Gratitude

Today is my 45th birthday. I am full of gratitude, for I know that appreciation is the key to happiness. I have to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for all that I am thankful for. Ok, maybe not all.

I am grateful to be Kieran's mother. Her artistry brings me joy, JOY, with a capital "j". And... she makes me laugh.

I am grateful for my four daughters, whom I love so much, it makes my heart hurt. I am grateful for Darcy for sharing Cadence, Quinlan and Faith with me to love.

I am grateful for my son. He shares my desire to see the sun rise every morning and he is highly amusing

.

I am grateful to my beloved husband for being such a giving, supportive partner.

I am SO grateful for my sisters. They are the best friends who can NEVER divorce me. They will always love me, no matter what I am wearing.

I am grateful for my mom and Poppy Tom. I couldn't ask for better parents as an adult.

They are great role models of how to be (very) good people.

I'm grateful for my oldest friends, Tina and Lara, who have known/loved me since I was 7. They are still two of my closest friends in this lifetime.

In the past 13 years, I have been, and continue to be, grateful for my friend, Jill, who knows how to LIVE the way I like to LIVE.

I am grateful for kids!

and kids

and fossils

and sharks with a sense of humor

and animals who choose us as friends.

I am grateful for the beauty in the universe

I am grateful for friends who break your heart by leaving,

 then heal it with the love that comes when they come home.

I am grateful for adventures and play and being wrong and my body (in whatever form it comes in from day to day), yoga with Eddie, music and dancing, gemstones, essential oils and candles.

I am grateful for magic and the present breath of now.

for now.

* Actually, my birthday was yesterday, September 25th, if you must know. I started writing this blog yesterday but finished it today.

Love...

 Love is the energy of September, and Candle of the Moon reflects this; it contains Rhodonite, a stone that nurtures love and encourages the brotherhood of humanity, and is scented with my favorite essential oils; lavender, lemongrass and ylang ylang.  

 Dragons from Kieran and Jena were my models for the beautiful love energy. 

Love plays in the wet sand at the beach.

Love shows up to big events and wears uncomfortable shoes.

Love comes in the form of other earthy beings and opens your heart wide with awe.

Love is honest and doesn't struggle with its process.

Love is always willing to play.

Love gets dirty

Love says yes, even when she is afraid.

Love blossoms in water

Love reminds us to be joyful and stay present in the moment.

Love knows how to be happy anywhere

Love has an open mind

Love jumps in the water with her clothes on

Love never stops

September Candle of the Moon, LOVE

Excellent Day for FOSSILS on the Beach

Yesterday, instead of going to my regular Sunday morning Yoga class at Yoga Soup, I felt the pull to take a Fossil Walk on Hendry's beach. I was not disappointed. This rock is usually buried to the level of it's surface. Today, the entire rock was exposed, at least 20-24 inches of sand removed to expose all kinds of rocky gems and bony stories.

This pic was taken a few weeks ago. It is usually buried in the sand to a great extent and is identified by its circular  vertebrae in the rock.

This is my first viewing of this specimen but I have found similar fossils.

This wrangled bony mess is completely unidentifiable except for the tissue type. It bore the tell tale bony texture.

Here is a close up

Some smaller bones

My dolphin or whale skull that I can find almost every time.

Some interesting bones

I really wish I had a more solid foundation in comparative anatomy. 

I can't even begin to guess what part of the body these bones are from or from what kind of animal. The problem with fossils is that after the animal dies and becomes buried in the soil and sediment that becomes the rocky matrix that allow the bones to become fossilized (actually become minerals themselves), much movement can and does happen. Bones can become crushed and misshapen while they are still "bones" or can become distorted as fossils during plate tectonic uplifting, which is very obviously a possibility on Hendry's (AKA Arroyo Burro Beach). It becomes a three dimensional puzzle with many missing pieces.

I was  most excited about the following stone which was small enough for me to carry home for detailed analysis. It is laden with bony tissue and contains what looks like a tooth! I have been actively looking for teeth for six months now. I am very excited.

The "tooth" is a different color and texture than the bone which you would expect. Dental tissue is more dense than bone. There also seems to be a physical division of the cutting surface as opposed to the implanted surface.

More tissue in the tooth rock

another edge of the same rock. Possible another tooth where the rock is grey.

As an amateur paleontologist with a deep passion, I will continue to hone my vision for finding these amazing vertebrate fossils. As far as I know, there isn't any published literature on these fossils. I would love to someday work with a PhD student (or become one) and try to solve the mystery of what these animals were.

If you read this whole thing, you must be a total geek. Go ahead and admit it.