Ooohoooo – Friday the 13th

  

So, what is today for you?  Staying in bed under the covers or out in the world.

Many people hold fast to the belief that Friday 13 brings bad luck.  No one knows exactly how this particular superstition started but for many Christians, it is associated with the Last Supper, which was attended by 13 guests and was held on Maundy Thursday.  Of course, the next day, now recognized as Good Friday, is acknowledged as the day Jesus was crucified.  Friday and 13.

The seating arrangement at the Last Supper is believed to have given rise to another longstanding superstition - that having 13 guests at a table is bad luck — specifically, it is courting death.

How Friday was chosen as the bad day is a little shakier.  Some have suggested that since Jesus was crucified on a Friday (maybe) it makes sense to assume Friday was the day Eve gave Adam the fateful apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.  Shaky, but whatever works for you.

The other side of the coin says something very different. 

Many people consider the 13^th to be a day that celebrates the “Divine Feminine”.  You might want to use this day to celebrate magic, beauty, love, and all the things that make living worthwhile.  And, Friday is the day of the week that’s ruled by Venus — planet of romance and friendship.  So, the number 13 is connected to femininity and fertility; Friday is a day of romance and friendship……. is Friday the 13th *really* a day of misfortune?

I know I said outside work was done (okay, I lied, just a little).  This morning it was 68 degs at 7am.  So, I got out and did a few things in the little shade I have.  By 9.30 I was literally dripping wet and gave it up for the day.  Sometimes age catches up quickly.

The Star Jasmine has been beautiful and smells so good.  I got mine as a cutting taken from an abandoned house.  I rooted the cutting and it took off.  When I moved, I brought it with me.  It’s a vine that wants to grow up.  Mine is planted on an arch so it only grows about half way covering the arch and then just wants to continue up.  Down here I grow it in the ground.  Mostly, north of Dallas, you’d need to grow it in a container. 

My herb garden is doing very well.  I’ve planted yarrow, oregano, marjoram, sweet potato, Mexican mint marigold, sunflowers, borage, catnip, sun flowers, bronze fennel, sunflowers, lemon verbena, parsley, cilantro (which I’ve pretty much given away), Spanish lavender (which I don’t think I like too much so I’ll probably move it late in the fall), 2 types of basil, dill, and nasturtium.  Whew.

The monarch caterpillars have found my dill.  Ugh.  I won’t kill them because they are butterflies in the making but I have gone out and picked quite a bit of the dill and dried it for later use. 

Last night, without my realizing it, the Zigzag Cactus bloomed!

This is one of the orchid cacti and mine has 2 foot long branches.  It sits on my back porch where it gets the early morning sun.  The flowers only open at night, so this picture, which was taken this morning at 6am, show it’s starting to close.  I have another bud getting ready to bloom, so I’m watching it like a hawk!

Well, have a good day.  Myself, I chose to believe today is a good day for magic!

13 May 2022