Deities with Wings
I honor the winged Goddess Psyche, Greek Goddess of Soul and Butterflies, and all other Deities with wings who visited my land in 2024. Beloved Monarch Butterflies were scarce last season. May they get help and thrive again.
Monarchs were just put on the Endangered Species List, so I hope this will help save their habitat and save them from harmful agricultural toxins.
I included just one photo of my beloved bluebirds. They had a tragic year with ruthless House Sparrows, an invasive non-native species that thrives in many parts of the world. We have new tricks to try to keep House Sparrows from killing Bluebirds who don’t know how to fight back or protect the young. I hope the new techniques (a new part of a series of attempts over the years) will keep House Sparrows away from Bluebird nests so Bluebirds can live here in peace.
May Bluebirds, Butterflies, Bees, and you thrive in 2025. I’ll take a week or two off and resume my blog in January 2025.
December 21, 2024 at 5:02 pm
Kimberly Margowski
Thankyou Elaine for keeping us on a journey to honor all life!’ And updated on these creatures we have grown to love . I hope 2025 is good for you and all that are in your heart. Peace and Love
December 22, 2024 at 10:59 am
Elaine Mansfield
Thank you, Kimberly. Blessings to you and yours for a joyful and healthy New Year. The whole Earth needs a time of love and peace.
December 18, 2024 at 11:28 pm
Catherine Ann Bearsley
Ah … thank you Elaine for encouraging us to engage again with your winged and feathered friends. Your ‘eyes’ for capturing your Spirit Companions is a gift for me. May solstice and Yule blessings hold you and the family in this period of change, now and into the future as you wait for Spring and her rebirthing. Persephone, we await your return.
December 19, 2024 at 10:51 am
Elaine Mansfield
Thank you, dear Catherine. We’ve had unusually fierce weather this fall and the forecast is for 6 degrees F on Sunday night. That’s cold. We often take long family hikes on Solstice, but this year we’ll be huddling around the woodstove staying warm. Reading the news is upsetting and heart-breaking here. What do these oligarchs want that they haven’t already stolen from the poor? I’m trying to hold on to faith in the goodness of humans and I’m grateful for large hearted friends like you. I wish you Solstice flowers and Yule blessings.
December 18, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Marian Beaman
Your posting feathered friends and butterflies gave my heart a lift. Thank you! My hand is injured, so typing is tricky. We both need a little blog break. 😀
December 18, 2024 at 12:11 pm
Elaine Mansfield
Yes we do. Sending you move, Marian, and hope for a speedy recovery. A hand injury makes everything difficult. Sending love and a blessed holiday.
December 18, 2024 at 8:24 am
Aladin Fazel
Dear Elaine,
Seeing this beautiful collection of your beloved winged deities is familiar, as I know it from your heartfelt posts. They can be deities for all humans, though they must understand!
I just wonder how it could be that nature kills nature! Usually, we find no ultra-aggression in nature, as you mention with the killer sparrows. Nature has always maintained a balance. Something must be wrong in the air, or man has a hand in it! Anyway, I wish you much success and a splendid holiday season. Stay safe and be well.
December 18, 2024 at 12:09 pm
Elaine Mansfield
The House Sparrows are not native here. They were imported from Europe in 1851 and had no natural predators here. Same is true of many of the tree and plant diseases. They thrive with no natural predators. It’s an age-old story of the earth for all living beings. Nature has lost her balance everywhere and, yes, man had a hand in it.
I pray for peace in your family and in your home country. Everyone everywhere is having trouble. May there be peace on earth in these suffering times.
December 18, 2024 at 8:10 am
Lin Gregory
These photos are great reminders of this year and the wonderful array of colour in your garden. Monarchs are such an important part of that and , whilst it’s sad that it’s come to this point, it’s good news that they are now on the endangered list of species. Hopefully that will raise peoples awareness of their situation as well as encourage more initiatives to not only save them but reverse their decline. Yule blessings to you Elaine and wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful 2025. Sending love and light, Lin
December 18, 2024 at 11:52 am
Elaine Mansfield
We’ve watched Monarchs go from plentiful to scarce in the last 50 years. I’m glad to know there are some roosts at the wintering sites in Mexico, but they’re scarce there just like they were scarce here this summer. What a wild and difficult life they lead! Putting them on the endangered species list still has to be approved, so I’ll write many letters in the next few weeks to encourage passage of the bill. May the new year bring you the warmth of a Yule log and a little Baileys for celebration. Sending love to you and Deborah.
December 18, 2024 at 2:05 am
susan scott
This is a lovely way to start my day here, down south. Such pretty nature pictures, a delight to the eye. Even though the monarchs are on the endangered list. A blessed Christmas season to you and family Elaine. May your health improve. Love, susan
December 18, 2024 at 11:43 am
Elaine Mansfield
Wonderful, Susan! I miss the beautiful colors of summer so now you get them. Disco and I will put on our warmest winter clothes and take a short hike in the cold. Blessed Solstice to you and your family. May Peace prevail.
December 17, 2024 at 10:28 am
Deborah Gregory
Dear Elaine,
What a beautiful set of photographs! Thank you so much for sharing them and their wonderful stories with us this past year. I’ve enjoyed them all so such, particularly the ones about the mourning doves and how they decided to make a nest in the guttering above your bedroom window.
It’s so sad to hear that Monarchs have been put on the Endangered Species List but I guess it’s good too, because hopefully they will gain more protection. And how upsetting it is to hear that Bluebirds have been struggling. I hope your new tricks help to keep those House Sparrows at bay.
Enjoy your blog break. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Creative New Year. May this Season of the Crone (Yule) bring you and your family, friends and your world, much love, light, peace and renewal.
Love and light, Deborah
December 17, 2024 at 12:05 pm
Elaine Mansfield
Dear Deborah,
There are only a few winter birds at the feeders now, so I hope spring will be lush with bird sightings. I miss them. I usually see Cardinals this time of year, but the intense storms here may have destroyed some of their winter habitats. I’ll know more in the spring. Unfortunately Monarch protection conflicts with commercial agriculture and insecticides used in abundance. So, I can hope for help and change. The Bluebird catastrophe has been worse every year, but I learned a new technique which is simply making a curtain of fishing line anchored at top and bottom over the entrance hole. Simple. Apparently Bluebirds don’t mind going through the hanging lines and directions give instructions for the spacing, but House Sparrows won’t go through. We’ll see. For a few years the wire entryways worked, but then the House Sparrows decided those were safe. House Sparrows are ruthless little birds–sort of like some humans.
My son and his partner are coming from North Carolina for Solstice. I hope my health holds up. It’s been a struggle this year. I have an appointment with my pulmonologist in January, so maybe we’ll try something new. I’m trying to accept the limitations of aging, but it’s more fun to write a book. I’ll be thinking of you as you complete your final read-through. It may be finished by now. I can’t wait to hold Croneology in my hands, turn the pages, and read the words.
Blessed Solstice and Yule and may all Crones find new energy to carry on.
Love and peace to you and Lin,
Elaine
December 17, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Deborah Gregory
Oh, I’m so pleased you’ve found a way to deter the House Sparrows, Elaine! Re my book, two days ago I finished my corrections and uploaded (hopefully!) my final version. The proof copy is due to arrive between Christmas and New Year. All being well, I’ll undertake a final read through before releasing “Croneology” four weeks later at Imbolc. Have a truly blessed Winter Solstice at this weekend! It’s wonderful that you’re sharing this blessed time with David and his partner. I love this, ‘May all Crones find new energy to carry on”. Sending much love, light and peace across the oceans and oak tops between us, Deborah. xx
December 18, 2024 at 11:39 am
Elaine Mansfield
Excellent. We’ll see if the House Sparrow deterent works. Others have worked for a few years and then the House Sparrows get used to them. The House Sparrows are so persistent and love to kill Bluebirds–not even for food, but I assume for territory. I’m glad you’re getting so close to having Croneology ready for the public (that’s me!). We have unusually cold weather forecast for Christmas weekend, but my sons can take it. Jody (David’s partner) grew up north of here. We’ll be find. Blessed Solstice to you and Lin and may you be surrounded by warm energy and peace.