Hell Season

From the Tarot of the Secret Forest, the Devil; from the Faeries' Oracle, the Pook:

It's hell season (summer) here, so I can very much relate to this card. Temperatures are at 99 F, but expected to climb to 103-105 F next week. We've had no rain in quite a while, but hordes of mosquitoes will find any bare flesh to bite and the swarms of gnats attempt to get in your eyes, nose and mouth to find moisture. These insects are a good symbol of the Devil, that part of us that feeds on what we think will help us but can hurt us in the long run. The Pook is a shapeshifter who helps others see the bad in the good and the good in the bad. He advocates for balance in our perceptions. As John Milton points out, "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of Hell, a hell of Heaven." I can't get rid of the bugs outside, but I can work on those in my head. There is much more to focus on: the zinnias, salvia and coneflowers are blooming, and three varieties of woodpeckers are back at the feeders. But I might watch and enjoy from my screened-in back porch!