Spring has Sprung! The Spring Equinox by Tena Stetler

 The Spring Equinox,  March 20, 2024, marks the official start of spring across various cultures around the globe and holds special meaning.  When day and night are nearly equal in length - representing balance and renewal on Earth from winter's chill to the warmth of spring's warmth.

Many celebrate it through rituals, ceremonies, festivals or festivities that honor this changing season and promise new beginnings - join us as we uncover history, customs and traditions associated with this ancient and magical event! 

Spring Equinox ushers in an emotional and physical renewal. In Northern Hemisphere after months of dormancy during winter, nature slowly begins to waken. New leaves emerge and floral beauty gradually unveils itself into vibrant color schemes and aromas, filling the air with vibrancy and fragrance. Bird songs become more melodic while streams run freer than before - life springs forth with renewed vitality all around us! These changes not only delight the eye but are a testament to life on our planet.

On a symbolic level, the Spring Equinox has long been seen as a time for renewal and rebirth. Easter, which commemorates Christ's resurrection and usually falls around this date.

Ancient druidic tradition celebrated this event as marking victory of sun-god over darkness-god; many people today still align celebrations and rituals around its celebration, feeling deeply interconnected to nature's rhythms.

In certain cultures, the Spring Equinox marks an opportunity for fertility and abundance. Japan celebrates Higan - a week-long memorial service held at family gravesites to remember those who have passed.

Iranians celebrate Nowruz - an Iranian new year festival coinciding with Spring Equinox which symbolizes rebirth and fresh starts - in conjunction with Spring Equinox.

The Spring Equinox with its inherent message of renewal can teach us much. Just as nature renews herself each spring, so can each of us embrace change, set goals for ourselves and emerge from metaphorical hibernation into a period of growth and abundance. Let's welcome this spring equinox with hope, connect more closely with nature and live more harmoniously within its rhythms and cycles.  Now is an opportune moment to plant seeds of intention for the coming months, set goals, and embark upon exciting adventures.
Happy Spring Equinox!

Speaking of Spring, take a peek at Raven's Hollow Spring Magic. 

Spring is in full bloom in Raven’s Hollow, a small town in the Colorado Rockies with a population of unique townspeople. Blaze, a dragon shifter, and Wynter, a witch, are neck-deep in wedding preparations, when Wynter’s mother, Jade, goes missing after opening her new antique store, and attending the Simon estate sale where she procured an ancient jelly bean machine. Frantic with worry, Blaze and Wynter track her last movements via the store’s ancient, grainy, security footage. What it reveals is nothing short of shocking. As deputy sheriff, it’s Blaze’s responsibility to find his soon-to-be mother-in-law. But at what cost?

I guarantee you'll never look at jelly beans the same again. 

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Time Stops for No One By Tena Stetler

With the passage of another Summer Solstice flying by at the speed of light. I began to muse how fast time was passing. There's a common saying that time flies. It seems like it was just yesterday when we were young and carefree, but now, here we are, wondering where all the years have gone.

The passage of time can be a strange thing to navigate as we age. It's like a river that keeps flowing, taking us along with it, and we're unable to reverse the course or slow it down. The older we get, the faster the current seems to move, leaving us feeling like we barely have time to catch our breath.

When we were younger, time seemed to stretch out before us, endless and full of possibilities. 

As we age, our perception of time changes. We become more aware of our mortality, and the finite amount of time we have to achieve our goals and make an impact. We may find ourselves looking back on our childhood or teenage years with a sense of nostalgia, wishing we could go back and relive those moments. I wouldn't want to relive those moments in my life, but I find myself thinking it was a better life than kids have now.  Yes, the opportunities are more, but so are the expectations, stress, and safety.  Gone are the carefree days of playing outside until the street lights come on. 

But amidst all this change, there's also a sense of self-awareness and growth that comes with age. We become more comfortable in our own skin, more confident in our abilities, and more appreciative of the time we do have. We learn to prioritize the things that matter most to us, to let go of the things that don't, and to savor each moment as it comes.

In the end, the passage of time can be bittersweet. We mourn the loss of our youth and the carefree days of our past, even as we embrace the wisdom and experience that comes with age. But regardless of where we are in life, time keeps moving.

Speaking of moving, here is a reason I live and write in my own fantasy world. I can control time there.

My upcoming new release Raven's Hollow Spring Magic hits the online stores July 10, 2023. Check it out before time runs out.

 

Spring is in full bloom in Raven’s Hollow, a small town in the Colorado Rockies with a population of unique townspeople. Blaze, a dragon shifter, and Wynter, a witch, are neck-deep in wedding preparations when Wynter’s mother, Jade, goes missing after opening her new antique store, and attending the Simon estate sale where she procured an ancient jelly bean machine. Frantic with worry, Blaze and Wynter track her last movements via the store’s ancient, grainy security footage. What it reveals is nothing short of shocking. As deputy sheriff, it’s Blaze’s responsibility to find his soon-to-be mother-in-law. But at what cost?

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Check back next month to see what tantalizing or scathing topic I've decided to bend your ear about. Until then, slow down and take time to smell the roses.