December Birthstone

Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for January is a garnet, while lucky babies born in April get a diamond as their birthstone.

The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December.

There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.

The three birthstones associated with December are Tanzanite, Zircon, and Turquoise

Tanzanite

Discovered in the late 1960s in Tanzania, and found exclusively in this tiny area of the world, tanzanite exhibits a rich violet-blue color for which the gemstone is treasured; often it is heat-treated to achieve this color.  Colors range from blue to purple, and tanzanites that are medium dark in tone, vivid in saturation, and slightly violet blue command premium prices.  As tanzanite can be less expensive than sapphire, it often was purchased as an alternative.  However, it has increased in popularity and now is valued more for its own beauty and brilliance than as a sapphire substitute.

 

Zircon

Derived from the Arabic words zar and gun, meaning gold and color, zircon is found in a wide range of colors such as: blue, yellow, orange, brown, green, colorless, and red (the most prized color). For many years colorless zircon was used to imitate diamonds.  Folk wisdom grants zircon the power to relieve pain, whet the appetite, protect travelers from disease and injury, to ensure a warm welcome, and to prevent nightmares guaranteeing a deep, tranquil sleep. 

Major sources of zircon are the Chanthaburi area of Thailand, the Palin area of Cambodia, and the southern part of Vietnam.

Turquoise

The name turquoise, from the French expression Pierre tourques or Turkish stone, originated in the thirteenth century and describes one of the oldest known gemstones. Turquoise varies in color from greenish blue, through robin's egg-blue, to sky blue shades and its transparency ranges from translucent  to opaque. Turquoise is plentiful and is available in a wide range of sizes. It is most often used for beads, cabochons, carvings, and inlays. Although its popularity fluctuates in fashion, it is a perennial favorite in the American Southwest.

Healing properties of Turquoise - A gemstone steeped in lore and tradition, Turquoise is a healing and balancing stone.

Happy Birthday Sagittarius

Sagittarius - the Centaur 

11/22 - 12/21

Basic Traits:

Here we have the philosopher among the zodiac signs and meanings. Like the Scorpio, they have great ability for focus, and can be very intense. However, they must channel their energy or they will waste time and wear themselves out going in too many directions at once. They are not very patient and expect quick results. However, when encountered with failure they make extreme comeback's often against incredible odds. They make loyal friends and lovers, but they do not handle commitment well as they refuse to be tied down while chasing philosophical pursuits.



The Deeper Meaning:

Sagittarius witnesses to the importance of deriving meaning from experience. From experience, that is, not from books, though reading the thoughts and searches for meaning of others can help in the quest. Consider the symbol or glyph for Sagittarius - a centaur. The rear half is that of a horse and the front half that of a human. The horse symbolizes animal instinct - it isn't the rear half for nothing! The human symbolizes the search for that which lies beyond animal instinct. The two are always together - meaning, philosophy, religion, are divorced from instinct at their peril. Then you get the philosophers and preachers who exhibit great powers of mind but cannot touch the heart.

Sagittarius follows Scorpio in the zodiac, and if there are significant planets in Scorpio in your chart, or if Scorpio is your Rising sign, or if Pluto (the co-ruler of Scorpio) is strongly placed, then you will know all about the necessity to live fully at the level of experience.

Sagittarius is a fire sign, and like the other fire signs, Aries and Leo, needs freedom of movement. This need is particularly highlighted in Sagittarius by its emergence from the intensity of Scorpio. Sometimes the search for meaning out of experience manifests as an escape from a sultry swamp into more spacious territory! Travel is one traditional Sagittarius way of broadening one's horizons. If you are close to someone whose chart is strong in Sagittarius energy and wish him or her to remain faithful, then you are more likely to retain compatibility if you recognize this need to escape at regular intervals.

Significant planets, e.g. the Moon or Venus, in Capricorn in your chart would indicate that you are frequently drawn towards situations which you may find limiting in a way you experience as alien. Love relationships may be scenarios in which you feel restricted from living life to the full, with the freedom you may feel is appropriate to you. But such features in your chart would show that some part of your nature longs for containment of some kind, even the freedom to live life within safe boundaries for a time.

A Day at Stony Brook

 This summer I had an incredible family vacation with my daughter and my mom. It was such a cool experience to have all 3 generations together. During our week in Upstate New York we were looking to find something unique to do. After asking around I heard of 2 super cool state parks that were in the vicinity. After realizing that one of them was only 30 minutes away, I knew which one we would be visiting... Stony Brook State Park. 
  
When I googled it I saw what looked like an amazing experience; one of those places you only see in pictures or in movies. A gorge that had been carved by the retreating glaciers after the last ice age with 3 breathtaking waterfalls left behind. Seriously stunning. Trying to capture the glorious vistas in a photo is near impossible, the scale is so grand!

Here's a little of what we found while exploring Stony Brook......

The first thing we saw was the river flowing over slabs of flat rock within the cavern of sheer faced cliffs. Some trees have managed to grab a foothold within the rocky valley, giving great moments of shade in the middle of the day, as well as adding a certain softness to juxtapose against the hard walls that shows the beautiful compositions that only nature can craft. 

As we wandered up the meandering stream, we came across small waterfalls where the slow moving water cascaded over small drops and flowed into large expanses of ankle deep and sparkling clear water. While this looked like a beautiful place to stop and hang out, I was really anxious to get to the good stuff... the waterfalls!!

Speaking of waterfalls, we apparently didn't think about all the stairs we were likely to encounter, because we were pooped from all that climbing! Did I mention that there are 3 waterfalls in the park, varying from 20' to over 40' high?!?! So yeah, there was a lot of climbing involved. My mom (shown here) did great with it... I was super impressed. :) She also decided to count the stairs when we were climbing up along the tallest of the 3 falls... over 125 steps in total. And that was just that one run of steps! There were also areas where we were walking on the bare rock along the creek bed. 

**Hint: wear shoes with a good grip, because where the bare rock gets wet it's quite slippery!**

 

When you first come across the falls you're confronted with the sheer scale and grandeur of them. To put that into perspective, you can see my daughter perched on an outcropping of rock in the shade to the right of this waterfall. Can you find her? She's just dwarfed by this fall. Seriously amazing. 

 

To see the entire fall with the corresponding swimming hole and flat tanning rocks (at least that's what I would use them for! lol) with the curved staircase that's been carved right into the rock is just breathtaking. That water just looked so inviting, I couldn't wait to jump in. I mean, look at all the fun that's being had out there! 

May I just re-emphasis the stairs?!! Oh my gosh, I felt like I had spent 2 hours at the gym on the StairMaster by the end of our hike through this delightful park. Here's my mama on the last big run of stairs we had to tackle to get to the swimming area. They were daunting, but golly, it felt good to know you had accomplished it when you got to the other end.

Here goes my gorgeous and adventurous daughter, jumping right in. She say's "the water's fine!!" Not sure if I believe her though... there seems to be something mischievous going on in her expression.

Looks like I was right to be concerned... this gasp from my mom when she first settled into the water was priceless! I stuck my toes in and that water was seriously cold, like ice water. Apparently when the water comes from mountain tops, it's frigid. Coming from South Florida, where the water is always warm, it came as quite a surprise!

  

Which is why I opted on avoiding the water and concentrated my time on sunbathing and sightseeing. Don't I look nice and warm and comfortable? That's cause I was. ;)

   

At the end of the day, we had such an awesome time at Stony Brook. New vistas are revealed at each bend of the river as it follows its sensuous path through the canyon, creating a sense of exploration and discovery. But the time spent with family will be the most precious memory brought home from our day at the park.

November Birthstone

Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for January is a garnet, while lucky babies born in April get a diamond as their birthstone.

The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December.

There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.

Two gems are appropriate for November birthdays - Topaz and Citrine.

Topaz

Topaz is a gemstone available in a rich rainbow of colors. Prized for several thousand years in antiquity, all yellow gems in antiquity were called topaz. Often confused with citrine quartz (yellow) and smoky quartz (brown), quartz and topaz are separate and unrelated mineral species. The most prized color of topaz is called Imperial topaz after the Russian Czars of the 1800s and features a magnificent orange body color with pinkish undertones. Topaz also comes in yellow, pink, purple, orange, and the many popular blue tones.

Healing properties of Topaz - One of the most powerful gemstones, Topaz facilitates the balance of emotions and provides protection from greed.

Citrine

Citrine, the other birthstone for November is known as the "healing quartz". This golden gemstone is said to support vitality and health while encouraging and guiding hope, energy and warmth within the wearer. Citrine can be found in a variety of shades ranging from pastel yellow to dark brownish orange. It is one of the most affordable of gemstones and plentiful in nature.

Citrine is found most frequently in Brazil, Bolivia, and Spain.

Healing properties of Citrine - Considered the gemstone to provide greater or increased hearing, Citrine also promotes success, abundance, and clear thinking.

Happy Birthday Scorpio

Scorpio - the Scorpion 

10/23 - 11/21

Basic Traits:

The Scorpio is often misunderstood. These personalities are bold and are capable of executing massive enterprises with cool control and confidence. They can surmount seemingly all obstacles when they put their mind to the task, and they have unshakable focus when the situation calls for it. Regardless of their bold nature, they are often secretive, but they are always observing behind their withdrawn manner. Being associated with a solar animal (the scorpion), they are not withdrawn for long, and when they come out again they do so with force, vigor and determination. It is true, Scorpio's can be argumentative and pack a powerful sting, but that's simply because they see all opposition as a healthy challenge.


The Deeper Meaning: 

Scorpio's task is to learn to be at ease with feeling what goes on beneath the surface of life. Scorpio follows Libra in the zodiac. Whereas Libra has an ideal about how relationships ought to be, Scorpio is more interested in the emotional reality, a reality which can be the end of any ideal! The move from Libra to Scorpio symbolizes the move from ideal of how things ought to be to the experience of how things are. This applies to love relationships, certainly, but also to everyday life. A mature Scorpio has a built-in detector which can tell when the truth is not being lived, both by oneself and by other people. This can make life very uncomfortable, as you know when those around you are not being completely honest. The chances are they are not being deliberately false, it's just that they cannot see the truth beneath the surface of things as clearly as you can. Therefore a Scorpio has to learn acceptance and understanding, as well as trying to sense how far to go in challenging the falsehood, how much the other person is able to accept about himself or herself. Compatibility with others may not come easily.

Scorpio is co-ruled by the planet Pluto, which symbolizes all that goes on beneath the level of consciousness. Pluto challenges innocence, and forces us to learn from experience. Those who have Scorpio or Pluto strongly placed in their charts come to know what it means to die to be reborn to a new level of awareness. Other parts of the chart may show what stands in the way of this. For instance, an abundance of planets in Aries and/or Taurus would indicate a preference for living life fully at the level of everyday consciousness and without the complications of having to delve for unconscious motives and desires. It might be possible to do this for a while, but it would be at the expense of the ultimate fulfillment which comes from living according to one's destiny. Venus in Sagittarius would indicate a tendency to form relationships which offer an escape from what might be perceived as the swamp of Scorpio, and perhaps a strong desire to travel and experience foreign cultures. There is nothing wrong with an escape hatch being available, but a more fruitful use of Venus in Sagittarius might be to find situations, maybe relationships, which offer the opportunity to find meaning out of your rich experience of life.

A Week at the Lake

When I think of summer I often think of the time I spent with my grandparents in their lakeside cabin in Upstate New York. Waking up to eat the fresh donuts my grandfather had grabbed that morning from a local shop while reading the comics with my grandmother. The days were spent fishing, swimming, or canoeing on the lake with evenings filled with family and, when I was really lucky, a bonfire!

With both of my grandparents having passed away in last decade I haven't been back in a long while. With my daughter going off to college, I thought it was about time to relive some of my childhood memories and create some new memories with her. What would be better than a week at the old cabin?!

To make the trip even better, we had all 3 generations for the trip as my mom was able to come too! She grew up spending summers and weekends at the lake, so it was really awesome for her to relive some of her old memories as well.
 

Our Week at Conesus Lake

After over 24 hours in the car we were so happy to have finally arrived at the lake. And what a spectacular view we had to great us! The sun was just setting over the ridge line on the opposite side of the lake, creating a gorgeous mix of soft pastels that reflected off of the water. This is how you kick off a week at the lake!

 My plan was to not have a plan. Relaxation was the name of the game. This swinging wicker bench had such a great view, and since it was in shade most of the day it was a great place to sit with a book.

I spent most of my time on the dock though. First thing in the morning I would head out to the end and watch the split-tail swallowtails as the swooped and played above the water. Later in the day it was time for some sunbathing. While we had board games and cards inside, thankfully the weather stayed gorgeous so most days were spend out of doors.

One of the best things that happened was getting to see my mom reconnecting with friends from her past. Here she is with one of her besties, Donna. It's always fun to watch your parents revert to their younger, more carefree selves. It reminds me that we're not all that different at all.

No trip to the lake would be complete without the ubiquitous bonfire and the inevitable smores. I was so proud of my little fire! :)

 How did I neglect to mention the surrounding countryside?! It's so simple and bucolic. We stopped at a roadside stand (set up in a shed in someones front yard) and picked up some homemade jam and fresh veggies. And I mean fresh... the beets were still covered in dirt. Can I just tell you how tasty they were? We also spent an afternoon picking blue berries right off the vine. (or would it be bush?) I've got to say, now I get that whole 'farm to table' movement. The flavors you get from super fresh produce is amazing!

 

 

 At the end of the week I was reluctant to leave. But at least I know I can always go back. I can't wait!!

October Birthstone

Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for January is a garnet, while lucky babies born in April get a diamond as their birthstone.

The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December.

There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.

October is another month with two birthstone choices – Tourmaline and Opal.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline has become a favorite gemstone among jewelry designer, and gem collectors the world over. Since it is available in a wide variety of colors, it is ideally suited to almost anyone's taste. Tourmaline also is known for displaying several colors in the same gemstone.  These bi-color or tri-color gems are formed in many combinations; gemstones with clear color distinctions are highly prized.  One multi-color variety is known as watermelon tourmaline, and features green, pink, and white colors bands; to resemble its namesake, the gemstone is cut into thin slices having a pink center, white ring, and green edge. 

Tourmaline is found in many localities including Brazil, Afghanistan, East Africa, and the USA.

Opal

The name opal derives from the Greek Opallos, meaning "to see a change (of color)."  Opals range in color from milky white to black with flashes of yellow, orange, green, red, and blue. An opal's beauty is the product of contrast between its color play and its background.  Opal is a formation of non-crystalline silica gel that seeped into crevices in the sedimentary strata. Through time and nature's heating and molding processes, the gel hardened into the form of opals. The opal is composed of particles closely packed in spherical arrangements. When packed together in a regular pattern, a three-dimensional array of spaces are created that give opal its radiance.