The Ramblings and Wanderings

Archive for February, 2009

Howling wind
And blowing snow
Silver as ice
Jasmine, nightshade
Silver as moonlight
And elderflower glow
She rides a pale horse
She is a pale horse
Wise winter owl on wing
A great dark hound
Dark like earth
A white sow in the shade of trees
Black and white badger
Raven in flight
Dark like blood
Prowling cat
She holds the key
To mystery
Black as ice
Lady of secrets
Keeper of memories
Black as night
Queen of witches
Sharpened knife
Grey as an unknown fate
Bleached bone
Blacked womb
Hallowed life
Hardened stone
Grey like icy cold slate
Sacred tomb
Find her at the crossroads
Pale like mists
Heart and soul in hand
Pale like death
Be prepared to pay
The price that she demands

~ Juniper 2009

I dunno who wrote this, it’s a variation of a rather well known little “story” based on Norse mythology. Google “Rainbow Bridge” is you haven’t heard of it before. Anyways…

A Rescuer’s Rainbow Bridge

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined.

All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been waiting a while for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch

It wasn’t long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the happier he would be.

But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the appearance of a spirit who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over Rainbow Bridge and on to the afterlife.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, some elderly and some infirm. They weren’t playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway, waiting and hoping.

One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn’t understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for awhile to explain it to him.
“You see, that poor animal was a stray or abused. Maybe if he was lucky, he was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence.
Or maybe, if he was not so lucky, he died alone on the street or at the hands of an abuser. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge.”

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, “So what will happen now?”

As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the rescued and abused animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as if they were in the prime of life and well cared for.

“Watch, and see.”, said the second animal.

A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears. The newly restored animals fell into line and followed her towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

“What happened?”

“That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of her work. They will cross when their new families arrive.

Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn’t save on earth across The Rainbow Bridge.”

“I think I like rescuers”, said the first animal.

“So do the gods”, was the reply.

A family member visiting and taking care of moms dogs let her dog in with the 6 week old collie puppies and he killed one and injured another. Momma dog (athena) was also slightly injured defending her babes. Please please any healing energy and prayers to ease the dead babes journey into the afterlife would be very apreciated right now.

Update:
The pup had a broken neck and had to be put down. Athena has a couple of small bites on her nose and is very upset but okay. I have just gotten back from buyring them and am going to go lay down for a nap.

Click on the image for full size

I hate numbers. They are not my friends. Therefore, this list is not numbered and I am not counting how many facts I list. You will receive roughly 25 facts about me, less if this gets boring and more if I find this exercise interesting or fun.

I am a pagan and a witch (but not Wiccan)  I have never been a member of any non-pagan spirituality or religion.

I belong to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids and have been taking their audio Bardic grade course, but I took a long break over the Yule season and I need to start over again, my yearlong course will probably take me 3 years.

I used to smoke, and then I quit. That was about 6 years ago. I still want a cigarette now and then.

I have a lot of will power, but it’s not natural to me.

At the time of writing this, I have a backache.

Some people consider me to be sweet and humble and others consider me arrogant and irritating. Maybe I should introduce them to each other.

I can shovel dung, manure and dog-doo all day but hate doing the dishes and avoid them as much as I can.

I am impressed I spelled “manure” right the first try.

I am very changeable, especially my moods. Once something has been expressed in some way, it usually goes away and something else moves in.

I tend to walk on my toes (worse when I was a kid) and I have flat (but cute) feet. This causes backaches.

I honestly have no idea whether or not I want children. But since I’m not married or anything, I’m not sweating bullets over it.

I have to remind myself to look cashiers and waitresses in the eye, smile and tell them to have a good day.

I never read these lists beyond about the 3rd or 5th fact.

I have a very high IQ. I also have learning disabilities, am very right brained, and have a 10th grade education, all of which makes my high IQ pretty well useless. This is frustrating beyond belief and I wish I had never been tested, and then tested again.

I have had 3 different men ask me to marry them. I said “no” to each one, for different reasons, mostly because I was pretty young for such commitments.

I am a female boy scout, I can tie all kinds of knots, do a million things with a dull pocket knife, build a shelter, orient myself at night by the stars etc

Anytime I discover a new fear, I must conquer it. I hate being afraid. I’m the kind of person who takes up mountain biking because I have a fear of falling.

I make most decisions intuitively or based on what a bunch of stones and bones and twigs in a bag tell me I should do. But I don’t do what tarot cards tell me to do heh

I can’t drive up to my place right now; I have to park all the way at the bottom of the hill, thanks to the snow and ice. I load up a blue plastic children’s sled and drag my groceries up the friggin’ mountain. This includes bags of dog food and water cooler bottles full of water. This has been real great for my legs and butt and cardio.

The only card games I have ever been able to play with any skill are go fish and crazy eights. I have played go fish with multiple tarot decks.

I don’t get lost in the woods, I do however, get lost in the city easily.

I am clumsy.

I want to be a writer when I grow up.

I thank the gods for my hardships, difficulties and life lessons every night before bed.

The sound of a hound baying makes me smile and it lights up my soul. I have no idea why.

I am not the sort of person who wonders why, or who needs to see proof. I am very accepting of just about everything. BUT I don’t believe 100% in anything.

I am almost never fully serious, and I rarely take anything fully seriously. When I say I am being serious I mean it though.

I am so cute people never take me seriously.

There is a very pregnant dog at my feet (one of Moms schnauzers. She has been breeding dogs since I was a kid), she is due any time now. She is lying on her back, with one foot against my chair, pushing against it, rocking herself back and forth on her spine. Like she is rocking the babes in her belly to sleep.

I have no idea how many people read this blog, I never installed the tracking plug-in.