Baltimore Oriole Bird Nest Pendants, Hon...

I grew up going to Oriole baseball games in the good old days when Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, and Frank Robinson were heros. The 7th inning stretch had the crowd singing and dancing to John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" (click on the bold typeface to sing along!)

  Wild Bill Hagy led the famous O-R-I-O-L-E-S chants in section 34 at Memorial Stadium. A Dundalk Cab driver who lived in the same apartment complex as me... Oh...those were the days, Hon!

This one of a kind pendant was created with non-tarnish midnight black wire weaved into a Orioles bird nest. Eggs of stunning orange with an iridescent aurora borealis finish glass beads are nestled inside. The photos do not show the brilliance of the orange beads.

This delicate nest is about an inch diameter. It comes with a gorgeous midnight black organza ribbon chain 16-18 inches long which can be adjusted to the length you desire. Or Grab a Natty Boh and put on your favorite chain or silk cord. Please note hon, that every nest is unique and handmade.

Made with love and magic in my Planet Calamari Studio.
See more art to wear and other bird nests and Baltimore Ravens nest at the Planet Calamari Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/PlanetCalamari"> planetcalamari.com

                            Baltimore Oriole

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Happy Blog Blast for Peace Hon!

Oh Aunty Em, Virginia Must be Over the Rainbow!

It has been 2 weeks since we have moved into our new place in Virginia. So much has happened since my last post and i just do not have the chi to write about it in full detail. The condensed version is that we drove for 12 hours with a Uhaul truck and Norm's car from Salem MA to VA. Pouring sheets of rain dodging tractor trailer trucks in NYC and flooded roads. Then unloading everything into storage. Caught a train back to Salem on a hygiene deficient Amtrak car.  Then a few days later renting a UHaul van and driving another 12 hours with 3 cats and a dog to VA, only to find that Norm's car was gone. (It was towed but fortunately was rescued by my dear friend Rosie.) Insert scream here.
It may take weeks to recover physically and mentally.

However- it was all worth it. Moving into a place that has every luxury that we have not had for 12 years- washer & dryer, dishwasher, parking, elevator, and more. It feels as if we were living in the Pilgrim Village all these years and finally escaped!

The last time i felt this happy about where i lived was in San Diego, California. Life seemed easier back then. Palm trees, sunlight, warmer weather and much happier people. Alternative lifestyles and medicine were the norm. Being different was expected.  Moving to puritan New England was like moving to a different planet. Of all the places i have ever lived, Massachusetts was by far the hardest 10 years of my life.
I think there must be something magical about states that end in n-i-a...  California, Virginia.
Things seem brighter here. The sky is a gorgeous pantone blue (unlike the coal dusted sky of Salem MA!) Colors are vivid. endless rows of green trees line the streets. Rolling verde  hills in the background. The people in Virginia also seem to be nicer and much happier than those in New England. The default face here is not a scowl but a relaxed smile. These folks have manners. They say please, thank you and are courteous drivers. (A welcome change from the obnoxious drivers of MA!)  Maybe its a southern thing to be polite. Or maybe it is because the sun here beams down extra doses of Vitamin D... Whatever it is i am loving it!

Today as i waited in an extremely long line at the Trader Joes i noticed that not one person was huffing or puffing while pointing at their designer watch. There was no complaining, stamping of feet about the wait, nor was anyone trying to butt up in line. Everyone just patiently stood until it was their turn. This is not a scene that you would ever see in MA (And this Trader Joes sells wine too!)

We may not have ended up in Honville as originally planned. I think those ruby slippers took me back over the rainbow- to a place that is very healing and exactly what we really needed to begin all over again. Perhaps just intending to return back to a black and white movie was enough to appease the Karmic Board!

Somewhere in the background i hear a voice screaming  

"Curses... somebody always helps that girl!"

OH NO! It's Moving Day

The Sky is Falling!

While moving our halloween costumes down from the attic, Norm's foot went through the ceiling. Now there is an instant skylight in this 240 year old house.  Too bad he was not wearing a Santa Claus suit!

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

"Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old. "Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so. Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?"

" Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world."

If you would like to read the rest of the letter written to Virginia please visit this link: http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/

As you may have read previous posts, we have been searching for a place to live in the MD/DC surrounding areas for some time now. Seems that having pets is a major no-no in the rental world. We had pretty much given up all hope about finding an apartment or house and began researching RVs to live in. Pet friendly, kind of affordable and they move.

During these past few months i pretty much gave up all hope on everything- especially humanity as well. (And yes- i was doing my best to visualize, meditate, chant, pray, watched the Secret, listened to hypno-therapy cds, did affirmations, had a vision board, called on Angels, Nonnas and fairies.) But once fear and doubt set in- it is hard to break the cycle. It is hard to see light at the end of the tunnel when it seems to be an endless one. And unless you are in this position it is hard to imagine it. Actions speak louder than words... Hon.  Never again will i take simple things for granted. Nor will i expect anyone to help just because i think they should.

Please let me state that i have many dear friends who have offered help in various ways, advice, kind words, prayers, chants, incense, hugs, wine, some emailed rental & job info and a few even offered their homes to stay in temporarily if we were to be homeless. And i will be grateful for all of those people. Amazing who comes out of the woodwork to help when you least expect a miracle.

This past week a miracle occurred. After frantically emailing and facebooking everyone i could think of in the Del-Mar-Va area pleading for help, Santa Claus appeared. Or maybe it was the Good Fairy. I think they all work for the same company.

A friend who i went to grade school and high school with (who shall not be named in this public venue) emailed me offering her condo in Virginia as a place we could stay temporarily or even long term if it worked out. Pets welcome. Her only request was that i "Pay this good deed forward."
Wow...did she just earn an entire stamp book of good karma brownie points or what? Thank you!

The last time i think i saw this friend was at her first wedding- i caught her bridal bouquet. (And another miracle that occured was that i did not marry the guy i attended that wedding with!) We reconnected on facebook last year.  There are no accidents in the Universe.

So, yes, there is a Santa Claus and we are moving to Virginia. (And its not that far from the Honville area- distance is relative, Hon) Yes, there are still kind loving people on this planet that will reach a hand out to you when you are sinking. Miracles still happen- even in modern times. My faith has been restored that all things really are possible when you least expect them.

I hear Jiminy Cricket singing in the background..."Like a bolt out of the blue, Fate steps in and sees you through....when you wish upon a star.... your dreams come true!"

 I believe in Santa Claus, fairies, Angels, miracles and hope for humanity. Thank you dear friends for everything!

xooxox
jeanie