Year of the Pig: Who's Gonna Bring Home the Bacon?

It's Pig Earth Year in the Chinese astrological calendar, and some will be happier than a pig in mud!  The Chinese zodiac has twelve astrological animal signs, the pig being the last.  There are also five elements, water, wood, fire, earth and metal.  It takes sixty years to go through all twelve signs, and five elements.  The last pig earth year was 1959, and the next one will be 2079.

Over and over, the word "calm" is used to describe those born under the sign of the pig.  They are thought to be the "Mother Teresa's of the Chinese zodiac":  humanitarian, generous, kind, and selfless.  Add in the attributes of those born in an earth year - thoughtful, practical, dependable, and trustworthy - and you have a "salt of the earth" kind of person.

Pig people love social events with family and friends. They can also be hedonistic party animals.  There may not be an app for that, however, the gemstone opal is said to guard against addiction.  Did you notice the number of opal images showing up on your Facebook newsfeed in the days leading up to Chinese New Year?  As investors, pigs are said to be gullible, and may be easily cheated.  They are also said to spend everything they make.

You know the game of rock, paper, scissors?  The elements work in much the same way, with fire dominating metal, earth dominating water, metal dominating wood, water dominating fire, and wood conquering earth.  Since wood dominates earth, the wood element industries (paper, publishing, education, the environment, media and fashion) are prosperous in an earth year.  Also in an earth year, earth industries such as property, mining, even computer software (how do they figure all this out?) will do well.  Water industries, such as shipping and transport may be sink or swim.

Being an earth year, it is a good time to invest in realestate and construction.  It is also a good time to "lay the foundations" for the future.  Think of seeds that are planted in the earth now, to grow for the future. 

Chinese astrology is complex.  It's not like reading a fortune cookie!  Although this is an earth year, the pig's natural element is water.  Muddy!  Although this is a great year for investments, water symbolizes fear, and danger lurking beneath the surface.  Optimism makes the market climb.  Fear, can halt economic investment and growth.  Predictions are, that it will be 2025, before another fire year fires up the market.

Those of us born in the Nobelman years of 1956, '57, '66, '67 - or any year ending in a six or a seven - are seen as "angels from Heaven", during a pig year.  We are the rescuers, supporters, solution finders and comforters, who can save your bacon!  It is also safe for those born in those years to go ahead and develop new projects!

Who will bring home the bacon in this pig year?  Astrologers say it will be an interesting year... 

Rats:  a year of prosperity
Ox:  hard work and patience will ensure success
Tiger:  a year of limited resources, and budgeting
Rabbit:  a positive year
Dragon:  business will excel
Snake:  from March until June money will show up whenever it's needed
Horse:  success and accomplishments in the beginning of the year
Goat:  focus on what you know best

Monkey:  great profits, great job opportunities, send your resume everywhere
Rooster:  major career changes, including possible relocation
Dog:  risk of going into debt
Pig:  financial prospects are favourable

Wishing you great health, peace, prosperity and pure joy!

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Peonies for Puppies

Happy Chinese New Year!  These peonies - a favourite Chinese New Year flower - remind me of Flynn, the white powder puff Bichon Frise who won the Westminster Kennel Club's Best In Show award earlier this week.  It's that little dog's year...actually, it's a dog year for everyone on the planet.

On the Chinese astrological calendar, this year is a Male Earth Dog year, said to be good for real estate, agriculture, the environment, and establishing territory.  It's a good year for building on a solid foundation, because the earth element is grounded and stable.

Chinese astrologers say it will be a high energy year for those seeking their fortunes, so "go fetch"!  Just remember to curl up for a refreshing nap.  The Year of the Dog is a time to pay attention to your health...check for a warm nose.  Astrologers say that this year, more than others it is important to eat healthy foods, exercise, and change habits (you can teach an old dog new tricks).  

When we think of dogs, we think of unconditional love and loyalty.  These are the same traits of those born in dog years, and of the year itself.   People born under the dog sign also value loyalty in others.  Even the most loyal dog will bite when it is attacked, so be especially kind to one another.

Dogs are protective of those they love, and have a strong sense of danger.  At worst, astrologers say that dog signs are considered over protective, and paranoid.  In business, they can sense when a deal is going bad.  They'll bark to warn others.  They're also honest and frank.

Confucius himself was born in the Year of the Dog.  So were Socrates, Winston Churchill, and Donald Trump.  Prince, and Prince William were both born in a dog year.  David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey and Elvis are all hound dogs!

By the way, it is the year 4715 on the Chinese calendar.  How much is that in dog years?

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

    

Ruffled Feathers: Year of the Rooster

The crowing rooster announces the dawn of a new day.  The year is 4714, on the Chinese calendar. The year of the Red Fire Rooster.  There will be strutting, ruffled feathers and cock fights on this animal farm we call planet Earth.

Imagine a barnyard rooster, strutting proudly past his hens, his brilliant coloured feathers gleaming in the sunlight, crowing to all, that he is the greatest rooster - 2017 is his year!  In Chinese astrology, those born under the sign of the Rooster are people of action.  They're hard working, industrious, take initiative, are honest, loyal, sociable, and take great care of their appearance.  Rooster people are also known for bravery, and being terrific social organizers.  

They can also be pompous, egocentric braggarts, who love being the centre of attention. They can ruffle feathers by being hurtfully blunt.  They are also prone to acting on impulse, without thinking. When things go wrong, Rooster people are most likely to finger point, fault find and condemn.

The Red Fire Rooster has two elements:  Yin fire sitting on top of metal.  This is a combination that Chinese astrologers say will create tensions, explosions, and wars.  Unlike the Yang fire energy, Yin fire energy is unstable, and flickering.  A spark can start a major fire.  Astrologers point to the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, on a Yin Fire day of a Rooster year, and, to the tragedy of 911, on a Yin Fire day and Yin Fire Rooster month.

Just a note here:  the Chinese government is cracking down on fireworks this New Year, officially saying that it is because of severe air pollution, and the smoke from firecrackers and other fireworks adds to the pollution.  In past years, the fireworks have set off fires.

There is some good news for the Fire Rooster year:  it's a predicted to be a great year for restaurants, and anyone involved in cooking! So get out that family hot sauce recipe, and launch your business! Expect technological advancements this year.  It is also a great year for those in the beauty and fashion industry - the Rooster Year is all about preening, and looking good!

This is a year when the chickens come home to roost, a time when everyone gets what they deserve. Success will be the result of previous years' hard work and patience, not luck. 

While this is not a new era, it is a time when new ideas are coming into being.  The word, "computer" first appeared in 1897, which was a Red Fire Rooster year.  

While there may be a lot of doom and gloom in this year's predictions, don't be such a chicken!  This is your rooster wake up call!  Be confident (like the Rooster), motivated (like the Rooster), brave (like the Rooster), honest (like the Rooster), trustworthy and loyal (like the Rooster), and sociable (like the Rooster).  Work hard and be patient, and success will come your way. 

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated

That's an old (though not yet vintage) wooden rooster posing with a bouquet of flaming orange-red parrot tulips and yellow spider chrysanthemums.