Christmas Eve Glow

On Christmas Eve, a peaceful light,
Shines over the world, so soft, so bright.
The stars above, the earth below,
Reflect the love that we all know.

This quiet night, we feel His grace,
As we celebrate His holy place.
A Savior born to bring us peace,
A gift of love that will never cease.

By Catherine Pulsifer 

~ Merry Christmas ~ 

Día de los Muertos

Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it. - 

Haruki Murakami

Happy Día de los Muertos! 

Celebrate life as you reminisce those who passed and reflect on your own mortality...
 

 

Image: Día de los Muertos by Dominique Allmon©2024

Happy Year of the Dragon!

Year of the Dragon

On February 10, 2024 Chinese people all over the world celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year of the Dragon. The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

 

The symbol of the dragon in Chinese culture is very ancient and dates back to the fifth millennium B.C.

In Chinese mythology and folklore, the dragon is an auspicious symbol of power, strength,  wisdom, good luck, and prosperity. In imperial China the dragon symbolized the imperial power of the Emperor. The throne on which the Emperor sat was called the Dragon Throne.

Dragon is usually portrayed by a long, lizard-like, scaled four legged creature that controls the realm of weather and water and is responsible for rain, floods, and hurricanes. Unlike European dragons, Chinese dragons are not evil predators, but they may be tempestuous and very unpredictable.

Dragon is one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. He is the fifth animal that arrived at the feast given by the Buddha. He is the only creature that is imaginary.  

Year 2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon. Wood is one of the Five Elements in Chinese philosophy. In the Five Elements system it is represented by the color green. The wood element brings qualities like growth, renewal, creativity and flexibility to the normally tempestuous nature of the dragon.

The Chinese geomancers associate Year of the Dragon with a new beginning and good fortune. This is a good year to start a business, expand your vision and explore new opportunities. Any new venture, including marriage, is bound to succeed. 

 

People born under this sign of the Wood Dragon are not only very gifted and lucky, they are also very ambitious, adventurous and rather optimistic when facing their challenges. They are considered to be loyal, compassionate and generous friends, and charismatic, visionary leaders. 

Those less fortunate who suffered losses and misfortune in the past may expect some positive change in the new year since the Wood Dragon combines the prowess of the dragon with the creativity of the wood element. 2024 is expected to be a year of growth and innovation. It is the year to freely express your ideas, pursue your dreams, fulfill your vision, and advance your career. In order to succeed, you need to be creative and flexible.

No matter what the predictions for the Year of the Dragon may be, remember that you are the ultimate master of your fate.  

Wishing everyone Happy and Auspicious Lunar New Year - Dominique

 

   新 年 快 樂 !

 

By Dominique Allmon

 

Dominique Allmon©2024

How to Be Grateful When You Have Nothing to Be Grateful For

The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times. - Zig Ziglar

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection. It is a time when families gather together to count their blessings and express their gratitude for all the good things in their lives. 

But what if you have nothing to be grateful for? What if your loved one or you were diagnosed with an incurable disease? What if you lost your home due to a natural disaster? What if you lost your job? What if you were a victim of a terrible crime? What if all your savings are gone thanks to the raging inflation? What if you lost someone? 

It isn't easy to express appreciation and gratitude in challenging times. When bitterness, fear, disappointment, anger, and uncertainty dominate your emotional landscape, it is difficult to be grateful. And yet, we can only survive the storm if we have hope.

Can we fake gratitude? 

Research shows that people who feel grateful are not only happier but also healthier. Scientists measured lower levels of stress hormones, less inflammation in the body, and even improved immunity in people who felt grateful or had thoughts of gratitude.* Wouldn't this alone be a good reason to motivate oneself to a daily practice of gratefulness? 

Do not compare your misery to the happiness of others. Accept reality as it is and do not suppress your real feelings. Instead, try to find something that will bring you joy every day and be grateful for it. Take time to observe nature, listen to music, read poetry, or talk to a dear friend. Take time to pamper yourself. Shift your attitude. Embrace activities that give you comfort and consciously express your gratitude even if you do not feel like it. If there is nothing at all, recall a happy moment from the past.

Start your day by counting the good things in your life and end it reflecting on all the things that warmed your heart: a smile from a child, a kind gesture from a stranger, a leaf falling off the tree and dancing before you... Make gratitude a habit. This will give you the strength to continue even in the most difficult circumstances. 

The tragedy of our existence is the realization that good things do not last. But neither do the bad things, and this alone is a very good reason to be grateful. 

Wishing you a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving - Dominique

Post scriptum

Stress kills so please, do not underestimate the impact your nastiness, your anger, your egoism and intolerance have on others, especially those who are sick, those who are trying to heal and are too weak or simply no longer willing to fight with you. 

When I wrote this post my husband who was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer in 2021 was still alive. His cancer treatment was terminated in October. We still had hope and felt grateful that he made it so far. I was in Europe, scheduled for a medical check up and could not be around for Thanksgiving. We were used to the fact that sometimes the only way to celebrate was to spend hours on the phone. On Thanksgiving's Eve James felt a little tired and weak but was in a rather good mood. On Thanksgiving Day, however, my husband's condition deteriorated considerably after his daughter, an obtuse woman in her late 40s, quarreled with him over the phone. She scolded him because he declined a dinner invitation that would have involved a 70-miles drive from Roswell, NM, to her home in Carlsbad, NM, and he did not feel that he could do that. This quarrel stressed and depressed him more than one could even imagine. He collapsed later in the evening and had to be taken by helicopter from Roswell, NM to a hospital in El Paso, TX. He never recovered and eventually left this plane of existence on December 15, 2023. He was 70 years old.

Also of interest: The Importance of Being Grateful

*Lilian Jans-Beken, Nele Jacobs, Mayke Janssens, et al. Gratitude and health: An updated review. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2020/15:6. pp 743-782

Dominique Allmon©2023

Happy Year of the Rabbit!

On January 22, 2023 Chinese people all over the world celebrate the beginning of a Lunar New Year - the Year of the Water Rabbit also known as the Black Rabbit, since color black corresponds with the water element. As every year geomancers and fortune tellers are busy devising fortunes for countless clients who want to make sure that everything goes according to the laws of Heaven and Earth.

The Chinese believe that people born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbits are also admired, trusted, and are often very fortunate.

 

Rabbit is the fourth animal that arrived at the feast given by the Buddha. This animal is associated with the Moon because of the mythical Jade Rabbit that is believed to reside there. Rabbit symbolizes grace, mercy, beauty, and good fortune, but also intellect and caution. 

The year of the Rabbit is traditionally associated with home and family, artistic pursuits, diplomacy, and peace. 2023 is expected to be a much calmer year than 2022, so maybe there is hope for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, and the end of so many other violent confrontations in many countries around the world. 

 

Individuals will become more introverted, secretive, and family oriented. Nations will become more insular and increasingly protect their borders against the unwanted "intruders". 2023 will also bring amazing creativity in all areas of life, notably in business and in arts. The water element suggests that it would be wise to move with the flow and avoid impulsive decisions.

People born in the Year of the Rabbit as well as people compatible with the Rabbit sign - those born in the years of the Sheep, Dog and Pig - will experience great financial and professional success. People born under other signs may have a bit more difficult ride in 2023. Everything depends on their flexibility and the ability to adopt to ever changing circumstances. 

But no matter what your fortune for the Year of the Rabbit may be, remember that you are the master of your fate. 

Wishing everyone a Happy and Auspicious Chinese New Year  - Dominique

新 年 快 樂 !

Dominique Allmon©2023

Happy Labor Day!

No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence. 

Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Image source: unknown but greatly appreciated

Year of the Tiger

On February 1, 2022, millions of people all over the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. The year 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger. The water element adds fluidity and flexibility to the tiger's energy and prowess.

Tiger is one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. Chinese Buddhists tell the story of a feast given by the Buddha. They believe that tiger was the third animal to arrive at the feast.

Tiger represent the strength, ferocity, tenacity, and courage. People born under the sign of tiger are self-assured, love adventures and competition, and have great sense of justice. They are well respected by people around them. 

Geomancers and astrologers in Asia and in Chinese communities elsewhere are busy to compile horoscopes and predict the future. They expect a very dynamic year full of opportunities, innovation and progress. It will be a great year for learning, new projects, and accomplishments, but also a year of possible chaos and unpredictability, political conflicts, social unrest, and natural disasters.

Everything happens quickly and dramatically in a Year of the Tiger, so be ready or you will miss your opportunity. Be courageous enough to grab your chances to improve and advance professionally, but exercise a little caution to avoid mishaps and financial mishaps.

Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese people and it gives families the opportunity to gather around sumptuous banquets and to exchange gifts. An obligatory visit to the local Taoist or Buddhist temple is made to place offerings to the gods or to the Buddha. Fruit and incense are offered and countless prayers said.

For those who forgot to make their New Year's resolutions in January, here is another chance.

Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous Year of the Water Tiger - Dominique

新 年 快 樂 !

Dominique Allmon©2022  

Happy Year of the Earth Pig

Millions of Chinese all over the world are getting ready to celebrate the Chinese  New Year. In Chinese calendar 2019 is the Year of the Earth Pig. It begins at midnight on February 5, and ends on January 24, 2020. The Chinese New Year is also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival and is celebrated in Korea and Vietnam.

Pig, or wild boar, is one of the twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac. A Buddhist story tells us that the pig was the last to arrive at a feast given by the Buddha. 

The Chinese astrologers assign zodiac signs to the Five Elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth.  The zodiac sign returns every twelve years, but a particular combination of the zodiac sign and the element occurs only every sixty years. This means that the next Earth Pig will be celebrated in 2079! 

 Year of the Pig Mug

People born in a year of the Pig are considered to be diligent, compassionate, and generous. Once they set a goal, they will devote all their energy to achieving it. Pigs rarely seek help from others, but they will not refuse to give others a hand. They have a great sense of responsibility and usually finish projects they started. Pigs are easily fooled because in their honesty and innocence they never suspect trickery.

According to Chinese astrologers and Feng Shui masters, 2019 will be a very joyful and prosperous year. It will be a good year for friendship and romance, and a great year to invest and make money because Pigs attract success, good fortune, and prosperity.

Interestingly, Pig years are believed to be rather unlucky for those born in a year of the Pig since they stand in conflict with Tai Sui or god of age in Chinese mythology. This means that Pigs have to be a little more vigilant and work a little harder if they want to excel. This is a god time to learn new skills. For everybody else, astrological predictions for the New Year depend on their year of birth and how their zodiac animal relates to the Pig. 

2019 is the last year in the twelve year cycle. Since all the animals are now at the Buddha's feast we can all relax and enjoy life a bit more. Take the necessary brake that you postponed for too long. Go on vacation, pamper yourself, but never lose your focus. You are, after all, the master of your own fortune.

Wishing everyone Happy Chinese New Year 

and a very prosperous Year of the Earth Pig! - Dominique


恭喜發財

Dominique Allmon©2019 

Image: "Journey to the West" and 2019 Year of the Pig Jimmo Designs Greeting Card. Dominique Allmon©2019

 

Merry Christmas!

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime. - Laura Ingalls Wilder

~ Merry Christmas ~

The Habit Of Gratitude

Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it. - Ralph Marston

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

Image: Pumpkin Centerpiece by Dominique Allmon©2018

Naturally Dyed Tiffany Blue Easter Eggs

If you are still looking for an Easter Egg Hunt ideas, this article will inspire you to try something new. All you need is eggs, white vinegar, and purple cabbage. The whole project takes less than 12 hours. The outcome is more than amazing.

I used white free range organic eggs and an organic purple cabbage to minimize exposure to chemicals in our already over polluted world. This is especially important if you want to eat the eggs after the Sunday egg hunt.

For twelve eggs you will need a large head of purple cabbage, large pot, and twelve small Mason jars or small drinking glasses to dye each egg individually. You can dye the eggs in bulk, of course, but if you dye them individually, the eggs will be covered more thoroughly. 

Method:

• Wash and chop up the cabbage. Toss it into a large pot, pour enough water to completely cover the cabbage, and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and boil until cabbage is soft. 
• Once the cabbage is ready, allow it to cool off. Strain the liquid and toss away the cabbage. Add 4 Tbsp of vinegar and mix well.
• Boil the eggs. Put the eggs in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring water to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, remove the pot from heat and cover it with a lid. Leave the eggs in hot water for 12-15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pot and put them into a bowl of ice cold water. 
• Place each egg in an individual jar or a glass. Pour the purple cabbage juice over the eggs completely covering each one, and allow eggs to take color for at least three hours. The color intensity depends on the time the eggs spend in the purple cabbage dye. To add some variation, let some of the eggs stay in the dye for a bit longer. For a more dramatic effect, leave them in dye overnight.
• Remove the eggs from the dye and place them on a baking cooling rack. Allow the dye to dry out completely. The little flaws in paint are more than welcome. They truly make the eggs prettier.
• Once the dye dried out completely you can place them in an Easter basket, on a decorative platter, or in your backyard. 

 Eggs in purple cabbage juice

This is the first time I used purple cabbage to dye the eggs. They turned out beautifully. No egg looks the same. I used a little 24ct confectioners gold leaf to add a little sparkle to them. You can use edible gold paint if you prefer, or simply leave them the way they are.

I hope this little project woke up your own creativity. You can use different plants to make the most beautiful Easter eggs ever. My mother used onion peel to create various shades of golden yellow and brown color. Purple cabbage gives various shades of aquamarine, Tiffany blue and turquoise. You can use beets to make your eggs pink, turmeric root to make them bright yellow, dried chokeberries (Aronia) to make them pink, or blueberries and blackberries to make them indigo blue. You can mix the plants to create different nuances. Also, using brown eggs instead of white will produce a much different color effect. Experiment! It's fun.

~ Wishing everyone peaceful Easter Holidays and happy Easter Egg Hunt! ~ Dominique 

 

Dominique Allmon©2018

Year of The Earth Dog

The Year of the Earth Dog officially began on February 16, 2018. It will end on February 4, 2019. 

In Chinese astrology zodiac signs are combined with the Five Elements. Each animal sign appears every twelve years, but only every sixty years in each of its elements. The Five Elements: metal, water, wood, fire, and earth determine a special quality of each zodiac sign for a particular year. The current year is dominated by the earth element, hence the Earth Dog. The Dog will return again in twelve years, but we will have to wait another sixty years for the next Earth Dog. It will return in 2078! Chinese horoscopes are very complex. To simplify matters we can say that the Chinese believe that both, the zodiac sign and the element, affect destiny and personality of a person born under them. The predictions for the year to come also depend on this unique combination. 

In Chinese culture Dog is considered to be a luck bringing animal. Dogs are honest, loyal, caring, protective, and faithful, and will never abandon their masters. This quality of the zodiac animal carries a promise for a good and prosperous year. Earth elements is associated with mountains, real estate, agriculture, minerals, and earthquakes. Earth element adds some stability, may also represent barrier or obstacle blocking our view.

If you had difficult time holding on to your fortune during the Fire Cycle, your luck may change a bit for the better in the year of the Earth Dog, but be careful, dogs are very playful! Don't gamble your fortune away and remember that nothing comes without work. The earth element might add some difficulties which means that you will have to put a little more effort to get to your destination, or work a little harder and smarter to conquer possible obstacles. If you lack diligence and determination, you might miss many opportunities. Year of the Earth Dog is good for completing unfinished projects, especially if they apply to the source of your income. Fortunes can be augmented, but the Earth Dog suggests that saving money is a good idea.

In Chinese culture, people born under the sign of the Dog are considered to be honest, loyal, amiable, kind, industrious but also cautious and prudent. They are ambitious and outgoing, are great friends and faithful spouses. They are resourceful and make good doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, politicians, and civil servants.

Unfortunately, the Year of the Dog is usually very bad for people born in the Dog year. The destiny of everybody else depends on their own birth year and how their personal zodiac animal interacts with the dog. Very complex birth charts are used by an Chinese astrologers or geomancers to determine individual horoscopes and predict a fortune.

No matter what your birth sign, we hope that you will have a very good year. Remember, that no matter what the predictions are, you and only you are the true master of your fortune. And if you like dogs, 2018 is a good year to get or adopt a dog.  

Wishing everyone Happy Chinese New Year 
 and a very prosperous Year of the Earth Dog! -  Dominique

 

 恭喜發財 

Dominique Allmon©2018 

Image: Year of the Dog Greeting Cards designed by James W. Allmon

Memory Of The Heart

Gratitude is the 

memory 

of the heart. 

-

Jean-Baptiste Massieu 

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Image: Memory of the Heart by Dominique Allmon©2017

Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny came by today

and left surprises along his way.

Colorful eggs are all around.

With baskets in hand we search the ground.

Hiding in places here and there

Easter eggs are everywhere. 

Anonymous 

~ Happy Easter ~

Image: Easter Bunny & Broccoli by Dominique Teng©2017

Happy Year of the Fire Rooster!

In Chinese lunar calendar year 2017 is a year of the Fire Rooster. It begins on January 28, 2017 and ends on February 15, 2018. 

Rooster is one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. Chinese Buddhists tell the story of a feast given by the Buddha. They believe that rooster was the tenth animal to arrive at the feast.

A probably much older story talks about the legendary Jade Emperor who wished to select twelve animals as his guards. He sent an Immortal down to Earth with a message that whichever animal came first through the Heavenly Gate his rank will be the highest. And so, twelve animals rushed to serve the Jade Emperor and the rooster arrived right after the monkey as the tenth in a raw. 

In Chinese astrology zodiac signs are combined with the Taoist theory of Five Elements. Each animal sign appears every twelve years, but only every sixty years in each of its aspects. Metal, water, wood, fire, and earth determine a special quality of each animal. The current cycle is dominated by the fire element, thus the Fire Rooster. Celebrate as much as you can! The Rooster will be back in twelve years, but the next Fire Rooster will appear in 2077!

The Chinese believe that both, the zodiac signs and the elements affect destiny and personality of a person born under them. The quality of the year to come also depends on this combination. 

Roosters are believed to be hardworking, courageous, and very resourceful. They thrive in the company of others and enjoy to be in the center of attention. People born in the year of the Fire Rooster are considered to have a strong sense of duty and responsibility, and are trustworthy. They make good public servants. 

Interestingly, the rooster years are considered unlucky for the people born in the year of a rooster. Destiny of everybody else in the rooster year depends on their own birth year and how their personal zodiac animal interacts with the rooster. These predictions are often very complex and involve an astrologer or geomancer who would make proper calculations and create individual horoscopes. 

In Chinese astrology rooster is a very lucky sign that is associated with punctuality, competitiveness, bravery, and prosperity. 

In an ancient commentary to the Book of Songs dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) rooster had five virtues: literature, military prowess, courage, benevolence, and trustworthiness. These virtues will determine the quality of the year to come. The fire element adds a little urgency to the mix. Fire destroys the old, creates the new. It brings warmth and illumination (light), energy and clarity.

2017 will be a year of creativity and prosperity. With the inauguration of a new president, America will restore its military prowess and trustworthiness. People that have been forgotten or neglected by the previous administrations (ex. the Veterans) will experience a new wave of benevolence. 

If you want to succeed in 2017, you have to be diligent, courageous, and inventive. Like a rooster, you will have to wake up early and do your chores. Your prosperity will not come overnight, but your work will bring fruit that you will eventually be able to enjoy.

Wishing everyone Happy Chinese New Year

and a very prosperous Year of the Fire Rooster! - Dominique


恭喜發財

By Dominique Allmon

 

Dominique Allmon©2017

La Galette des Rois Or The Kings' Cake

Galette des Roi, known in English as the King Cake or the Kings' Cake, is a famous French dessert traditionally prepared on the Twelfth Night (January 5th) or the Christian holiday of Epiphany (January 6th) to celebrate the visit of three Wise Men (the Magi or Kings) to the newly born Baby Jesus.

The King Cake tradition began some three hundred years ago with a rather simple sugar-covered bread, but most probably has its roots in the Roman feast of Saturnalia. A single broad bean (la fève) was inserted before baking. The lucky person who found the bean in his or her slice of cake would become a Bean King or Queen and would reign over the feast. The reign would end at midnight before Epiphany.

With time, king cake recipes became more sophisticated. Around 1870 bakers replaced the broad bean with a trinket called la fève like the bean it replaced.  The trinket usually was a small figurine representing Baby Jesus, a King, or the Wise Men. The season for the cake would last from the Twelfth Night till the end of the Carnival on Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.

The cake was usually cut into as many portions as guests, plus one for the unexpected visitor, to show generosity, charity and benevolence in the best Christian tradition. That extra slice was called a share of God, or a share of Virgin Mary. 

There are many versions of the cake, depending on the country or the region where the cake is baked. Two versions are popular in France today: one that uses puff pastry and frangipane (almond pastry cream) and another that is made out of brioche-like dough and is topped with colorful candied fruit and sugar. Pastry shops usually sell the king cake with a paper crown for the person who finds the trinket.

Eastern or Orthodox Churches celebrate the birth of Jesus on January 6th. I some parts of Europe (Poland, for example) Epiphany is also the last day people enjoy the Christmas tree. All the lights and decorations are taken down the next day and the trees are tossed away. The magic of Christmas may be gone, but there are at least a few more weeks to enjoy during the Carnival.

Dominique Allmon

Image source here

Happy 240th Birthday America!

 Stars and Stripes in Roswell, NM

The winds that blow through the wide sky in these mounts, the winds that sweep from Canada to Mexico, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, have always blown on free men. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

 Image by Dominique Teng©2016

Easter Traditions

Many people may wonder why we never celebrate Easter on a particular, fixed day. Easter is a "movable" holiday that falls on the first Sunday that comes after the first full moon that occurs after the equinox.

In the past, vernal equinox was considered to be the beginning of a new year. It carried a special importance to the farmers because it signified the beginning of spring. In many traditions, spring was not only the season of nature's regeneration and growth, but also time of the resurrection of the sun god from the underworld. Christianity, of course, celebrates the resurrection of Christ.

The word “Easter” derives from the Old English word Ēastre that has its origin in Proto-Germanic word Austrōn or "dawn" and can also be traced back to the Germanic divinity Austrō from whom the goddess Ēostre (Ostara) has descended. 

In pre-Christian Europe,Anglo-­Saxons worshiped the moon goddess of spring and fertility Ēostre (Ostara). She was always represented standing among spring flowers and holding an egg in her hand. Hare was her sacred animal. It laid eggs to honor her and to encourage her fruitfulness, hence the Easter egg tradition, hence the Easter bunny.

Another reason why eggs became integral part of Easter holiday is that they were one of the foods forbidden by the Church during Lent, or the forty-day period of fasting and penitence that ends on Easter Sunday. In rural society, eggs were always abundant in the springtime and were symbols of creation and fertility. They bore the new life, par excellence. 

In many cultures, for millennia, eggs have been associated with spring rituals. Ancient Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Gauls, and the Ancient Chinese all regarded the egg as a symbol of the universe. In ancient Egypt and Persia, where spring was celebrated as the beginning of a new year, people exchanged decorated eggs at the vernal equinox. In Medieval England for instance, a royal household record from 1290 indicates that King Edward I ordered four hundred and fifty eggs to be dyed or gilded as Easter gifts. 

In Poland, where Easter eggs are elaborately decorated in most households, various legends describe miracles. One such legend talks of the Virgin Mary delivering eggs to the Roman soldiers at the cross and begging them to be kind to Christ. As she wept under the cross, her tears fell on the eggs and spotted them with radiant colors. Another legend talks of Mary Magdalene. When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to anoint the body of Christ, she brought some eggs with her for a meal. When she uncovered the eggs in her basket, the shells had taken on the colors of the rainbow. This legend might have given birth to the Polish tradition of the Easter basket that is usually blessed by a priest on a Saturday that falls after the Good Friday. 

One more Easter custom that deserves to be mentioned here is the use of perfumed water. Early Christians used to add perfume and essences to the holy water and sprinkle it around the house, on animals, and on food to ensure blessings. On Easter Monday, men would wake women with a sprinkling of the fragrant Easter water and speak the words “May you never wither.” To this day this tradition is quite vivid in Poland where perfumed water is sprinkled on Easter Monday. In rural areas people call it "Smigus Dingus" or "Wet Monday" and celebrate this spring "purifying" ritual with buckets of water, lots of screaming and laughter. 

Many contemporary Christians are not aware of the pagan origin of their festivals and holidays. In order to survive in pagan Europe, Christian Church adopted many pagan rituals, traditions and symbols for its own celebration of the resurrection of Christ. It also appropriated pagan sacred places and erected its own places of warship. As the Christianity took over, the sacred traditions of Druids, Slavs, the Norsemen, or the Germanic people were forgotten or simply eradicated with the help of fire and sword. 

No matter what tradition is celebrated - Christian or pagan - Nature always takes her cyclical turn. After a long winter, everything springs to life, almost overnight. This, in itself, is a miracle. 

Wishing everybody Happy Easter, Happy Ostara, and a very joyous celebration of life ~ Dominique 

 

Dominique Allmon©2016

Happy Year of the Monkey!

In Chinese calendar, year 2016 is a Year of the Fire Monkey. It begins on February 8 and ends on January 27, 2017.  

Monkey in one of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. According to a story told by the Chinese Buddhists, monkey was the ninth animal that arrived to a feast given by the Buddha.

The Chinese astrologers assign zodiac signs to the Five Elements: metal, water, wood, fire and earth.  The zodiac sign returns every twelve years, but a particular combination of the zodiac sign and the element occurs only every sixty years. This means that the next Fire Monkey will be celebrated in 2076! 

People born in a year of the Fire Monkey are considered ambitious and adventurous, but quick tempered and impatient. Because of their perfectionism, people born in the monkey years may be a little insecure and destructive.  

Interestingly, monkey years are believed to be very unlucky for the people born in a year of the monkey. For everybody else, astrological predictions depend on their year of birth and how their zodiac animal relates to monkey.

Monkeys are considered to be smart and vigilant, but also very playful and even mischievous, so prepare yourself for a very interesting and somewhat unpredictable year. Fortunes could be made easily, but they could disappear as quickly as they were made. Think twice before you make a financial or a business decision and plan carefully.

Monkey can help you revive friendships and add some spark to your love relationship, but it can also bring quarrels and disputes. Fire monkey may add fuel to old feuds, but since the fire element stands for passion, this may be a year of love and emotional fulfillment.

Take good care of your health, but have as much fun as possible. Travel, read, create, but most of all, be curious and inventive.  

Wishing everyone Happy Chinese New Year 

and a very prosperous Year of the Fire Monkey! 

Dominique 

 

新 年 快 樂 ! 

By Dominique Allmon

Dominique Allmon©2016

Year of the Monkey mug designed by James W. Allmon
 

Merry Christmas!

There is no time like Christmas time! 

Do not allow anything or anybody 

to take the joy of the Season away from you. 

Celebrate like never before! 

Merry Christmas to you and yours! - Dominique

Image: Naughty Cat and the Christmas Tree by Dominique Allmon©2015