Birthdays...

A birthday is the date on which a person is born, marking the day a life outside the womb begins. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday, for example by having a birthday party with family and/or friends. Gifts are often given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.

A birthstone is a gift of a precious material that symbolizes the month of birth. There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures, but in 1912 the American national association of jewelers officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list around the world; some alternatives are added:

January - Garnet, Rose Quartz

February - Amethyst, Onyx

March - Aquamarine, Red Jasper ('bloodstone')

April - Diamond, Rock Crystal (Quartz)

May - Emerald, Chrysoprase

June - Pearl (the only non-mineral), Alexandrite or Moonstone

July - Ruby, Jade

August - Peridot, Aventurine, sardonyx or sapphire

September - Sapphire, Lapis lazuli

October - Opal, Pink Tourmaline

November - Yellow ('Golden') Topaz, Citrine or Turquoise

December - Blue Zircon, Blue Topaz, Turquoise, or Tanzanite

There is an astrological version of the birthstones using the twelve zodiac signs instead of the twelve calendar months. Listed below are the corresponding dates for the tropical sun signs and their associated birthstone.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) Diamond

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Emerald

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Spinel

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Pearl

Leo (July 23 - August 23) Ruby

Virgo (August 24 - September 22) Sapphire

Libra (September 23 - October 23) Peridot

Scorpio (October 24 - November 21) Aquamarine

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Topaz

Capricorn (December 22 - January 21) Garnet

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Amethyst and moonstone

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Diamond

Birth Flowers

January- Carnation

February - Violet

March - Jonquil

April - Sweetpea

May - Lily of the Valley

June - Rose

July - Larkspur

August - Gladiolus

September - Aster

October - Calendula

November - Chrysanthemum

December - Narcissus

One year older today, hopefully one year wiser...

Quince is the sunrise of a woman
Underneath the canopy of love.
In her again life's gift of youthful grace
New dawns across an old, familiar face,
Chanting in the wind through which we move,
Ecstatic at the joy of being human.