I signed up to participate in this year’s blogging festivities/group challenge knowing that there’d be a strong possibility I’d be feeling dried up for inspiration by the time I got to this day, having recently overworked myself attempting to accomplish goals, but also surprising myself as well by accomplishing more than I expected I could. It was worth it! So here I go again trying to be a part of things. Usually, I’m trying to catch up with what I signed up for, or watching from the sidelines, wishing I was participating in what “everybody else is doing.” And inspiration is something that I am both always looking for, and trying to share. <—- that’s the key point, I think!
The best part about the Cheer Pepper NanoPoblano goal this year is to spend time visiting and commenting and supporting other blogs and bloggers. It’s built into the intention, and the design. As always with Cheer Peppers, this is not a hard and fast rule, and we are encouraged and we encourage others to do their best, gentle nudges. I believe it’s 10 days of commenting, 10 days of posting, and 10 days of reading other bloggers, or something like that. I need to go back and read the fine print. Feel free to let me know in the comments if I missing something.
The beauty of all this, of course, is to be present, be part of a team, and have some fun! This might be the only blog I post of my own – or there could be 9 more – or why stop there? (I don’t know what tomorrow or the next day will bring) but at least I’d get the word out, and you can click on the image above to see what the other Cheer Peppers are up to, so many of them talented, kind, and with fresh perspectives served, so many of them I don’t know yet!
Today, and for the last few weeks, I’ve been sneezing like crazy but not officially sick, just congested. I’ve had insomnia, and it’s been a rather uniquely difficult Mercury retrograde start for me! I usually respond to Mercury retrograde with becoming more talkative or ‘creative,’ out of the blue, or maybe just more communicative – to my better or worse judgement. In other words, my mind gets busier. Full and New moons often (but not always) have an effect on me too – hence why I began an astrologer at a young age.
Today I am showcasing two simple images from the outdoors, as being outdoors always brings back a certain undeniable positivity and connectedness. The first is leaf bug, as I called it, until I identified it as the California angle-wing Katydid. This particular bug struck me as exotic, even though it’s probably lived here for a while in the greater area. It is still new to me! We definitely felt the presence of our visitor and have a strong totem in the last several years with the greater grasshopper and cricket 🦗 family.
The second image below is of a dove’s feather. It’s been a while that I have been seeing these and crow’s feathers, while I’ve had fewer of the Hawk variety that graced me with many during the years of 2009-2013. Surely, all these finds are related to messages, even if some of them have to do with the differences of where I spend my time geographically. I look at the dove feather as my greater purpose to find and create peace within, and being honest and acknowledging what’s in the way of it, and how to get more focused on being more present in my life, within my community, building community… etc etc, being more comfortable with being seen as I am in all the various forms I show up, and really having very little power over that – being online is where I find myself the most socially awkward, which seems unusual because most people say it’s the opposite. I prefer being in person with people (as well as enjoy my time alone). Anyways, I digress! The dove feather also shows me that I am also a part of the bigger planetary effort of the peace process, and living in harmony with nature.
I hope you enjoyed what I wrote here, and you enjoyed the pictures and contemplations. A Mercury retrograde like this might help take me into deeper reflections, as the holidays seemed to have a really enthusiastic kick-off this year in my observation. I saw more people participating this year with costuming and having fun. It was neat to witness! The Scorpio intensity has been especially intense this year, lots of memorials and grief surfaced over lost loved ones this year, as well as previous years. There was even a mourning for relationships that seem to be cut off because some friendships don’t seem to do well with space and distance geographically. It’s not that way with everyone, but sometimes friends are locked into their own lives, and no matter your history, they don’t want to continue connecting for whatever reason to “who you are today” – that does hurt. It’s very painful.
Anyways, I’ve rambled a bit more than usual. I wish you all a great weekend, a wonderful Nano Poblano, and a fruitful Mercury retrograde! May your days be filled with love and wonder!
Fiesta Estrellas 
May your days be filled with love and wonder too. And a bit of adventure as well. 😉
Happy blogging, sharing, commenting this month!
Yes! Sharing! That’s the 10 days of sharing! My brain knew it, but couldn’t link it to the “10” while I was writing ✍️ 😉🙌🏻 thank you my friend 🙂!
We’re all in this adventure together!
Sure feels good to hear that, and have it confirmed! Adventuring together 🙂
Best way to do adventures anyway.
Cheers to you Ka. I hope you’re feeling better and find the perfect dance of playing along with this challenge along with taking care of yourself and life. I hadn’t heard of Nano Poblano before and like the idea of a mix of reading, commenting and posting.
May we cheer and inspire one another with love and kindness. Hugs, Brad
Thanks, Brad
My daughter has cheered me up today, and I can already see how we are taking care of each other, in a way. I’m happy to introduce you here to some more blogging friends and a great idea that Ra at Rarasaur.com came up with. The responses to this Cheer Pepper post also really helped, and I’m not feeling as sniffling now. Agree, I want to keep sharing love, kindness, and inspiration… Hugs back, Ka
Thanks Ka. I’m glad you’re finding support with family and friends online.
Yay! Glad to have you Peppering alongside us. 🙂 I love the leaf big, so charming. Retrograde feels different this time for me, but it’s been a weird year for me so who knows what’s going on..🙂
Thank you, Ra ~ ❤
I hear you on "who knows?" Maybe we will just have to wait and see how things go… it's nice to have a little bit of an inkling sometimes about where we are at any given time in our process. Thanks for your leadership/facilitation and recruitment and all your efforts to showcase so many wonderful, talented, and kind creators. 🙂 You inspire me!
Thank you, and thank you for following me! I followed you, too!
Love the images, and the pepper community coming out to play 🤓
Um, let me try this comment again. Thank you! And Thank you for following me, I followed you, too!
Well, good thing for the peppers as perusing through the posts and landing here led me to see WordPress somewhere along the way took you off my follow list. Which also has me realizing there are a few more people I’m not seeing in the Reader any more. Hmm.
I hear you, Leigh. I’m catching up with many of your writings now! Happy writing ✍️! So glad you are in this!
Much in life continuously changes. The people around you and near you or you
yourself will move on. Situations constantly change and evolve. Sometimes, it’s called growth. It’s not always easy and sometimes downright demanding.
Blessings to you and your family Ka
Thank you for this comment, Eddie! I did not see it until now. The comment was not in spam but it wasn’t viewable in my email, or my comment notifications. I had to look in the comments section of my blog site (which required my computer, can’t do it from my phone) to get this comment! So well worth it! My apologies for my delayed response!
You are so right in all you say. I am so glad I found and read your words, today! 🙂
Great and interesting post. Happy Weekend too
Thank you, Leyla! Happy weekend to you, too!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s felt the Scorpio intensity more intense this year than usual! Goodness~ I’m ready for some light and bright, or at least some ease and flow. Maybe once Mercury goes direct… here’s hoping!
Here’s to hoping 💖, and I especially appreciate you making me laugh over there on your wonderful blog with your comment about your ESL students being more impressed with the treats than the info you gave them. Lol. Though your info was lovely, for sure. Stay awesome, my friend 🙂
I enjoyed reading your post. It was interesting reading about Mercury Retrograde, as I don’t know much about that. I did like your katydid photo. We see these once in awhile here, and the dove feathers we have all the time, as doves come to our feeder every day. They are a really pretty bird, and I love the sound they make. 🙂