Issue #53 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature teaches us how to remove ourselves from harm?
Welcome to the 53rd 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 26, 2023
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Hi there !
Greebo is finally settling down. She has explored the entire house, gotten into everything she can possibly get into to make a mess, and now seems to be more calm. She is learning boundaries—squirt bottles of vinegar have convinced her that some things are not as interesting as she thought (like scratching up the chair). She cuddles more and bites less now, or at least not as hard.
Adolescent phases, uggh!
Spring is roaring in with high winds and we’ve seen our first robin! That’s our indication that spring is here, or right around the corner. I’ve been busy creating new stationery and junk journal ephemera pages. I really like how these turned out, using vintage looking dictionary pages as the backgrounds. I’ve posted them below.
When I was in North Carolina, my son and I went to the local wildlife rehab center and met the orphaned opossums the volunteers were taking care of. It was my first time to see the babies up close and they were so stinkin’ cute. I love their little ‘hands’.
In the last few weeks, an opossum has been visiting my son’s backyard and he’s been enjoying watching him. So this week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal is the Opossum.
This week’s Newsletter Spirit Animal
Opossum Symbolism and Meanings:
Opossum is well known for its ability to ‘play dead’ when startled. This state allows them to slow their breath and heart rate as well as their metabolism. They will emit a foul smell as well. This reaction to a predator can usually prevent it from being killed. The predator loses interest and moves on.
Playing dead can be symbolic for us if we need to remove ourselves from harm. We can become more remote, go within, pull back, from life a little so that we can do some self-care or reassess and dream of a better life. We just need to remember to do so with the intent of coming back into our life more fully and present. We should come out of this ‘death’ feeling more renewed.
Opossum Symbolism and Meanings:
- Wild
- Protection
- Adaptable
- Mothering
- Incubation
Opossums are marsupials, meaning they carry their young in a pouch. This symbolizes carrying what’s most important to you, close to you, protected. This could be your children, new ideas and projects, investments etc. that you feel you need to guard with your life. Opossums also guard ferociously, not always playing dead.
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Recently Published . . .
New in the Etsy Shop
I had fun this week creating junk journal ephemera and stationery with old dictionary pages as backgrounds!
Check out the stationery below.
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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. Notebook: First I Do the Coffee Then I Do the Things Coffee Gnomes | college lined pages |120 pages
2. Be Free: Blue Beach Cruiser Bike, cute unlined notebook journal 8.5 x 11 for Women
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. Signs of Spring: 8 Great Spring Birding Moments
2. Bath Bomb Recipe with Flowers
3. HOW TO MAKE A KID’S FAIRY GARDEN WITH FORAGED MATERIALS
4. 20 Home Remedies for Bug Bites and Stings that Itch & Swell
5. Gardening Tips from Eliot Coleman: How to Start Seedlings in a Cold Frame
***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:
Etsy Shop Winter Sale . . .
All printables in the Etsy shop are on sale!
20% off all printables in the Magic Heron Creations Etsy Shop
SALE ENDS TUESDAY the 28TH!
Spring Recipe . . .
Start Spring with the first greens!
Happy Spring! It’s Time To Eat Your Dandelion Greens!
Winter Fun . . .
Last of the Winter Nature Bucket List! Start your sit spot for the remainder of the year!
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. Incredible Aurora Borealis 4K UHD Relaxation Film – Real Time Northern Lights in Arctic, Norway
Journaling Inspiration . . .
1. Why Write? Anchor Your Memories
2. A Remembrance Day Journal Entry by Peter Allan
3. HOW TO MAKE 2023 THE YEAR YOU FINALLY START WRITING CONSISTENTLY
5. Honoring International Women’s Day and the Women Who Shaped Me
Random Nature Fact . . .
The Przewalksi horses, the last truly wild horse, is making a comeback since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
11 Facts About the Animals of Chernobyl
Nature Journal Video . . .
1. Sap eating is one of my favorite squirrel foraging behaviors. When I first saw this happening, I thought it was so cool and wondered how common it is for squirrels to do this.
Turns out sap eating is extremely common! But few squirrel watchers have ever actually seen this behavior, so this video will show you how squirrels do it, and what to look for.
Watch Out For Squirrels Eating Sap! (Maple Sap In The Squirrel Diet)
Nature Journal Prompt . . .
Use the picture above to practice drawing in your nature journal and noticing details about this animal.
Opossum facts:
Lifespan: Virginia opossum 4 years, Common opossum 2 years
Scientific name: Didelphidae
Weight: 2.7 lbs
Speed: 4 mph
Habitat: woodland areas along streams, ponds, lakes, swamps, marshes, farmland, woodlots, urban areas in backyards and under sheds
What it eats: dead animals, insects, rodents, birds, eggs, frogs, plants, fruit, grain, human food waste
What eats (or preys on) it: dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, hawks, great horned owls
Benefits of opossums: they eat 95% of the ticks (reducing Lyme disease) that come across their path, cockroaches, rats, mice, eat venomous snakes and are resistant to their venom
Did you know?
When surprised by a predator, opossums will go into a catatonic state called “playing ‘possum”. It’s an involuntary reaction where it faints and is in a state of unconsciousness. It appears dead—teeth are visible and it emits a foul substance from its anus. It can stay unconscious and appear dead for a few minutes to several hours.
Nature Tip:
If you find a mother opossum that has been hit by a car, check the pouch for babies. Since they swallow the nipple while nursing, you’ll need grip the baby by the head and gently pull it off the nipple (not by the body!) Call a rehabber immediately.
IT’S OPOSSUM BABY SEASON: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
More fun facts:
Strange and Surprising Facts about Opossums
What I’m watching . . .
1. This was one of my favorite movies when it came out and my kids have grown up with it as well. This week I went down a rabbit hole with someone’s comment on a post on Facebook asking what happened to Denny, the tough mountain horse in the movie. I looked it up and found out Denny was 23 years old when the first movie was filmed. He died when he was 29 years old, pretty old for a horse. He lived a good life.
The movie was adapted from the poem “Man from Snowy River” written in 1890 by A.B. “Banjo” Paterson which you can read here if you like ballads.
Official Trailer – THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER (1982, Kirk Douglas)
What I’m reading . . .
1. I’ve been wanting to go back to reading poetry for some time and my daughter let me borrow this book.
To Make Monsters Out of Girls by Amanda Lovelace
2. And I might try a few prompts out of this book to get back into writing poetry.
What I’m Listening to . . .
1. Live nature cams are fun to have on in the background while working!
Cat TV ~ Birds Sound for Cats 8 HOURS
Quotes I’m pondering . . .
“Every winter has its spring.”
~~ H. Tuttle
and
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”
~~ Anne Bradstreet
Questions I’m considering journaling on . . .
High winds stir up the dust reminiscent of a sepia toned photo from the Dust Bowl Days of the ‘30s. Spring is here early, but it brings wind instead of rain. Is this an omen for another year of drought?
Or, are big heady anvil-shaped thunderheads that fill the sky not far behind?
My own energy is shifting as well, coming out of the slumber of winter, my body ready to start moving again, yearning for walks in the warm sun. The sap is rising, literally, in the trees, and symbolically in me. Time to wake, and move!
Journal Prompt . . .
Journal or write a poem about the first hints of spring that you notice. Do you notice the first robin? Dandelion? Do you feel the subtle (or not so subtle) energy shift as one season changes to the next?
Reviews . . .
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Happy Journaling!
. . . Shanna
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I’ll be back on March 12th !
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Issue #67 The Magic Heron Newsletter – What creature symbolizes courage in facing your shadows and fears?
