Aries 2006 Edition
 Happy Birthday Aries! The Vernal equinox (in the Northern Hemisphere) is the beginning of the new zodiacal year. The rise of the constellation Aries indicates the beginning of a new cycle in evolutionary development. Aries, symbolized variously by the ram, ewe or lamb, has represented new starts since antiquity. Spring fever is not just a cliché. It is that impatient feeling we all have during the time the Sun is passing through Aries. We feel full of (Aries) new ideas and new starts but we may not have the (Taurus) resources, time or proper weather just yet to carry them out. Take advantage of this creative energy by making plans and getting in shape. The active time of the year is here. The monthly installment of The Great Astrological Light Bulb Joke: Q: How many Aries does it take to change a light bulb? A: Just one. You want to make something of it? Note: I have no idea who originally wrote this. Erika sent it to me years ago and I still think it’s as funny as it is insightful! March 20th is the Vernal Equinox, Ostara, the First day of Spring and the Sun enters Aries. The equinoxes are the two times during the year when the dark of night and the light of day are in balance or equal. The vernal equinox is Ostara, from the name of a German Goddess of fertility, Oestarae. She is the deific equivalent of Aurora, the personification of the sunrise. Her name is where East and Easter both come from. This is logical considering that the sun rises in the East. March 20th is also International Astrology Day. Click here to read about it at the Association for Astrological Networking website. March 29th is a Solar Eclipse and a New Moon in Aries. To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library. April 1st is April Fool's Day: "The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year." -- Mark Twain Here is how the American Embassy explains this holiday: In sixteenth-century France, the start of the new year was observed on April 1st. It was celebrated in much the same way as it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night. Then in 1562, Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January first. There were some people, however, who hadn't heard or didn't believe the change in the date, so they continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April first. Others played tricks on them and called them "April fools." April 2nd is when Daylight Saving's Time begins. Remember to Spring Ahead! April 7th is the First Friday of the month and the Dunthor Open House! Click here to see details below. April 13th is a Full Moon in Libra. This full moon signifies the beginning of Passover. To learn more about actively using the Moon's energy in your life, see The Moon Through the Signs and Moon Phases. These guides are located in our Library. April the 14th is Good Friday. April 15th is Tax Day - "The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government." Senator Goldwater, 1989 Prior to 1913, taxes were most commonly levied against consumption of various goods and services. Remember the Stamp Tax, the Tea Tax, and others during the Colonial era. It was taxes such as these that helped give birth to the American Revolution. IMPORTANT DATES IN U.S. TAX HISTORY 1862 - Abraham Lincoln enacts an emergency measure to pay for the Civil War; minimum tax rate is 3%. 1872 - Lincoln's income tax law lapses. 1894 - A 2% federal income tax is enacted. 1895 - The U.S. Supreme Court rules the Income Tax "unconstitutional" in Pollack vs. Farmers Loan & Trust. 1909 - The 16th Amendment, authorizing Congress to collect taxes on income, is proposed. 1913 - Wyoming casts the 37th vote, ratifying the 16th Amendment. Only one in 271 people pays an income tax at a rate of 1%. 1926 - The Revenue Act of 1926 reduces income taxes because "too much money is being collected." 1939 - The Revenue statutes are codified; One in 32 citizens now pay an income tax; the rate is 4%. Click here for the IRS' website. April the 16th is Easter Sunday. April 19th - The Sun enters Taurus. Stone of the Sign - Poppy Jasper
This pendant is a poppy jasper cabochon set in a whimsical, wrapped setting of sterling silver wire. Poppy jasper, according to tradition, relates to the root chakra and helps with matters of cleansing, stability and grounding. Silver is a conductor of energy and is said to aid in communication, it improves the transmission of nerve impulses. According to tradition, it is a good metal for healing purposes because it is in tune with the body. Silver can reduce anxiety and help you to relax when solving problems. It is believed to help conduct the energy of stones into your body and auric field. On sale this month - $40.00 USD Click here to see this item and more in my Catalog. To learn more about how to use Gemstones in your daily life, see "What Gemstones Should I Wear?" guide in our Library. Here is an article on the upcoming Solar eclipse. Make sure you don’t miss the last paragraph. I found a wonderful “old Spanish proverb”: "An ounce of mother is worth a pound of priest"
Since Trev didn’t make a moon phase calendar this year, I decided to find some alternatives. I’ve found two new ways to keep up with the phases of the moon, well, three if you count actually going outside… 1. Moon viewer: http://www.dacre.net/moon/moonframe.html 2. Moon phase software: I recommend this software program. It is cheap, has nice looking screens, and doesn’t mess up your computer. Yeah! Here is a cute, clean joke I heard on dogcast radio: Q. What do you get when you cross a sheepdog with a rose? A. A collie flower! Letters from our Readers We think of this newsletter as a community forum. You, our friends and clients, are welcome to participate. We celebrate diversity and we'll print whatever you send in be it Wiccan, Christian, Pagan, New Age, etc., as long as it reflects Love. You may choose a one-time holiday to write about or have a regular column. We'll give you space and a byline! Please send in your own book reviews, ideas for rituals, ideas about stones, your journal excerpts, your experiences and most of all, ask us questions. We love answering questions! From Vicki: Alcoholoroscopes ARIES (Mar 21- Apr 19) Drinking style: Impulsive Aries people like to party and sometimes don't know when to call it a night. Their competitive streak makes them prone to closing-time shot contests. They're sloppy, fun drunks, and they get mighty flirty after a couple tipples. Getting Aries people drunk is a good way to get what you want out of them, should other methods fail. Aries can become bellicose when blotto, but they will assume that whatever happened should be forgiven (if not forgotten) by sunrise. They can be counted on to do the same for you -- so long as you haven't gone and done anything really horrible to them last night, you sneaky Gemini. TAURUS (Apr 20 - May 20) Drinking style: Taurus prefers to drink at a leisurely pace, aiming for a mellow glow rather than a full-on zonk. Since a truly intoxicated Taurus is a one-person stampede, the kind of bull-in-a-china-shop inebriate who spills red wine on white carpets and tells fart jokes to employers, the preference for wining and dining (or Bud and buddies) to body shots and barfing is quite fortunate for the rest of us. This is not to say that the Bull is by any means a teetotaler -- god, no. A squiffy Taurus will get, er, gregarious (full of loudmouth soup, some would say) and is extremely amusing to drag to a karaoke bar when intoxicated. GEMINI (May 21 - Jun 21) Drinking style: Geminis can drink without changing their behavior much-- they're so naturally chatty and short-attention-spanned that it's just hard to tell sometimes. They can amaze you by conversing with finesse and allusion, then doing something unbelievable in an extremely advanced state of intoxication, like puking in your shoe. Gemini's possess the magic ability to flirt successfully (and uninfuriatingly, which is very tricky) with several people at once. They like to order different cocktails every round -- repetition is boring -- and may create a theme (like yellow drinks: beer, sauvignon blanc and limoncello) for their own amusement. CANCER (Jun 22 - Jul 22) Drinking style: Cancer is a comfort drinker -- and an extra wine with dinner or an after-work beer or six can be extra comforting, can't it, Cancer darling? Like fellow water signs Scorpio and Pisces, Crabs must guard against lushery. Cancers are brilliant at ferreting out secret parties and insinuating themselves on VIP lists -- and, in true Hollywood style, Cancers are never really drunk; instead, they get "tired and emotional" (read: weepy when lubricated). But there's nothing better than swapping stories (and spit) over a few bottles of inky red wine with your favorite Cancer. Even your second-favorite Cancer will do. The sign also rules the flavor vanilla, and you'd be adored if you served up a vanilla vodka and soda. LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 22) Drinking style: Leo likes to drink and dance -- they're often fabulous dancers, and usually pretty good drinkers as well, losing their commanding dignity and turning kittenish. Of course, they're quite aware that they are darling - Leos will be Leos, after all. They generally know their limit, probably because they loathe losing self-control. When they get over-refreshed, expect flirting to ensue -- and perhaps not with the one who brought them. But Leo's not the type to break rules even when drunk, so ! just try to ignore it (try harder, Cancer) and expect a sheepish (and hung over) Lion to make it up to you the next day. VIRGO (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Drinking style: Cerebral Virgos are compelled to impose order onto their bender. Their famously fussy quest for purity could lead to drinking less than other signs, sure -- but it could also lead to drinking booze neat, to sucking down organic wine or just to brand loyalty. They rarely get fully shellacked -- but, oh, when they do! Virgo's controlled by the intellect, but there's an unbridled beast lurking within, and they let it loose when walloped. It's dead sexy (and surprisingly unsloppy). As one Virgo friend used to declare, "I'm going to drink myself into a low level of intelligence tonight." A toast to the subgenius IQ! LIBRA (Sept 23 - Oct 23) Drinking style: "I'm just a social drinker," slurs Libra, "it's just that I'm so damn social." Libra loves nothing more than to party, mingle and relate to everyone. Whether dipped in favor of Good Libra (with Insta-Friend device set to "on") or heavier on the Evil Libra side (they are instigators when bored), the Scales can really work a room. Charming as they are, Libras are notoriously lacking in self-control, however, which can get them into all sorts of trouble -- including wearing their wobbly boots waaaay too early in the evening, flirting with their best friend's beau or even blacking out the night's events entirely. Oops! SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 21) Drinking style: Don't ever tell Scorpios ! they've had enough, for they'll smirk at you and quietly but intentionally keep tippling till they're hog-whimpering drunk, out of 100-proof spite. Scorpios like to drink, and screw you if you have a problem with that. Most of them see the sauce as something to savor in itself, and not as a personality-altering tool - though if depressed, self-loathing Scorps seek total obliteration. But generally, ! they're fascinating drinking pals, brilliant conversationalists and dizzying flirts. They also remember everything -- especially what you did when you were blitzed. Only drink with a Scorpio who likes you. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Drinking style: In vino veritas -- and, for Sagittarius, in booze blurtiness: When buttered, they'll spill all your secrets and many of their own. Tactlessness aside, Sagittarius is just plain fun to drink with. This is a sign of serious partying (what else would you expect from the sign of Sinatra, Keith Richards, the Bush twins and Anna Nicole Smith?). They're the people who chat up everyone in the room, then persuade the entire crowd to travel somewhere else -- like a nightclub, or a playground, or Cancun. Good-natured hi-jinks are sure to ensue (including a high possibility of loopy groping; spontaneous Sag is a brilliant booty call). CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Drinking style: Capricorn is usually described as practical, steadfast, money-hungry and status-thirsty -- no wonder they get left off the astrological cocktail-party list. But this is the sign of David Bowie and Annie Lennox, not to mention Elvis. Capricorn is the true rock star: independent, powerful and seriously charismatic, not too eager to please. And if they make money being themselves, who are you to quibble? But just like most rock stars, they're either totally on or totally off, and they generally need a little social lubricant to loosen up and enjoy the after party, especially if they can hook up with a! cute groupie. AQUARIUS (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Drinking style: Aquarius and drinking don't go together that well (except for water, that is). They have an innate tendency toward know-it-allism, and if they get an idea while sizzled, they're more stubborn than a stain or a stone. If they're throwing a party or organizing an outing, however, they're too preoccupied with their duties to get combative and they make perfectly charming drunks in that case. Fortunately, they're usually capital drink-nursers. They also make the best designated drivers (if you can get them! before they start raising their wrist) Aquarius is fascinated by drunk people and capable of holding interesting conversations with soused strangers while sober. PISCES (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Drinking style: If you're a Pisces, you've probably already heard that you share a sign and an addictive personality -- with Liz Taylor, Liza Minelli and Kurt Cobain. Not only do Pisces like to lose themselves in the dreamy, out-there feeling that only hooch can give, but they build up a mighty tolerance fast. Who needs an expensive date like that? On the other hand, they're fabulous! ly enchanting partners, whether in conversation or in crime. With the right Pisces, you can start out sharing a pitcher of margaritas and wind up in bed together for days. The phrase "addictive personality" can be read two ways you know.The Monthly Dunthor Open House Please come join in the community that has been created over the years with the friends we've made through Inga's Earth Magic. You'll find insight, sharing, healing and fellowship and you are most welcome.
The Duncan
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It
turns out that Maggie isn’t the only cat to try the “stuck in the storm
drain” trick. We’re lucky the "Magrat" was so tiny. This cat had a much
tougher time of it.
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on this link to visit the Amazon home page.