Ostara was 10 days ago, so I missed dyeing eggs with my kidlet. We dyed yarn, instead.
Most kids I know think of Easter as a day of chocolate bunnies and boiled eggs. Many of them get dragged along to church, and a number of them even know the story of Jesus being resurrected. But when push comes to shove, I'm pretty sure that if you ask a kid about Easter, they're gonna go back to eggs and bunnies.
Most of the things we think of as Easter symbols (eggs, flowers, bunnies, chicks) are actually from Ostara (even the name was snagged from "Oestre" which was a germanic goddess of springtime). Ostara is a celebration of rebirth and new life, so it does fit in spendedly with the themes of Resurrection, but they are not the same thing. One celebrates seasons and cycles, the other celebrates Christ's sacrifice for the eternal salvation of humankind. I don't want to mix them up.
So we separate the two separately.
On Ostara, we celebrate springtime and new life. We dye eggs, make egg/bird/bunny shaped sugar cookies, do spring cleaning, and have a big dinner with spring greens, eggs, poultry, or lamb. We may also get some seasonal candies to share with the family, but we don't have baskets or sneaky bunnies or any of that.
Then, on Easter, we celebrate Christ and the resurrection. No eggs or bunnies. We make a dinner of fish and honey because that's what Christ ate with the apostles, We also make resurrection rolls which are a family favorite.
A note about Ostara and Easter. Easter's date is actually based on Ostara, because Easter (which is dated off Passover), always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after Equinox. This year, the full moon fell one day before Equinox, so the two holidays ended up being a full month apart. Last year they were only a day apart.
Most of this post came verbatim from my friend Jenni, her blog is Mindful Serenity
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Chains That Bind (A2A Flash Fic Challenge)
Here we go, your prompts today are:
Adjectives: Hostile, Woebegone
Nouns: Lemons, A Bull Fight, Chains
Megan stared out the window as the city bus rolled through her Harlem neighborhood. Her mind replayed the conversation earlier with the hostile gangsta she had been shacking up with for longer than she cared to remember.
"What kind of stupid ho ya be? Learn yer mutha-fuckin' place, bitch" was the least of the insults hurled in her direction like the Corell dishware also smashed on the floor at her feet. An outsider might have suggested that this wasn't a healthy relationship, that Megan should get out, that there is help available, but what that outsider wouldn't see is that her love is beyond dysfunction. Megan put her headphones on and pressed play on her walkman, losing herself in Eminem's droning rap and Rhianon's lyrics.
"...just gonna stand there and watch me burn... it's all right, because I like the way it hurts... Just gonna stand there and here me cry... It's all right because I like the way you lie"
The bus pulled up to her stop after quite awhile, and she deboarded and made her way to the costume shop she worked at when she could get away from Marcus, unlocked the door, slipped inside, and locked the door behind her. She went into the office and began to count out her drawer for the morning, when a hand-written note caught her attention. "You're MINE" were scrawled across the bottom of the note in Marcus' messy handwriting. A quiet tear rolled down her face as she crumpled the note and put it in her pocket. No way was she going to let her woebegone mood ruin her work performance, and her boss didn't need to know there were problems in her life. After all, everyone had problems.
Megan sucked in her thoughts, gathered herself, and went about opening the store. When life gives you lemons, you get to make lemonade, although her lemonade needed a lot more sugar.
Work was uneventful, and as she raced for the bus, she prayed she would arrive home before Marcus, afraid of the bull-fight that would ensue if she didn't. As it was, her bus arrived, and getting off the bus and into their 5th floor walk-up put her home a scant 15 minutes before him.
She was able to sweep up the broken glass from this mornings tirade, and straighten up some of the furniture before he appeared behind her, his voice startling her with his apologies. Before she could do anymore than turn around, he had her crushed to his chest in a passionate embrace, hands everywhere, hurriedly ripping her pants from her body, and lifting her onto the counter to penetrate her deeply, emotionally, completely.
It was over too quickly, and he helped her down off the counter. She proceeded to make dinner, cleared it away afterwards, and waited for him to pass out for the night in their bed they shared. She stayed awake for hours, wondering when she would have the courage to break free, with the last wish before sleep overtook her that she wouldn't wake up this time.
Adjectives: Hostile, Woebegone
Nouns: Lemons, A Bull Fight, Chains
Megan stared out the window as the city bus rolled through her Harlem neighborhood. Her mind replayed the conversation earlier with the hostile gangsta she had been shacking up with for longer than she cared to remember.
"What kind of stupid ho ya be? Learn yer mutha-fuckin' place, bitch" was the least of the insults hurled in her direction like the Corell dishware also smashed on the floor at her feet. An outsider might have suggested that this wasn't a healthy relationship, that Megan should get out, that there is help available, but what that outsider wouldn't see is that her love is beyond dysfunction. Megan put her headphones on and pressed play on her walkman, losing herself in Eminem's droning rap and Rhianon's lyrics.
"...just gonna stand there and watch me burn... it's all right, because I like the way it hurts... Just gonna stand there and here me cry... It's all right because I like the way you lie"
The bus pulled up to her stop after quite awhile, and she deboarded and made her way to the costume shop she worked at when she could get away from Marcus, unlocked the door, slipped inside, and locked the door behind her. She went into the office and began to count out her drawer for the morning, when a hand-written note caught her attention. "You're MINE" were scrawled across the bottom of the note in Marcus' messy handwriting. A quiet tear rolled down her face as she crumpled the note and put it in her pocket. No way was she going to let her woebegone mood ruin her work performance, and her boss didn't need to know there were problems in her life. After all, everyone had problems.
Megan sucked in her thoughts, gathered herself, and went about opening the store. When life gives you lemons, you get to make lemonade, although her lemonade needed a lot more sugar.
Work was uneventful, and as she raced for the bus, she prayed she would arrive home before Marcus, afraid of the bull-fight that would ensue if she didn't. As it was, her bus arrived, and getting off the bus and into their 5th floor walk-up put her home a scant 15 minutes before him.
She was able to sweep up the broken glass from this mornings tirade, and straighten up some of the furniture before he appeared behind her, his voice startling her with his apologies. Before she could do anymore than turn around, he had her crushed to his chest in a passionate embrace, hands everywhere, hurriedly ripping her pants from her body, and lifting her onto the counter to penetrate her deeply, emotionally, completely.
It was over too quickly, and he helped her down off the counter. She proceeded to make dinner, cleared it away afterwards, and waited for him to pass out for the night in their bed they shared. She stayed awake for hours, wondering when she would have the courage to break free, with the last wish before sleep overtook her that she wouldn't wake up this time.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Luscious (Flash Fic Challenge)
Nouns: Boy Scouts, Six-Pack, Jack Nicholson
Adjectives: Friendly and Luscious
Megan hurried to finish dusting the shelves of the costume shop she worked at as a sales floor supervisor, knowing that the sooner she finished the closing chores, the sooner she could get out of there, and hopefully stop off at her friendly, local liquor store before catching the bus and heading home. She gave the shelves one last flick of her feather duster, tossed it on the counter, grabbed her purse, and hurried out the door, locking it behind her.
The weather was a perfect 85 degrees, a perfect summer evening, and she put a little bounce in her step as she made her way to the liquor store. She picked up a six-pack of Cherry Coke, and a fifth of Captain Morgan spiced rum, and headed to the cash register. The clerk, who looked like a younger version of Jack Nicholson, was delicious, and she licked her lips discreetly.
When it was her turn, she placed her purchases on the counter without looking him in the eye, afraid he would be able to read her thoughts and see just what naughty tortures she had in store for him.
"That will be $18.67, miss." He said, without missing a beat. Megan looked up, making the mistake of meeting his deep blue eyes, and pressed a $20 dollar bill into his waiting hand. He bagged her groceries and counted $1.33 back into her soft hand.
Megan pocketed the change, and blushed at the contact, trying hard to gather her composure enough to get her bag of soda and rum into her backpack, and make her way to the bus stop outside.
Sitting down on the cool cement bench at the bus stop gave her just enough of an anchor to calm her back down. At least until the adorable little missionaries came walking by, looking as innocent and sweet-faced as boy scouts, and almost as delicious as the store clerk. Somehow, they caught her eye as she was fanning herself and stopped to chat.
"Hi. Have you heard of the true church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?"
Megan was flustered, but managed to stammer out an answer in the affirmative.
"We're spreading the news of His church and His testimony to everyone who hasn't heard it yet. Do you have time to talk?" They asked, almost in perfect unison.
"Actually, it's been a really rough day, and tonight's not looking to be any less weird, so I really don't." Megan stammered.
"It looks like you're waiting for the bus, do you mind if we wait with you?"
"Well, you're pretty hot. Wanna come home and learn how to sin?" She said with a sly grin, looking at the cuter of the two. The missionaries looked at each other nervously and made a hasty exit, stammering something about needing to spread the word. They were scarcely out of sight when the bus came chugging along on it's usual predestined route.
Megan searched her pocket for the $1.25 she needed to board the bus, and slipped the transfer slip the driver exchanged with her into her pocket, making her way to the long seat in the back of the bus when who should board the bus after her but the delicious looking clerk from the liquor store. He sat down next to her on the back seat and extended his hand in greeting.
When she took his hand, he said, "Hi. I'm Mikey. Do you come here often?"
Megan blushed and stammered out an affirmative, something about this being the closest bus stop to her work, and looked away, trying to stare without seeming to stare.
He chuckled, and somehow that seemed to break the tension, and without much else, soon they were chatting as if they had known each other for years and always been friends. So much so that Mikey missed his stop, and ended up getting off the bus with Megan like a creepy stalker. Megan was a bit distracted, just chatting with her new found friend, and didn't think too much of his choice of bus stop.
Before they realized it, they had arrived at the front door of her apartment, which she unlocked and let him inside. She went into the kitchen, unloaded the six-pack of soda and the rum, and got down 2 glasses from the cabinet. She began to mix up rum and Cherry Coke, a little stronger than normal and handed him a glass. She kicked off her shoes, and settled down on one side of the couch with her drink. Before she knew it, she had slid over on the couch into Mikey's lap and was kissing him with great abandon.
His hands slipped along her back, and lower, lifting her shirt up and off her back, and then were undoing the hooks in her bra to release her luscious breasts from their holders. He leaned her back onto the couch, crawling over her to kiss her more, before fishing a Trojan out of the pocket of his jeans. Megan closed her eyes as he covered her with his body, and prayed that maybe this time she wouldn't wake up.
Adjectives: Friendly and Luscious
Megan hurried to finish dusting the shelves of the costume shop she worked at as a sales floor supervisor, knowing that the sooner she finished the closing chores, the sooner she could get out of there, and hopefully stop off at her friendly, local liquor store before catching the bus and heading home. She gave the shelves one last flick of her feather duster, tossed it on the counter, grabbed her purse, and hurried out the door, locking it behind her.
The weather was a perfect 85 degrees, a perfect summer evening, and she put a little bounce in her step as she made her way to the liquor store. She picked up a six-pack of Cherry Coke, and a fifth of Captain Morgan spiced rum, and headed to the cash register. The clerk, who looked like a younger version of Jack Nicholson, was delicious, and she licked her lips discreetly.
When it was her turn, she placed her purchases on the counter without looking him in the eye, afraid he would be able to read her thoughts and see just what naughty tortures she had in store for him.
"That will be $18.67, miss." He said, without missing a beat. Megan looked up, making the mistake of meeting his deep blue eyes, and pressed a $20 dollar bill into his waiting hand. He bagged her groceries and counted $1.33 back into her soft hand.
Megan pocketed the change, and blushed at the contact, trying hard to gather her composure enough to get her bag of soda and rum into her backpack, and make her way to the bus stop outside.
Sitting down on the cool cement bench at the bus stop gave her just enough of an anchor to calm her back down. At least until the adorable little missionaries came walking by, looking as innocent and sweet-faced as boy scouts, and almost as delicious as the store clerk. Somehow, they caught her eye as she was fanning herself and stopped to chat.
"Hi. Have you heard of the true church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?"
Megan was flustered, but managed to stammer out an answer in the affirmative.
"We're spreading the news of His church and His testimony to everyone who hasn't heard it yet. Do you have time to talk?" They asked, almost in perfect unison.
"Actually, it's been a really rough day, and tonight's not looking to be any less weird, so I really don't." Megan stammered.
"It looks like you're waiting for the bus, do you mind if we wait with you?"
"Well, you're pretty hot. Wanna come home and learn how to sin?" She said with a sly grin, looking at the cuter of the two. The missionaries looked at each other nervously and made a hasty exit, stammering something about needing to spread the word. They were scarcely out of sight when the bus came chugging along on it's usual predestined route.
Megan searched her pocket for the $1.25 she needed to board the bus, and slipped the transfer slip the driver exchanged with her into her pocket, making her way to the long seat in the back of the bus when who should board the bus after her but the delicious looking clerk from the liquor store. He sat down next to her on the back seat and extended his hand in greeting.
When she took his hand, he said, "Hi. I'm Mikey. Do you come here often?"
Megan blushed and stammered out an affirmative, something about this being the closest bus stop to her work, and looked away, trying to stare without seeming to stare.
He chuckled, and somehow that seemed to break the tension, and without much else, soon they were chatting as if they had known each other for years and always been friends. So much so that Mikey missed his stop, and ended up getting off the bus with Megan like a creepy stalker. Megan was a bit distracted, just chatting with her new found friend, and didn't think too much of his choice of bus stop.
Before they realized it, they had arrived at the front door of her apartment, which she unlocked and let him inside. She went into the kitchen, unloaded the six-pack of soda and the rum, and got down 2 glasses from the cabinet. She began to mix up rum and Cherry Coke, a little stronger than normal and handed him a glass. She kicked off her shoes, and settled down on one side of the couch with her drink. Before she knew it, she had slid over on the couch into Mikey's lap and was kissing him with great abandon.
His hands slipped along her back, and lower, lifting her shirt up and off her back, and then were undoing the hooks in her bra to release her luscious breasts from their holders. He leaned her back onto the couch, crawling over her to kiss her more, before fishing a Trojan out of the pocket of his jeans. Megan closed her eyes as he covered her with his body, and prayed that maybe this time she wouldn't wake up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)