Who's Quacking the Loudest?

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Five of Wands; from the Key to the Kingdom, the "Nine of Diamonds:"

          Ricklef's Five of Wands was inspired by Bosch's "Christ Carrying the Cross." All those men in the card are in my mind, each trying to argue louder than the other (as if that will make a difference). My desire is to keep working in the yard today: weeding, adding more mulch, clipping back brush. Yet I'm supposed to lead the discussion at book club today and the meditation group on Friday. The cat is out of his antibiotic, and I might have company coming this weekend (the house hasn't been cleaned in almost two weeks since all my efforts have been outdoors). Seeing the Nine of Diamonds made me think of the phrase, "get your ducks in a row." I need to rely on the two Ps today: priority and preparation. At the top of the list will be a trip to the vet, followed by finding and reviewing my notes for book club. I'll add more when those two are off the list.

Give a Cheer, But Make It Clear

From the Tarot of the Masters, the Queen of Wands:

The first thing that caught my eye with this card is the strange apron this queen wears - it looks as if it has feedbags attached to the top of it. But thinking about it, I suppose this is what the Queen of Wands does. She not only encourages those who are working on a project, she promotes it to other people who might be interested in it. She is the cheerleader who keeps the excitement and enthusiasm at a high level in order to ensure its success. As I have recently unveiled my own project (with the help of the kind and talented Alaska Laser Maid), I find myself sitting in this woman's chair. I'm a bit shy about self-promotion, but I think this queen would just hand me a pom-pom, tell me to get over myself and direct me to the cheering section.

From the Key to the Kingdom comes the "Nine of Diamonds:"

Behold the duck.

It does not cluck.

A cluck it lacks.

It quacks.

I've always heard, "If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then chances are that it's a duck." I know there are some great spin doctors who can make even a turkey sound like a duck, but close examination will quickly prove otherwise. This card reminds me to keep things truthful and simple - it will keep me from trying to untangle myself later on down the line.