Intentional Gardening

From the Ferret Tarot, the Sun; from the Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Artichoke:

Every morning, the rising Sun invites and inspires us to begin again.

–Debasish Mridha

My husband calls our cat 'sundial' because all day long she moves from room to room looking for a spot of sunshine pouring through the windows to nap in. As it turns out, cats' body temperature takes a dive when they sleep; the sunlight helps them maintain a comfortable degree of warmth. Artichoke is actually the flower bud of a type of thistle that is said to hold one of the highest amounts of antioxidants in vegetables. It requires a bit of work to eat, which is why its message is a challenge to see value in wherever we find ourselves. Together with the Sun, it perhaps suggests that taking care of our own well-being requires some effort that will prove fruitful.

Our bodies are our gardens – our wills are our gardeners.

–William Shakespeare

Sussing Out the Truth

From the Ferret Tarot, the King of Swords; from the Nature's Wisdom Oracle, the Artichoke:

When the body is tired, fiction can strangely start to resemble nonfiction. When the heart aches, it can be easy to mistake fantasy for reality. And when one's passion is burning brightly, the end can readily be used to rationalize the means. No wonder this ferret judge looks so serious; he's got a heavy burden when it comes to sussing out the truth in tangled circumstances. Clarity and objectivity are his goal, as he cuts away the brambles to find the facts. I wonder just how bored or hungry the first person to consider that the artichoke might be edible was. Yet there is value in this vegetable for more than only a food. The pulp of the petal-like bracts contain the chemical cynarine, which inhibits taste receptors and makes water (and other foods and drinks) seem sweet. The artichoke also has one of the highest antioxidant contents of all vegetables. What is the purpose/value of finding the truth? Surely it involves more than just labeling actions right or wrong and punishing those who've caused damage. Perhaps it is so clarity can restructure the conditions that caused the spread of untruths and prevent future harm.

Smelling Socks, Eating Artichokes

From the Ferret Tarot, the Seven of Pentacles:

Do you remember those boxes of Whitman's Sampler of Assorted Chocolates? My grandparents used to get them from people who didn't know what else to give them for anniversaries or holidays. As a child, I would sneak a few bites, trying to figure out which ones had caramel (which I would eat) and putting the cremes and cordials back in the box (with a bite out of one side). That's what I imagine these ferrets are doing, except they've raided the dirty laundry for socks. Is it smelly? Is it soft and stretchy? If so, then into the hidden cache it goes. I am encouraged by this card to do some sorting of my own.

From the Nature's Wisdom deck was drawn "Artichoke:"

I have to be honest - I have never eaten an artichoke and have no idea how to prepare one. From what I've read online, you cut the thorny tips off the leaves then boil or steam the head. Each leafy "petal" is pulled through the teeth to remove the pulpy inside (what is edible). For all that work, I'm guessing that the taste must be worth it. The Artichoke card advocates not discarding something because it requires extra effort; the end product may be worth all that work and more.