Blog Archives

Climbing through time...

4/28/2026

Hello, blog friends ~

These last couple of months have been a blur for me with multiple family concerns. I've sure you've been in my shoes at one point or another. It's the ebb and flow of life -- we all experience it, don't we?

Today I'm doing a bit of catch up. Lovely Yvette offered a prompt last week for Tanka Tuesday that filled my heart immediately. She asked that we create a poem that focuses on "the idea of sisterly love or sisterhood." I've three beautiful sisters, but my first thought was my mom and her identical twin.

Lauretta and Luella would be 100 years old in September. They left behind a legacy of love, sacrifice, and generosity. I never heard either of them say something unkind or unforgiving. And each of them always turned to prayer for all the many problems in their life. Truly, they are both saints.

With much gratitude to them both, I offer a belated poem:

This week, Dan Antion invites images of "something that took you higher." I choose the stairs in Marvel Cave (which is near Branson, Missouri, where I used to live). If you're an adventurous type and you're in the area, this is one not to miss.

When I was a kid, my dad sometimes took us into the mountains where we explored caves. I've several stories and wild findings. I suspect that's the reason, I enjoy checking out these dark spaces. Below the surface, there's incredible beauty. My simple poem...

I hope to visit your blog sites this week, and perhaps catch up a bit. In the meantime, I wish you a miraculous week! 🌞

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AI's Answer to the Mystery

4/16/2026

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Dear friends,

I have an update about last week's post and, separately, a poem for Tanka Tuesday.

You may recall that I posted about a hanging votive and asked whether anyone had information about such artifacts.

Writer John W. Howell responded to the challenge and provided a fascinating AI explanation. Thank you, John! Here's what the AI determined:

The main symbol: the double-headed eagle:

The most prominent symbol on your piece is the double-headed eagle, and that carries a lot of meaning:

1. Byzantine / Eastern Christian symbol

The double-headed eagle dates back to the Byzantine Empire.
It represents authority over both East and West—a kind of spiritual and imperial unity.

2. Religious meaning
In a church context, it’s often interpreted as:

The union of church and state (historically)
Or more broadly, Christ’s dominion over all directions / the whole world

3. Orthodox association
This symbol is still widely used in:

Greek Orthodox tradition
Russian Orthodox tradition
Serbian and other Eastern churches

So its presence strongly suggests your votive lamp has Orthodox or Eastern European roots, rather than Western Catholic.

The surrounding design:

A few other details reinforce that:

Pierced (openwork) metal
- Not just decorative—it allows heat to escape and light to glow outward.
Scrollwork handles / vines
- Common in late 19th–early 20th century ecclesiastical metalwork
- Often symbolize growth, life, or divine connection
Hanging chains
- Typically used to suspend the lamp in front of an icon or in a prayer corner

What it was used for:

This type of lamp would have been:

Filled with olive oil
Lit with a floating wick
Hung in front of:
- An icon
- A home prayer space
- Or inside a church

It’s called a vigil lamp (sometimes lampada).

Bottom line:

The symbol is not a random decoration—it’s a strong cultural marker.
Your piece most likely comes from an Eastern Orthodox tradition, possibly Greek, Russian, or Balkan.
The double-headed eagle = authority, unity, and divine oversight, rooted in Byzantine heritage.

The votive above holds a special meaning for me. It belonged to my mother, and her faith gives me hope -- especially during times of sorrow. My beautiful daughter-in-law has struggled with cancer for over a dozen years and now faces her final days. If you were to meet her, you'd be taken aback by her courage and her love. Soon, she will be dancing with the angels, and this thought evokes great tenderness. ❤️ My poem is inspired by her journey.

Tanka Tuesday's prompt for this week is hosted by Willow. She asks that we write a 3-line, 3-stanza poem in which each line contains exactly 3 syllables. My simple poem ~

I hope you have a wonderful week, dear friends. Every moment is a gift to be treasured, so let's laugh and hug often. 'Till next week...

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A Mystery

4/7/2026

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Hello, blog friends ~

Today I'm sharing a mystery, and if you are a history buff, perhaps you can solve it for me. I'll explain.

In earlier posts, I've shared that I grew up on a farm. We had little but laughed much. Above the kitchen sink, there was a hanging votive. Mom often prayed there while she washed dishes. Sometimes she lit the candle, but most of the time, the votive was flameless.

This past week, I opened a box and found the votive. Mom had given it to me before she passed, but I had lost track of it. All I know about this vigil light is that a Catholic nun gave it to my mother. For the first time, I really looked at it.

On the sides of the cup are two-headed eagles with their wings pointed down. The chain has a couple loops that appear to be crosses, and the outer edge of the votive has a design that suggests little crosses. Otherwise, nothing indicates a Christian object, as one might expect.

I've spent several hours researching two-headed eagles, and I'm more baffled than ever. The object appears to be from the Middle Ages - at least in design. But why would a missionary nun have this object?

I've mailed the mystery votive to my sister, who is a brilliant researcher. We both recognize that the object resembles the two-headed eagles of Byzantine Russian Orthodoxy, Freemasonry, and the emblem of the Kingdom of Mysore. There are other possibilities, but these three are the most similar to the votive. After my sister does her deep dive, I'll share her findings.

Intriguing, don't you agree? Here are my two cellphone photos:

This week's Tanka Tuesday is brought to us by Robbie. She invites interested poets to compose a poem that uses onomatopoeia -- "a type of word, or the process of creating a word, that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests a sound that it refers to."

My poem is inspired by the mysterious votive:

bellowing brightly

flames enfold prayers and dreams

whispered in the heart

the present talks to the past

hope pirouettes with the flares

Have a wonderful week, dear friends, and if you have any insights on this mysterious vigil light, I'd love to hear them. ❤️

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