ON BEING A GIRL

Pippi and I and One of My Favorite Nieces, Artemis--Who Just Happened to Arrive at Starbucks with Her Mom at the Very Same time As Us (totally unplanned).

Pippi vs. the Banana Cake (Pippi won). My Mom Made the Smocked Dress She's Wearing (William Morris Print Fabric).

Physics Homework While Texting

October 11, 2012 was the Earth's first ever International Day of the Girl. I celebrated with 2 of my daughters and my niece at Star Bucks while my other daughter was at her volleyball game. I came across a few quotations, by famous women on CNN. The women were asked what they'd tell their 15 year old self? The below quotes are my personal favorites from CNN Online--except for the last 3, they are quotations by me (Mix Hart) and  my 15 year old daughter, Mistaya and my 12 year old daughter Tabitha (because she really wanted to get her 2 cents in). I asked them what they'd tell their 40 year old self if they could speak to her now. The quotes are powerful and really make me think, even cry at memories of some of my biggest setbacks and hopes for the future.

To all my fellow sisters on Earth today: we hold nature's strongest bond in our DNA, the XX.  We first must nurture ourselves and then lead the world.

What Would You Say to Your 15 Year-old Self?
"Many things--especially your biggest heartbreaks--will only make sense as you look back, not as you are experiencing them. Many of what seem at the time to be your biggest setbacks will end up leading to your biggest opportunities, and in ways you can't predict." Arianna Huffington, Editor in Chief. Huffington Post.

"You have no ides how the future will unfold. But it will unfold, slowly and quickly and slowly again. In ways that you cannot now begin to imagine...Relax and let the future arrive on its won time and in its own way. Allow yourself to be astonished." Robin Bernstein,  Harvard Historian.

"Keep going, follow your passions and become engaged with the world and stay true to your self."
 Melanie Verveer, US Ambassador at large for Global Women's Issues.

"Don't be discouraged if there aren't enough role models paving the way for you. Imagine the future as you want it to be and you will succeed."
Cherie Blair, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

"Never think that someone else knows what's best for you. Trust your way and don't ask for much advice. Learn how to be quiet and still enough to hear your own voice. Its up to you: your voice will either be silenced or will get to roar." Maria Shriver, Activist, Journalist.

"Each day of your life, continue to educate and challenge yourself to grow intellectually, creatively, spiritually, socially and physically stronger. . . One's success cannot be measure by units in time, it is the culmination of how one has lived an entire life. . . Hope is the key to success and doubt the key to failure. " Mix Hart, Author, Artist, Activist and Adventurer (sorry, I couldn't resist, the 'A' words just kept flowing).

What Would You, being 15, Say to Your 40 year-old Self?
"Always be able to connect and relate to youth...Keep a circle of friends and have it include at least one really good friend...Keep current with fashion and hold onto your passion for music." Mistaya age 15, Student, Dancer and Musician.

"Don't try to be cool," Tabitha age 12, Student, Singer, Musician and Soccer player.

The Rise of the Druids

In honour of the season, let all of us whose ancestors were the original Druids, take a moment to honour the first organized religion that truly celebrated the power of women.


I found this quote in the BBC News Online. I think organized religion could learn a lot from the Druids. Some of my family surnames come from the Druids. Hart means stag, which is the most sacred symbol of the Druids. Thus, the Harts were Druid royalty. Also, Rowan: the Rowan tree (also know as the Mountain Ash) is also very scared to the Druids. Thus the Rowans, were also high up in the Druid religion. It means my ancestors were big time Druids. I think this is where I get my passion for feminine strength.

Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at Bristol University, says Paganism is partly a reaction to a perceived discrimination against women, practiced by mainstream religions.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We've come to a time, after thousands of years of dogmatic religion... for human beings to take hold of their spirit and become free”

Tony JamesonDruid Bard

Me as Griselda's sister: The Wicked Witch of the North

He says: "It's feminist. Women have an automatic place... and in some areas of Paganism they are actually in charge. And they're working with a goddess or goddesses who are just as powerful as gods, if not more so."

Auntie Griselda with her broom, shouting nasty things at the neighborhood children

Mistaya as Ziggy Stardust

Tabitha as a fashionista bat

Pippi as a werewolf

Ready to trick or treat with cousins Anemone and Artemisia

Perhentian Island, South China Sea

Today was a difficult day. I have sooo many pictures and stories from yesterday--that will thrill. However, since today was a tough day I will write about that and then post my fab stories tomorrow.
I am in the South China Sea on an Island at the Perhentian Island resort. The sea is turquoise with white sand and is alive with strange creatures, The resort is filled with bats. They fly everywhere--swooping all around me where ever I  goo--it is unnerving, they fly so close I keep thinking they're going to bump into me. Most are swallow size but one was hawk size--an enormous thing!
The speed boat trip from the mainland was terrifying. The sea was rough and I bounced out of my seat and waves splashed over me. I held on so tightly my hand went numb. Gilligans Island theme song played in my mind literally and I plotted what I'd do if we tipped over.
But the most difficult thing is the muslim culture. The jungle was ok, Kuala Lumpur was Ok but the van ride here was hard. The driver stopped at a restaurant in a rural town. It was creepy and of course muslim. The food terrified us but we ate some chicken curry from the small buffet--I got cramps from it. BTW I do not like Malaysian food. I
It was so hard to be there. Everyone stared and pointed and acted angry with us--with me. All behind my back, but pointing and complaining to management and staring. No one confronted me because they were intimidated by Peter. But all because I was in my long, chocolate brown traveling dress that is sleeveless and shows a titch of cleavage. Some weird-o drove up in a car parked across the street from the out door restaurant, rolled down his window and proceeded to take photographs of me. When I looked up and caught him, he looked sinister, rolled up his window and drove away. I tried so hard to be me. Remain proud and strong. I will fight the battle against misogyny all my life: courageously. I am not finding adequate support tonight on this jungle Island in the middle of the South China Sea. I came to Malaysia because the guide books say it is a country of three cultures muslims, chinese and Indians. But so much of the country is muslim. The women cover their heads and entire bodies despite the unbelievable heat and humidity. They are shy and timid. I will not visit the rural villages of a muslim country again  because it is too stressful when the males are perverts.
Thank-goodness Perhentian Resort is more civilized--all the tourist dress however they want and bikinis are fine.
BTW internet is so slow on this island that I don't know when I can post my unbelievable photos from the jungle!