April 22, 2026

Tarot of a Rambling Rose

I had so much fun generating The Tarot of a Rambling Rose based on a photo of me from Santa Cruz Pride last year. Even though it felt a little narcissistic, I loved seeing all my tattoos, swinging skirts, beaming smile. I added in a variety of personal symbols including my ubiquitous black top hat with a rainbow sash, fingerless gloves knitted by my dear friend Joanne, and a plethora of fierce eye wear. Also  animal guides to each card, especially my dear calico cat, as part of the cards depicting my own hero's journey.

For example, the Justice card has a small hippo. Why? Well, in Egyptian mythology when one dies your heart gets weighed by Maat, the goddess of truth, balance, and order. She takes the feather of truth from her forehead. If your heart is as light as a feather, you get reincarnated. If it is not, your heart gets chucked to the hippopotamus God, who eats it all up, chomp, chomp.

The Seven of Swords has a mischievous raccoon helping me steal away, a vulture hangs out with me in the Death card, and an opossum swings by it's tail in The Hanged One, a black lab, tribute to Maisy Dog, is my companion in the Three of Pentacles. Then there are ravens, butterflies, snakes and salamanders, even octopi, oh my!