Issue #56 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature symbolizes fertility, rebirth, and new life?

Welcome to the 56th issue of The Magic Heron Newsletter, a fortnightly newsletter with a focus on journaling, writing, and learning nature’s wisdom through midlife. 

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Texas, April 9, 2023

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Hi there !

Greebo’s antics continue! Her biting attacks have increased lately and after some research, we’ve learned that it is common for orphan kittens to develop this behavior since they did not have a mother or siblings to teach them socialization skills. But, we are working on it with her and other than that she is a really sweet cat . . . part of the time!

Our weather has warmed up, but it is still dry and windy. More Spring sightings of elms, pear, and other trees leafing out. The mesquite is still holding out, so gardeners here know not to do any major planting until it buds out. 

Herbal Academy is having a FREE webinar this week plus a sale on all of their online herbal courses. Read on below for more info, or register here.

And the Zazzle shop is live . . . Have a look !

This week’s newsletter Spirit Animal is Rabbit. This one is the domestic Rabbit, which heralds in Spring with old traditions rooted in Germany. I did another feature on Rabbit for Chinese New Year if you want to read more about wild Rabbit or Hare.

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal

Rabbit Symbolism and Meanings:

Rabbit symbolizes fertility, rebirth, and new life. Rabbit is the perfect symbol for Spring with the main theme of new life, new beginnings, and growth. Rabbit is also the symbol for the fertility goddess Ostara (or Eostre) whose symbols have always been rabbits, flowers, and eggs.

Rabbit Symbolism and Meanings:

• Abundance
• New beginnings
• Growth
• Fertility
• Desire
• Procreation
• Creativity
• Creation
• Rebirth 
• Perception
• Family 
• Luck 
• Love 

Rabbit can have up to 40 or more babies a year! They have a short gestation period between 25 and 28 days, which means they can 1-7 litters each year. This ability to have large litters is symbolic of creativity/creation.

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Recently Published . . .

New in the Etsy Shop

I had fun this week creating junk journal ephemera and stationery with old letter papers as backgrounds!

1. Printable Garden Planner Bundle, Garden Journal, Homestead Garden, Plant Profile, Seed Starting, Planting Guide, Garden Layout, Organizer

2. Homestead Printable, Reading Checklist, Homestead Planner, Books to Read, Bookmarks, Homestead Gifts, Farmhouse, Cottagecore, Book Tracker

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Recently Published . . .

New Books!

My daughter and I created a whole line of Writer’s Notebooks. Use them for NaNoWriMo, notetaking, for work, or journaling! We are also creating logbooks.

You can find the rest of the series on the Magic Heron Amazon Author Page

This week I’m promoting my cookbooks.

1. 50 More Ways to Eat Sardines: …a recipe journal

2. Salmon Patties, Cakes and Burgers: 25 Best Fish Patty Recipes

Zazzle Shop . . .

New Products!

I’ll be adding more products soon—more spiral bound notebooks, journals, stationery, office accessories, and cooking related products. Stay tuned!

Magic Heron Creations Zazzle Shop

1. I’m putting my designs on spiral notebooks on Zazzle now! (Amazon printers do not do spiral bound).

Nature Themed Notebooks and Journals

Nature Themed Personal Stationery

Blog Post . . .

1. How to Write a Memoir—Use your journaling to write a memoir

Interesting links . . .

Here are some interesting links I came across on my ventures through Internet Land this week that I thought you might enjoy.

1. Herbalist Day – April 17, 2023

2. Mushroom Bouillon Powder and Paste + Homemade Seasoning Salt Recipe

3. HOW TO GROW YOUR OWN TEA GARDEN + HELPFUL HARVESTING TIPS

4. 9 Proven Tips to Attract Nesting Birds

5. Daffodil Flower Power

***I use Mountain Rose Herbs for ordering all the herbs I use. Every order I’ve received has always been fresh and gorgeous. Click here to order the herbs you need for your teas, infusions, spices, and other ingredients for your kitchen:

Mountain Rose Herbs

Celebrate Herbalist Day! . . . 

Celebrate Herbalist Day all week with this FREE webinar to honor the unique, transformative, and profound herbal journeys and the many allies – both people and plants – that have helped guide us in pursuit of our plant-spired callings.

This week, the Herbal Academy is featuring some of the great herbalist influencers with lessons from Rosemary Gladstar, Mimi Hernandez, Dr. Aviva Romm, and a tribute to Founder Marlene Adelmann.

Join the free webinar series April 10-17 to hear from these herbalists offering their sage wisdom and plant-centered stories throughout the week leading up to Herbalist Day!

Where: Free online webinar

When: April 10-17, 2023

How: Click here to register for the FREE webinar

Click here to save 20% on ALL online herbal courses throughout the week

Spring Recipe . . . 

Celebrate spring with seasonal recipes!

11 Best Deviled Egg Recipes You Need to Try

Spring Fun  . . .

Spring Nature Bucket List! Try forest bathing !

Your guide to forest bathing

Fun Idea From: Spring Nature Bucket List

Nature Walk Video . . .

Nature video to play in the background while you work, walk on a treadmill, or just to relax to!

Discover the Stunning Watchman Trail at Zion National Park – Unique Hiking Tour in 4K UHD

Journaling Inspiration . . .

1. Why Write? Personal Growth

2. FOLLOWING YOUR OBSESSIONS HELPS YOU WRITE WITH EASE, JOY, AND SPEED

3. The Past Shapes the Present—Understanding Family by Writing Your Memoir

4. The Gap Between Family Legend and Fact

5. The Tree of Life Writing

Random Nature Fact . . .

A dog’s sense of smell is 100,000 times stronger than a human’s. But, they only have one-sixth the number of taste buds we do.

Nature Journal Video . . .

1. Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 learning Nature Journaling basics with Jack Laws

Enjoy nature journaling with John Muir Laws. All ages and experience levels welcome! John presents basic techniques and tips to help you get in the right mindset to begin your nature journaling journey.

What to bring:

• A piece of fruit or vegetable — take a safari in your kitchen or backyard to find the most interesting fruit or vegetable you can;

• A notebook or piece of paper; and

• Your go-to writing tool — any pencil or pen will do just fine!

Nature Journaling with Jack Laws

Nature Journal Prompt . . .

Use the picture above to practice drawing in your nature journal and noticing details about this animal.

Rabbit facts: 

Lifespan: domestic rabbit 5-10 years

Scientific name: Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus

Weight: domestic rabbits weigh anywhere from 2 lbs to the giant ones weighing up to 15 lbs or more

Speed: 18 + mph, slightly slower than a hare

Habitat: hutches, backyards, family house pets

What it eats: hay, fresh vegetables, pellets

What eats (or preys on) it: if it gets out of enclosures: hawks, owls, coyote, foxes, lynx, wolves, bobcats, mink, weasels, feral cats

Did you know? 

Feasts were held in honor of Teutonic goddess Eostra, the goddess of spring and fertility. Celebrations involved rabbits and eggs, both symbols of Spring for new life and rebirth.

The Easter bunny legend is rooted in German tradition for the Easter hare, or Osterhase, originating in Germany in the 1500’s and brought to America with German immigrants in the 1700s who settled in Pennsylvania.

More fun facts:

What is the biggest rabbit in the world?

The BIGGEST RABBIT In The World | You have to see this huge ball of tenderness

What I’m watching . . .

1. The Mandalorian | Season 3 Official Trailer | Disney+

What I’m reading . . .

1. The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman

What I’m Listening to . . . 

1. Live nature cams are fun to have on in the background while working!

Dominican Beach with Waves Rolling – Natural Background With Ocean Sounds

Quotes I’m pondering . . .

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”

–Frances Hodgson Burnett

and

“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.”

—Jim Carrey

Questions I’m considering journaling on . . . 

My daughter and I have been enjoying this card deck of writing prompts. We each do one prompt for about 20 minutes each evening. It’s surprising where some of my writing dives into, sometimes completely different than where I started. That’s the power of journaling with your subconscious!

Here’s one of the prompts I enjoyed writing with:

“a rock, tree, mountain, or ocean that gave you perspective”

I’ll continue thinking through different places that have given me perspective over the years. 

Prompt from: Campfire Stories Deck: Prompts for Igniting Conversation by the Fire by Ilyssa Kyu

Journal Prompt . . .

Do you celebrate Ostara / Easter / or any of the other celebrations centered around Spring renewal? Journal the importance (or not) of these celebrations and their symbols in your life. 

Reviews . . .

If you have bought any of our books or printables and enjoyed them, please leave a positive review on Amazon or Etsy. Those reviews mean the world to us and help boost us up on the platforms. Thank You!!

Happy Journaling!

. . . Shanna

P.S. Is there something you like or would rather see in the newsletter? Hit reply and let me know!

I’ll be back on April 23rd !

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