Issue #52 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature teaches us to use the twilight to restore balance in our day?

Welcome to the 52nd  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, February 12, 2023

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Hi there!

Well, Greebo the tiny tyrant has free rein of the house now. It was easier to just let her loose to explore than to keep her contained from one room to the next. All of the dogs are now comfortable with her darting around and I don’t have to worry about them chasing her. She bites Oggie’s long tail and chews on his feet and he does not like it, being very sensitive about his tail and toes. But he tolerates her. 

I’ve been working on a new planner for the Etsy shop—a Garden Planner. I loved working with all the garden graphics, especially the garden boots. They are so stinking cute!

I have been enjoying the warmer temps this week. The lilac bush is putting on a few buds. I heard the southern states are seeing lots of buds on trees and indicating spring is not far away. Where I’m at though, we know better than to count on that until the mesquite has budded out, that is our indicator tree for when Spring is really here. It can be Springish, and then we’ll can have a huge snowstorm.

What is the indicator tree in your area?

This week, Little Greebo strutted around each room, fearlessly checking out all the things that once startled her. Her stealthy movements remind me of a lion, sure of its place in its kingdom. So, this week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal is Lion.

This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal

Lion Symbolism and Meanings:

Lion is crepuscular—meaning he is most active during twilight, the dusk and dawn of each day. This symbolizes the optimal time of day to do your best work. Many cultures considered twilight as mystical, or magical moments in time. It is liminal—the space in-between. It’s a time to produce your inspired and creative work. 

Lion is considered a solar and lunar animal, sun (male) and moon (lioness). Lion symbolism revolves around balance. Everything in moderation, pay attention to the optimal timing of your activities. 

Lion Symbolism and Meanings:

• Power
• Courage
• Wisdom
• Authority
• Dignity
• Royalty
• Justice
• Dominion
• Strength
• Leadership

Lion represents strength and dignity, and a powerful presence. If you need help in this area of your life, find strength within your community, circle of friends, or family. 

Lion reminds us to step into our natural birthright of power.

–

Recently Published . . .

New in the Etsy Shop

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

2. Anti-Valentine’s Day Planner & Journal with Anti Valentine’s Day Heart Coloring Pages Bundle, Feb 15, February 2022 Calendar, Candy Hearts

–

Recently Published . . .

New Books!

My daughter and I created a whole line of Writer’s Notebooks with sarcastic sayings. 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

1. Daily Ramblings: A Writer’s Notebook | college lined pages | 120 pages

2. Plot Bunny Wrangler: A Writer’s Notebook | college lined pages | 120 pages

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. How to Soothe a Bee Sting at Home & in the Wild

2. HERBS FOR DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, AND THE AGING BRAIN: WHAT THE RESEARCH HAS TO SAY

3. 8 Ways to Take Your Mushroom Madness to a New Level

4. How to Make Beef Bone Broth with Roasted Bones

5. Easy Winter Tree Identification: Birch, Oak, Beech & Maple

***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

Etsy Shop Winter Sale . . . 

All printables in the Etsy shop are on sale!

20% off all printables in the Magic Heron Creations Etsy Shop

Winter Recipe . . . 

Try these Slow-Cooker Short Ribs to keep warm this winter!

Slow-Cooker Short Ribs

Winter Fun  . . .

Winter Nature Bucket List! Plan your garden!

20 Vegetable Garden Layout Ideas for Any Size Backyard

Printable Garden Planner Bundle

Fun Idea From Winter 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!

1. (4K UHD) Walking in a Snowy Forest – Crunching Snow Sounds for Relaxation 9 HOURS

Journaling Inspiration . . .

1. Why You Should Write Your Memoir—Even If You Don’t Plan to Publish

2. Leave a Legacy Through Journaling

3. Honoring A Loved One’s Life Through Writing

4. The Writer’s Life: Too Many Notebooks, Not Enough Coffee

5. HOW TO WRITE A NONFICTION BOOK THAT INSPIRES AND MOTIVATES CHANGE

Random Nature Fact . . .

Did you know? The flower for February is not the rose! February’s flowers are violets and primrose. Violets symbolize loyalty, faithfulness, and watchfulness. Giving someone a primrose tells them you can’t live without them. 

Nature Journal Video . . .

1. Join John Muir Laws and the Galt Winter Bird Festival for this in-depth workshop about warblers. Wood Warblers are bundles of beauty that add color and joy to our woodlands and marshes. Let’s explore the basics of warbler anatomy and how to draw the birds you see in your field notes.

How to Draw Warblers

Nature Journal Prompt . . .

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

Lion facts: 

Lifespan: 15 years

Scientific name: Panthera leo

Weight: 420 lbs (male), 280 lbs (female)

Speed: 50 mph

Habitat: grasslands, savanna, dense scrub, open woodland

What it eats: carnivores—birds, hares, turtles, mice, lizards, wild hogs, wild dogs, antelopes, cheetahs, buffaloes, leopards, crocodiles, baby elephants, rhinoceros, hippopotamuses, giraffes

What eats (or preys on) it: no predators hunt lions to eat them, but they do have enemies such as the hyenas and cheetahs that compete for food

Did you know? 

Female lions do most of the hunting in the pride and raise their cubs together. 

Nature Tip:

You can hear a lion’s roar from as far as 5 miles away!

More fun facts:

Ten Interesting Facts about Lions

What I’m watching . . .

1. My kids and I have been watching The Last of Us and love this movie. My son says the movie sticking to the script of the video game. I haven’t watched the video game, but am impressed with the movie so far. All week long I find myself thinking through the previous episode and mulling over the scenes. It is gripping. 

The Last of Us | Official Trailer | HBO Max

What I’m reading . . .

1. I’m finishing up the last of this series. 

The Final Day: A John Matherson Novel (A John Matherson Novel, 3)

What I’m Listening to . . . 

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

Birds for Cats to Watch One Hour Spectacular

Quotes I’m pondering . . .

Winter is a season of recovery and preparation. ~~ Paul Theroux

and

Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. ~~ Edith Sitwell, “Taken Care Of”

Questions I’m considering journaling on . . . 

Spring will be here in a little over a month. I’ve enjoyed the slowness and being drawn to go deep within to think, wonder, dream, work on my own inner issues, and plan for this year. It feels like being in a womb of darkness and comfort, cocooned away from the outer world. 

I feel the energy starting to shift though, the “quickening” of spring to come. I am hesitant, resistant, to the transformation that will soon begin. I am not done with all the thinking and planning and diving deep. I want to cling to this state of comfort, like the warmth of a bed before waking. And yet, wake I must. 

Dream and slumber a little bit longer. Then break out of this shell that will be all too confining as I outgrow this chrysalis and spread my wings once again.

Journal Prompt . . .

Change up your routine and use the twilight times of your day to focus on creative writing such as journaling, writing stories, or other creative projects and notice what happens. How does this bring balance to your day? How does your energy and attention shift during this in-between time of your day?

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

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I’ll be back on February 26th !

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