thank you for your support and kind prayers in my trials.

Thankful my friends, you have stepped into a whirlwind of what I can call my life. You have held me up in my stormy moments and spoke to me from the sidelines. It has been something to get to this place. To feel a spiritual difference each year as I look back. I am thankful for the gifts of love, spirit and guidance I have been given.

Actually all of these gifts and gratitude have been priceless and money can't buy. There isn't a price for the gracious friendship, guidance, support, prayers and love that I have been given! They can't be wrapped or put into a box. I can only hope that they are passed on to others in the same spirit of giving.

Santa, a big hug and thumbs up to you in this years gifts! Thank you for believing in me! Thank you for the Universal love!

Love,

Wonder WomAnn

p.s. Next year I could really use a Amazonian tropical island vacation! (In my invisible jet of course!)

Tripping the Universal Lights Fantastic

I can kind of remember being a small girl and standing on my father's feet while he held my hands and we danced. His steps were confident and his strides were wide. I was thrilled at the start of the dance but often terrified and wanted to stop before the music ended. Hanging on to my partner and keeping up with the speed and movements was difficult. I didn't have practice, I didn't know the music and more importantly I didn't know the steps.

Now the dance is different, as are the dancers. I am not dancing with my father, I am not little but, it feels the same way to a large degree.

Now I am older, wiser and taller. Much taller. I have danced. I am familiar with the tune. I know the steps and can pace my stride. I know the quick tempo and the timing of the dance for the most part.
My dance partner this time is the Universe and He is a very good dancer. I having practiced for forty-six years am competent and qualified. Although there are times when I get off tempo, forget my footing and get distracted by the little things that occur in my daily life.
There were times when I find myself saying "Why am I even doing this dance?", "This is too hard!", "I am not a good enough dancer to tango with the Universe!".
Some how I keep dancing, keep spinning and dipping and tango in and out of everyday in time for just another amazing round of music!
Sometimes I have felt his hand confidently around my waist guiding me and my frame in tempo with his. It is so much easier for me to keep up, gracefully glide in confidence when I am held close and supported. It is those crazy sexy spins and dips that take me away from my grounded-ness and confidence. Those dips that make my eyes roll around in my head, cause me to get confused and spend some energy searching out the horizon to gain my footing.
This dance is quick, the tempo is familiar. The partner is a master.

Is it my kids, my job or my thoughts that keep me in the dance? Are those the same things that make me distracted and confused in my dance? How can I finish this dance? How can I get to be a master dancer? Will the tempo change someday and slow way down? Will I recognize the tune after so many years or will I just intrinsically feel the tempo and like a robot step in line and pick up my feet? Do professional dancers get this tired? Are there other dancers out there that feel the way I do? I chime in with my girlfriends that life, this dance, is too fast, too hard and too complex to juggle so much.
What and how do I predict the next dance, samba or tango? Rumba or waltz? The Universe doesn't tell me before we start. Actually there isn't a break in between dances. One begins right where the other one left off. There isn't time to sit, rest, catch my breath or change my shoes!
Remarkably I keep dancing. I have enough breath to dance some more, and more remarkably I have the energy to keep going and my shoes aren't hurting.
What is on the horizon? The Universe knows the dance card and the music score when I do not. I have thrilled at the previous dances. I have loved the variety of music and steps and dips and spins. I have handled it all fairly well and have done well at keeping in the dance.

This is a dance of a lifetime.

When marimba rhythms start to play,
dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway with me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with me
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak


I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now


When marimba starts to play
Hold me close, make me sway
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG8giVJKQPI&features=related

Pearls for Glenna

Pearls are an incredible gift. Created out of irritation from a grain of sand or particle in the surf, something beautiful and stunning evolves for our enjoyment and treasure.

Pearls like life, are layers of coatings to bring its journey to a final luster.

Each pearl is a different color and different shape. Colored by the trials and tears of its life, Just like yours!

Different species of oysters create different kinds of pearls. Male species can create a pearl just as a female species can. I have to say few men create pearls in my life but I may just have not washed up into them yet. I am keeping my eyes open. I imagine Forest is that for you!

How long does it really take for the pearl to be made? That is like asking "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?"! Time manages our pearls size and color. Leaving the pearl in the shell will result in a larger sized pearl. Time creates those pearls in its own ideal. Just like time manages our own growth and coloring.

Extracting a pearl, who is a Pearl handler? The oyster doesn't decide to kick out the pearl but it has to be extracted, either by hand or by a naturally occurring event. The death of an oyster is the last cause of pearl eviction. So know that your pearls won't come after our death. Extract them now by hand or by event in your life and wear them proudly. Share them with those you meet and love.

I remember from listening to my Mom, that women would get pearls on special occasions. A string of pearls for an anniversary, a pearl ring at graduation or a birthday. Any day you get pearls is a special occasion to us! Don't wait, watching for that special day to come.

So now you have your pearls? What now? Keep them in oil. the oils of our skin help them keep their luster. Touching them often and rolling them in your hands or across your heart. Avoid chemicals such as perfumes. Although they may smell great, they will eat away at the pearls surface.

Why do we just love pearls Glenna? Tried and true, luster and shine, from an irritating start to a smooth finish. Don't forget these are your pearls. For you to give away, your pearls of wisdom. No one else can give them as gifts. No one else can touch them and interpret them the way you can. Enjoy them, cherish them, share them and know the Universe and time created them for you from your oyster to do with as you please.

The limits of a superhero!

There are times when I know I should do this or that, but they slip away. Duty calls, friendships fall and then in the days end there is much still left undone.

I can't be there to stop the world. I can only choose my battles. The world is bigger than I am and I remain outnumbered by them all.

Pulling me here and pushing me there, I sometimes just find that like a deer in the headlights I stand blankly and stare.

My human side is defined by my beating heart. The callouses on my feet and hands. The ones I am responsible for. When I look away for a moment I can sometimes see my reflection and stand content in my image. Sometimes I am happy, truly happy at how I have evolved and turned out.

Other times I avoid the reflection and listen to the crashes of my falling self esteem when met with un-finished business.

Exhausted at times and fearful and worried drains my powers and light. Eating becomes tedious, Sleeping is not long enough. Days are too short. Breezes are too few.

Once a hug made the energy wax. I have to chase a hug from my underlings now. Either they are too busy or off on their own quests or I am off fighting the good fight. Leaving them to manage their world and learn and grow.

Growing up is over-rated. There isn't a manual that guides us and warns us or helps us trouble shoot.

When our heart breaks is alarming. Had we listened would it have hurt anymore or any less? When we break others' hearts, it still hurts us. Can't hide those pieces of our souls. It all comes out in the wash.

Learning to think slowly about the day's agenda. Be a reasonable superhero. Flying at a reasonable speed and at a reasonable altitude often is difficult. Knowing which fight, which superhero feat is next. Weighing them out and choosing them wisely. There are other superheros to help in the battle!