If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep,
My dreams presage some joyful news at hand.

Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet V.i.1-

Spoiler alert: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet?

Doesn’t end well for the named characters.

Horoscopes starting 7.14.2016

Cancer:

In the mountain, just north of Santa Fe (New Mexico), the strains of Doug Sahm’s “Groover’s Paradise” came through the speakers in the little rent car. To the north, summer thunderclouds, dark, ominous, loaded with rain, and across the desert?

Miles away, clearly visible, dark clouds dropping rain that never makes it to the desert’s floor. The planets play with the emotions, and the best way to work within the planets’ guidelines?

Listen.

Listen for the obvious, listen for the not so obvious, listen for the music that is between the lines. Listen to old crooners making mythologies, like the song, “Groover’s Paradise.” Listen to the music. In part, the setting, just a little north of Santa Fe, drifting south towards the pueblos and adobe houses, the architecture that resembles the landscape, it’s part surreal, and part quite grounded. I was looking for a different song, but there’s a connection between the late, great Doug Sahm (Leo) and that parched landscape. Listen for connections. They are there. Happy birthday, too.

Groover’s Paradise – Doug Sahm & The Tex Mex Trip

The Leo:

Between Mars and the Sun, Mars in Scorpio, the Sun in Cancer, there is strength for Leo. With Venus and Mercury making your Leo self somewhat more glib, though, there can be problems. Talk less, enjoy more. As I typed that out? “Talk less, enjoy more?” I think I hit a new mantra for the majestic Leo, for the time being. This next week?

Talk less, enjoy more.

As I’ve often quoted, “A closed mouth gathers no feet,” but me, as Sagittarius, and a fan of all-things Leo? I’m not one to preach about a closed mouth. I’m of the “Open mouth, insert both feet” variety.

I can save you some pain. What I’m all about.

Mercury and Venus are currently in Leo, barely visible, right after sunset, some evenings. Mercury and Venus make you want to talk. Kramer, Mr. Fishing Guide to the Stars, suggests that letting others talk just gives your Leo self more ammunition, more material, and saves you from egregious errors. Being more tacit allows your majestic Leo a self a chance to gather more information that you can use later.

Leo: talk less, enjoy more.

Virgo:

To me, it was the ultimate bookshop, a weird new/used bookstore in Santa Fe, NM. Situated in a corner of a shopping mall, or more properly, an agora, the place was piled, the center of the shop was overflowing with books that hadn’t been shelved. On the shelves themselves, there were new hardback best-sellers racked up next to the same author’s previous epic tomes. Some new. Some used. The distinction between the new and used? None.

A Virgo nightmare of the very worst order. I loved the place. I gathered up a library copy of one classic, then a thin volume of poetry from a lesser known mid-century modernist, and some book that looked promising. Little-known regional author, nice first-edition. Three different selections that I found by digging through the stacks. The image is rather disconcerting to a Virgo. One Virgo date offered to go and help organize all the material, the books.

Doesn’t work that way, not this week. With the apparent disorder? There are some real finds, rare texts in my example, if we’re willing to poke around. Dig a little, explore. No preconceived notions about how this is all supposed to be in order, alphabetized or anything.

Libra:

Ask any home-brew, artisan craftsman, have to have the right ingredients to make the perfect selection. A correct amount of raw material is what is required to make the perfect, well, whatever it is, like, let’s say, coffee. Have to have to right beans, triple-filtered water, coffeemaker, for the perfect cup.

What I’ve discovered, with the best gear available? With the best of what’s at hand? The correct process can yield a good “thing,” maybe not top-shelf, artisanal quality, but close. Very close. I can take bad beans, and with a good coffeemaker, make a decent cup of coffee. I can take good beans and make a Mr. Coffee work, too, as I do, from time-to-time, at a buddy’s fishing camp.

As my meager contribution, I’ll bring the beans. Mr. Coffee isn’t my first or even second choice, but I do like my morning go-juice before fishing. With even the least desirable coffee apparatus, I can generate a decent cup of coffee. All about technique and thoughtful preparation.

There’s a Libra process, this week, gets interrupted by an outside force. Instead of saying, “We don’t have all the right parts to make this work?” Instead of suggesting that it just can’t be done? Take a look at working with what’s there, like, good coffee from a less than optimal situation. I bring the beans. As a Libra, what can you do?

Scorpio:

It’s really good week to be a Scorpio, isn’t it? Looking a little further ahead than the next two, three days, though? As a Scorpio, there should be a long-range plan in place by now. In place, by now, a long-range way of getting ready for the next few weeks. Long-term. Long-range. Far seeking. Far seeing. Look past the next few days. Think, Scorpio dear, think, long-term.

The long-range view is important as it imparts wisdom and thoughts that help shape the current Scorpio mind. Material that seems like day-to-day drudgery? Material that isn’t the most fun at the moment? Material that isn’t fun, but might help in a few weeks?

Yeah.

Sagittarius:

Single phrase that capture this week’s Sagittarius energy?

“Due Diligence.”

Simply put, simple plan, simple action, and not always a simple Sagittarius trait, now is it?

However, if we, as Sagittarius, if we take a moment to look under the hood, peak behind the curtain, or just pop someone’s name into a search motor? Any, or all, of those actions go a long way in preparing ourselves for what unfolds with this next very full moon.

If I knew I’m scheduled to see a Shakespeare play, for example, I’ll pick up one of my hefty tomes, and read a little about the play. Makes it more enjoyable. If there’s a historical movie coming up? I’ll look at the web for a brief bit of background. That’s a form of “Due Diligence,” and Shakespeare Shows are shining examples of what needs to happen before we jump, leap, or sail off in the new direction.

Full Moon, this summer, for Sagittarius means “Due Diligence.”

Capricorn:

Spend enough time in New Mexico and the refrain is too familiar, the oft-asked question, “Red or green?” While not, strictly speaking, political or religious, it tends to split along those lines. To me, it’s way more important than any religious or political affiliation.

It refers to the type of sauce preferred for the typical New Mexico meals. I’m a fickle one, being Sagittarius and all, I can’t pick just one. Besides, after years of testing and tasting, I’ve discovered that the relative heat, and flavor, varies from location to location, and even, in at least one example, the sauces “heat” varied with the evening it was being prepared.

Cooks. Has something to do with cooks, techniques and tastes. Me? I like it all. When faced with a Full Moon binary decision, like “Red or Green?” My automatic answer is another question, “Which is hotter?” I like the hottest. The answers vary, as sometimes it’s the green and sometimes the red, and the best answer? “Christmas!” That term, of course, refers to both Red and Green sauces. What a nice way to answer a binary question, and with the full moon?

Capricorn: Christmas! “I’ll try both!”

Aquarius:

The “sous chef” at this one place, think I was in Albuquerque (NM) at the time, and the guy cooking is an Aquarius. I asked, how I knew. See the Capricorn horoscope, just above, for the set-up to this Aquarius prognostication.

I’ve been ordering “Xmas” style enchiladas for years. Since I can never tell which is going to be better, the red or the green? I get both. Typically, this shows up as two, rolled tortillas with whatever enchilada filling goes in it, then one of the tubes will be covered with green sauce, while the other one will be covered in red sauce. How it looks. How it is usually delivered.

That one Aquarius cook, though, he was having some fun that day, at least with the weird guy who asked his birthday, and that showed up with me “Xmas Enchiladas.” Delicious, it was handmade corn tortillas wrapped around a braised beef-tip stew, and then? Smart-aleck kitchen Aquarius, he put green sauce on one half both enchiladas and then, read sauce on the other half of both enchiladas. Excellent presentation, good tasting, I think the green was a tad bit milder, but the extra layer of garlic helped it even out. The trick was that the enchiladas were not dressed in the usual fashion. Good, even wonderful, but not “normal.”

Aquarius: it’s the little touches that go far with this lunar phase. Other things, too, but it’s the little touches like doing one familiar action a tad bit different, really helps move matters on their way.

Pisces:

When searching for food, especially if I’m a little off the beaten path? The first rule I tend to look for? Truck Parking. If there is room, or a designated “Truck Parking” area, the food tends to be bountiful, generous and inexpensive. Since I prefer Mexican or TexMex, it’s an even better indication of quality. Doesn’t seem like it’s a sure thing, but as I’ve become a lot more “urban,” I have to learn to read new signs. For cheap, plentiful, and good dining? I look for an arrow that says, “Truck Parking,” or some similar indication.

In Pisces, there’s a strong indication that there’s a simple, obvious, and poignant indicator that you’ve been avoiding. Simple. Right there. In your face. Clear as can be. A sign, an obvious sign, probably, like that parking sign? With an arrow, pointing the clear way to go. As a Pisces, normally, this makes good sense. However, there’s a bit of confusion. If you pause long enough, you’ll see the clear sign, it indicates that it’s the correct decision.

Pisces: follow the signs.

Aries:

It’s the season! Aries Manic Mania is here! Time for the insanity!

“I HATE you!” Wait for it… “I love you, no really I do!”

The Aries simultaneous ire and attraction? It’s a planet influence, and understanding the planet’s influence is a start. Then there’s the effect of the Sun as it agitates the Uranus-sensibilities. Work with, and around, the understanding that there is a temporary mania. It’s not bad, not really. The apparent high and low, and then, high again? It brings a greater depth of understanding, but it also can contribute to running into a hard, fixed obstacle. I can’t help that, but recall the way the Aries mood swings? Understand that the feelings about the situation, that obstacle, I like the brick wall analogy, think, “we need to get through this,” then, pause, as the shift occurs, “unless this brick wall is protecting us from something on the other side.”

“I HATE you!” Wait for it… “I love you, no really I do!”

Taurus:

This week is about reaping the rewards of some long-term decisions. This is about that foundation I so elaborately told you about. This is about the basic underpinnings of the far-reaching Taurus goals. This is about what comes next, too. Feels like Taurus has been in a cosmic “Pause Play” place for the last few months? Has it been that long?

Sure, whatever.

Be willing to graciously accept the bounty of your efforts. It’s like the summer crops have come in, or the spring plantings are ready to be harvested, or something.

Get ready to grab your gains.

This is about reaping rewards for previous efforts. Sone of this might be long-term, but we’re ready to see some results.

Gemini:

There’s always a temptation to “Color outside the lines” for a good Gemini. There’s an even greater than usual risk that the very tempting urge to eschew “normal” and do the Gemini-esque thing is going to pop up and make a home in your Gemini head this week. More a function of the Sun making a harsh angle to Uranus, but never mind that now. This is about how to react to that urge to break the rules, bend reality, or “Fly in the face of convention.” Insert the metaphor you like best, as you are a Gemini, and as such, you need some help.

Just as a suggestion, just as an idea, just as a way to deal with that uncomfortable urge to break the rules? That inner voice demanding that your bend reality to suit your Gemini selves? That strident temptation to break with convention?

Don’t.

There’s a time — and a place — to rebel. Much as you think it’s this week? Maybe not. Save that idea, we’ll use it later. I promise. Just maybe no storming the walls that are there. Not a good time to break with tradition.