Leader of the Herd

I think I am the leader of the herd. Every evening, as I watch TV, there is my Snowball at my feet or laying on the back of my chair. If I am in my office on the computer, my Tiger or Little Nut are usually in there with me too. Tiger likes to proofread my material. Pepper Dean runs in and out, visiting for awhile and then checking out the rest of the house. All of the above mentioned names are my cats. The only one who is anti-social is Phoenix, and she is usually in the bedroom.

And then there's Betty. Betty is my dog. She is more than a dog. She's my surrogate child (I'm 44 with no children) and my constant companion. She reminds me to laugh out loud once in a while with the tilt of her head. She reminds me it is okay to wag my tail and enjoy life. Needless to say, if I am in my office, she's there too. If I am watching TV or cooking dinner, she's there too. By the way, she is a very good Chef's assistant and excellent dishwasher.

When it gets to be around 10:30 pm, she gets antsy, staring me down, telling me it's time for bed. As we make our way to the bedroom, there she is, on my heels. As I sit on the bed going through the TV channels for some end of the evening entertainment, in file the "kids", one at a time. They all have their "places" on the bed. They hop up and take a quick bath and then curl up for the night. Betty has a stuffed dog pillow that is her spot. She even has her own mini-quilt for those chilly nights.

When we are all settled in for a good night's sleep, I'm sure we are a sight to see. I can only imagine it, but I know it's cute. And I'm proud to be the leader of the heard of such discerning characters.

Crystal of Interest: Malachite

I have a piece of malachite that has been a friend for many years. Technically it is not a crystal, but a mineral. I chose it as my first installment in this series of posts because of its versatility and beauty. Malachite is a beautiful mineral of varying banded green hues, that has numerous uses and is chemically known as copper carbonate hydroxide. It is found in Congo, Namibia, Russia, Wales, England, Mexico and the Southwestern United States.

Malachite is a dense and nontransparent stone, and serves different purposes for different situations. It absorbs energy instead of transmitting it, so it is a good stone to help with the purging of negative energies. Holding it in your receptive hand helps calm the nervous system and steadies stormy emotions. It is used in protective magic and can be worn to guard against negativity and physical dangers. It is considered a traveler's stone, protecting against harm along the journey. It is an excellent stone for the grounding of higher energies when working towards a goal.

Malachite is also helpful in situations of the heart. Wearing a necklace with the stone close to your heart helps increase your ability to love. In turn, that helps attract love to you. Wearing it to bed also aids in a tranquil nights sleep. If held, it helps ward off depression. Focusing on the bulls eye design of the stone is an excellent concentration tool for meditation, or when placed on the third eye it assists with inner vision.

It is said that if you put a piece of malachite in each corner of a business or a small piece in the cash register, it will draw customers and the business will prosper. Green is also a color to use to help attract money or prosperity to you.

Malachite's appearance changes with each piece and from one side to the other. A piece that has two circles on one side can change through the center and be only one circle on the other side of the stone. Within the intricate designs and circles of malachite exists great energy and flow of motion. The deep green colors are very soothing. All in all, malachite is a wonderful all around stone to have in your collection.