Sand Dollars

Always in search of new products that have special meaning ~ and attempting to ignore the MISERABLE weather we're having in Georgia this week (I know...be thankful it's not snow), I was dreaming about the beach today, actually the ocean.  One of the first times we brought the kids to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, we were happily sitting by the the water until the Lifeguard's whistle blew and blew and blew........at MY daughter, Kate, and her girlfriend!!!!  Completely dumbfounded and embarrassed, I discovered they were getting "busted" for taking Sand Dollars out of the ocean.  Apparently, they are "protected" and you cannot remove them from the water.  This, of course, was news to me.  The girls returned the Sand Dollars to the ocean. Months later, I researched the legends of the Sand Dollar and they now hold a whole new meaning for me! No wonder they're very collectible. 


"The Sand Dollar is actually the skeleton of a small marine creature, related to the starfish, the sea cucumber, the sea urchin and the sea lily. It has a fascinating petal pattern on it, which are made by five sets of pores on the upper surface. These are actually pores which sea water moves in and out of, allowing it to move."


 These are a few beliefs I dug up ~ what you believe is up to you! (If you have any other lore to share, please comment!)


>>>Sand Dollars are the coins of mermaids, who accidentally drop them, and which are then washed ashore on stormy nights.

>>>Several of the legends tell of 5 little doves, hidden inside the sand dollar. These are often difficult to find as you need to break open the sand dollar. In fact they are the 5 jaws of the sand dollar, joined together in a circle, which, when broken apart, become individual dove-shaped pieces. I have only seen a picture of this, but they are remarkably like little birds. 

This is my favorite:
>>>It is said that Christ left the sand dollar as a symbol to help the evangelists teach the faith. The five holes commemorate the five wounds of Christ, while at the center on one side blooms the Easter Lily, and at the lily's heart is the Star of Bethlehem. The Christmas poinsettia is etched on the other side, a reminder of Christ's birth. According to this legend, if you break the center, five white doves will be released to spread goodwill and peace.



Needless to say, I have found a few products for Red Tulips that incorporate the Sand Dollar and will let you know when they arrive!


Have a great weekend!


Lisa

My Voice

Blogs are intended to give the reader an opportunity to hear the author’s “voice”.  As a small business owner of Red Tulips, and a middle~aged woman on the verge of menopause searching for contentment, I’m not really sure what approach to take here! Making a decision to blog is the first step.  Now……what to write about? After a few sleepless nights (watching Criminal Minds because my hubby has been traveling ~ love having complete control of the remote) I have decided to dig deep.  I will attempt to blog about those things & people that bring me ~and others~ great joy and contentment. It may be a book, a good luck charm, a person or my dog ~ not sure yet.  This goes along with my beliefs about The Secret (which is another topic entirely).  The more positive thoughts you have……..the less negative thoughts you have. I believe this 100% and have adopted this way of thinking about four years ago. It has changed my life and I’ve never been happier.  Don’t worry ~ I haven’t gone off the deep end.  I have managed to preserve my sarcasm, cynicism & sick sense of humor on my journey!

my first attempt at blogging....

It is truly amazing to me how important the sun has become in my life!  Originally from Chicago, I know what cloudy, overcast, snowy days are like.  I am quite familiar with the bone chilling winds that whip through your body at high speed.  I was accustomed to burning candle after candle, turning on all the lights in the house.....it was not a big deal! We could go days and sometimes weeks without a ray of sunshine. 

 And then, five years ago,  I moved to Georgia.

I can honestly say that the more sunshine I get - the happier I am!  

Maybe it's my age and I truly appreciate being positive and happy....maybe it's the fact that we have 2X the sun in Georgia than we had in Illinois.  Perhaps I suffered from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Whatever it is - I LOVE SUNSHINE!

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them,  and try to follow where they lead."    ~Louisa May Alcott