After enduring a long, grey and white winter, I’m ready for some color! How about you? Rather than use the predictable reds or pinks typical for February in recognition of Valentine’s Day, I thought the purple tones of amethyst would be fun to explore.
Amethyst is the February birthstone. The Amethyst gem is also associated with the calming of physical passions. The gem’s purple colors represented the purity of spirit. In folklore, amethysts were used to aid in the healing of wounds.
The color purple is associated with wisdom and spirituality. It is believed the color purple was chosen because it also represents courage and bravery. The “Purple Heart” medal was awarded to servicemen and women who were wounded in battle and represents the highest honor for bravery in military service. The purple heart was the first US military decoration instituted by General George Washington in 1782.
“The raindrops played across the coast all through the night, until the soft new day shrugged itself awake, tried on amethyst and lavender for a while, and finally decided on pale yellow.”
Gary D. Schmidt
The other day I woke up to a colorful dawn. After weeks of gray fog and snow still on the ground, the clear pink sky bathed the snow in odd, but beautiful amethyst hues.
“Amethyst is a meditative and calming stone that works in the emotional, spiritual, and physical planes to provide calm, balance, patience, and peace.”
Miranda Kerr
Our days are gradually getting longer and warmer if 49F for a daytime high is considered “warm.” As long as the sun is shining, the cold does not bother me.
With a few more weeks until spring arrives, I’m reminded of my previous life in Sacramento when by now, fruit and nut trees bloomed and filled the sidewalks with blossoms and the promise of spring. To meet today’s amethyst challenge I give you a few images from my former garden and neighborhood.
I was happy to re-home my beloved potted hydrangea to my bestie in Sacramento. She assures me it is getting loving care!
Out on a walk in my former neighborhood, I captured beautiful details of this Morning Glory.
In my current neighborhood, and found on my property in spring, lupines grow wild. Soon, soon…I must tell myself, the amethyst represents patience.
The Story of Bacchus and Amethyst
One of the most well-known notions of the gem’s protections involves amethyst’s presumed power to prevent drunkenness. A myth about Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, has promoted this belief. The story goes as follows:
Long ago, a beautiful maiden was on her way to worship at the Temple of Diana. However, she had the misfortune of crossing paths with the god of wine, Bacchus. Angered since he’d just suffered some slight, he’d vowed to take revenge on the next person he met. He spied the maid and unleashed his two guardian tigers upon her. As the great beasts bounded towards the hapless lass, the goddess Diana intervened. To spare her such a terrible fate, she turned her into a pure, clear stone.
Immediately, remorse seized Bacchus. To atone for his actions, he poured his wine over the stone, staining the crystal a deep, violet hue. And so, the maiden Amethyst lent her name to the crystal.
The French poet Remy Belleau created this story in 1576 as part of a poem on gemstone beliefs. Nevertheless, the idea that the stone could guard against drunkenness does go back to the Ancient Greeks. Amethystos means “not drunk” in Ancient Greek.
Another excuse to imbibe freely at the Superbowl party? Better wear my amethyst stones!
Because we’ll be attending a Superbowl party with family, I may not get later links placed on the blog until Sunday night or Monday. You have all week to link your amethyst-themed posts for the color challenge!
“Love what you do and do what you love. Passion is the key that opens the door to joy and abundance.”
David Cuschieri
Photo Challenges this Week
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.
- Becky B’s Odd Squares
- Cee’s Flower of the Day
- Hammad’s Weekend Skies
- Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
- Marsha’s Writers Quotes Wednesdays: Valentine’s Day
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
Sunday Stills weekly challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL into the comments.
This Week’s Links
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared photos of the various hues of the color amethyst.
- YOUR NAME HERE!
- Always Write
- Between the Lines
- Bushboys World
- Calling All Rush-Babes
- Cath’s Camera
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- Heaven’s Sunshine
- Jacquie Biggar, Author
- Kamerapromenader
- The Life of B an odd violet sea urchin!
- Loving Life
- Now At Home
- Robert’s Snap Spot
- Stevie Turner
- That Travel Lady in Her Shoes
- This is Another Story
- Wind Kisses
- Woolly Muses Feeds the birds
- Woolly Muses
- Working on Exploring
With lots of variations of the color amethyst, I expect to see your posts filled with lively hues of purples! Come back next week when we share “All About Pets.”
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