Editor’s note: This is the third installment of a semi-regular column in which Carrie Ann Mallino interprets tarot cards for Missoula.
Dear Missoula,
I love March. You can feel the world waking beneath your feet even as you search the sky for blizzards. The fight between winter and spring has begun and the New Year is truly underway. As we navigate this transitional period, I ask my deck: What should Missoula be thinking about as Spring Equinox approaches?
The Knight of Wands
Literal meaning: energy, passion, inspired action, adventure, impulsiveness, charm, confidence and impatience.
Just like us and our yearning for spring, the Knight of Wands is itching to get moving. As the sap rises, we find ourselves ready to get out and go somewhere – anywhere – no matter the mud. Luckily Missoula is an excellent place for adventuring, so if you’re staying in town for Spring Break, why not seek adventure on our local trails? Search for the first signs of green on Blue Mountain, or take the kids to the historic “Bear Cage” in Greenough Park. Heading out of town? Travel light and don’t overfill your schedule. Leave time for unexpected delights and adventures.
Wands are ruled by the element of fire and often speak to creative action. This knight is looking to achieve something fun, but specific. It is not a frenetic pursuit. There is a plan, but not one so rigid as to be confining.
What do you want, Missoula? What do you need to shake off the malaise of winter? This is the perfect time to come out of hibernation and begin a quest – spiritual, physical, or both. Whatever we are looking for is outside the comfort zone of our winter dens. I haven’t been on a bicycle in over 30 years, but, recently, a little girl’s wish for a unicycle reminded me that Free Cycles exists and is an amazing resource for our fair city.
I have this dream of becoming a gardener, but a lifetime of getting bored halfway through projects suggests that instead of investing money I don’t have into equipment I may never really use, I should swing by Missoula Urban Demonstration Project’s tool lending library. For those new to Missoula (or simply not in the know) MUD not only lends tools, it also runs an array of workshops that build knowledge and self-sufficiency – from garden design to beehive health to kimchi making. (Fun, but specific!)
It’s still too early for our outdoor markets, but the reeds along the rushing rivers have taken on their fiery reds, yellows, and oranges and the mud is sucking at the soles of our feet with promises of warmer days ahead. Go get dirty Missoula. It’s time to play!
P.S. Don’t forget your bear spray, we aren’t the only ones shaking off winter!
