Time o' the Signs

Well, my last missive was a little on the whiny side.  I don't want to come across as whiny.  Even as I was writing it, I knew it was a bit of a pity party.  So I'm going to rephrase it all.  But I have to confer with my webmaster first.  My webmaster is in the other room.  He's my husband.  He is the de facto arbiter of this website; and why not?  He set the whole thing up.  I'm about as computer literate as Granny Clampett.  He's also my default manager and agent; but he only takes 3%.  He also has great intuitive business senses; and so he advised me to put on my big boy pants (although he put it somewhat differently!).
So, moving forward; did you know that the praying mantis is a symbol of patience?  It is.  It sits patiently praying for prey, stock still, holding a single pose for however long it takes (and I would imagine one second in bug time is like a human hour).  Until finally, some poor cicada comes bumbling along and, well, you get the idea.  I really do believe in signs from the Universe.  The praying mantis comes to me quite often.  The other day it was an image on a t-shirt at the Goodwill store.  One time I turned to see one in my garden, in the deepest dark of night, shedding it's former skin.  That, I must admit, was a little TMI.  It was a bit disturbing.  I think that experience was a whole other set of messages.  The praying mantis starts out as a teeny version of its fully formed self.  There's no larval stage, or cocooning.  It just grows, splits out of that body, grows, splits out of that body and so on and so on.  Thankfully there's a point where it stops growing, thank goodness.  Did you ever see The Deadly Mantis?    

Well a mantis that big I think would try anyone's patience.  Or maybe one that big is telling you you need to be REALLLLLY patient.  I'm a very patient person.  I've had dentists compliment me on my ability to endure reallllly long oral undertakings(!).
Here's another recent visitor from the Universe.  A Red-bellied Woodpecker.  A most gorgeous bird who visits our feeder every now and again. About the size of an American robin, he has a bright, red head (his belly is just dusted with a roseate glow):

When a red-headed woodpecker appears in your life (and I think the majority of them have some red on their heads), according to the legends, you're being reminded of strength, reliability, wisdom, resilience, kindness and determination.  And duh, opportunity knocking.  And one sage got quite specific: "In general, the Red-headed Woodpecker is symbolic that you are illuminating the world.  Through your work."
Hmmm.  That's quite a message.   But I must make the distinction that I was visited by a Red-bellied Woodpecker; not a Red-headed​ Woodpecker, which I have yet to see one of (I'm a bit of a bird-watcher).  This is the other guy:

This little guy's population is declining.  He/she's reached "Near Threatened" species status.  Which kind of makes sense.  I mean how many people are there for him to visit that are illuminating the world with their work?  But I still hold out hope.  I mean, there are a lot of us out here, still trying to shed light on something.
Hey, at least the bird wasn't yellow-bellied.

Oh, and here's a pic of Prince in one of his early concert looks...just because.  He famously liked birds.  Doves of course.  And who knows, maybe woodpeckers.  "When Red-Headed Woodpeckers Cry" wouldn't have had quite the same ring to it though, I'm thinking.