Jude's Threshold

A Tapestry Blog of Astrology, Politics, Art, and Social Concerns

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Written by Jude Cowell

July 10, 2010 at 12:44 am

Posted in art, astrology, news, Politics

Winter Solstice 2026 DC Horoscope

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Winter Solstice 2026 DC Horoscope, December 21, 2026 3:50:11 pm EST with Rigel rising @16Gem53 and North Node Rx @21AQ53 at MC (Midheaven, the Goal/Career Point):

As you see, chart-ruler (and Solstice-ruler) Mercury @23Sag53 in 7th house applies to a trine with Jupiter, ruler of the Descendant, and conjunct the natal Mars of Mr. Tr*mp giving his an expanded part to play in events but also suggesting overconfidence and impracticality can divert his chances for success. Details of the trine are penned on the chart.

Notably, Mercury conjuncts the “Electoral College Vote” Solar Eclipse in the 4 South Saros Series (strong emotions over money and/or relationships; sudden urge to end relationships; a sense of fate is attached to events (paraphrasing B. Brady). This Eclipse perfected on the very day of the Electoral College Vote – December 14, 2020 @23Sag08 – conjunct voting Mercury @20Sag05 in 10th house (in DC) – and Mercury conjoined his natal Moon-South Node conjunction of fluctuating popularity.

Meanwhile, Mercury conjunct an Eclipse denotes the need for logic and correct reasoning for karmic progress to be made, otherwise, karmic setbacks are indicated. I leave it to you, dear reader, to decide which result we’ve been saddled with ever since. After all, we could also label this Tr*mp’s “Big Lie” Eclipse – that he “won” re-election in 2020 instead of Joe Biden. To me this suggests that similar events may occur as counts and recounts continue from Midterms 2026 – likely into December.

An astro- note should be added here: the Solstice Moon @29Tau00 in 12th house conjuncts the Secondary Progressed (“SP’) Moon of President Biden (or vice versa), a timing element; plus, there are other resonances with Joe Biden‘s natal and progressed planets, too numerous to mention in this post but including Solstice Venus @13Sco27 (6th house of Health) conjuncts his unaspected Mars and his natal 12th cusp of hospitalization. Therefore, if Joe is still with us by December, I sadly mention that these contacts could show signals of a certain kind. ‘Nuff said.

As for the 4 South Eclipse Horoscope of December 14, 2020, a significant factor in the chart is first house Neptune @18Pis13 for it squares the 4 South Eclipse which suggests the escapist in an imaginary world, one who uses deception and chicanery to accomplish his aims (R. Lineman). And in the case of the current mob boss desperate to stay in power and out of prison, I’d have to say, whatever it takes is dandy with him, no matter who suffers from his actions.

Now in closing, All Winter Solstice Horoscopes take humanity into the next year – in this case, 2027 – until Spring Equinox (or, Aries Ingress) in March rolls around with the Sun reaching 00Ari00:00. But naturally, this must be a topic for a future post.

As for the upcoming Winter Season, be sure to wear your mittens, and do accept my Thanks for reading! jc

Mercury’s Rx-Direct Path Summer 2026

by Jude Cowell June 30, 2026

Only a tri-wheel of horoscopes today to show directional shifts of the Summer 2026 Path of Messenger Planet Mercury. Inner chart is its retrograde station (“Rx’) which occurred on June 29, 2026 @26Can15:26. Middle horoscope is the Mercury Direct Station @16Can18:59 on July 23, 2026. Outer is the August 6, 2026 horoscope set for the moment that transit Mercury reaches its “shadow degree” where it (seemingly) paused to turn Rx on July 23rd (26Can15:26, as noted). Yes, mercurial matters should improve around the time of its Direct Station but more progress with thinking, planning, and areas in which Mercury rules (penned on the image) can be expected once Mercury in Direct motion passes its shadow degree on August 6th and rapidly begins to gather speed and enters Leo on or about August 10th!

As you see, below, other astro-notes are added to the chart which hopefully is readable for you. These days, America is dealing with a Reckoning Time period with transit Saturn in Aries opposing US 1776 Saturn in mid-Libra, a transit that arrives about every 28-30 years. Bucking against authority and trying to manage difficult legalisms of the Saturnian kind are suggested as well. Meanwhile, I’ve listed the two Sabian Symbols (word pictures) for Mercury‘s positions with all references to the planet highlighted in blue.

In addition, there are hints of illness or contagion within the Summer 2026 period but as a topic, it’s beyond the scope of this post. Besides, we already know this without Astrology telling us, yes? One medical hint is to note the two Moon positions – in Scorpio, then Taurus across the 2/8 axis, which also relates to Insurance Matters and Credit/Debit issues. Also implied via Taurus-Scorpio are financial concerns which are also beyond the scope, but we should mention Mercury‘s traditional association with trade and commerce. And we mustn’t forget Mercury as teacher, student, and young person but also as the trickster and magician!

Mercury in July-August 2026 and You

Now individuals with natal placements in Gemini or Virgo may feel the effects of Mercury’s Rx-Direct-Shadow period of Summer 2026, as may those with Mercury otherwise prominent in their natal charts such as in an Angular position. The question is, which natal house or houses is busy bee Mercury performing its feats in July and August? For me, it’s natal 11th house. Plus, be certain to review any aspects made by your natal Mercury to other natal planets and, if activated, consider them as part of your Mercury Summer 2026 cosmic picture!

Written by Jude Cowell

June 30, 2026 at 10:36 pm

DC Horoscopes: Eclipses of August 2026

In August 2026 There Are Two Eclipses

by Jude Cowell

First to manifest is the 10 South Solar Eclipse of August 12th @20Leo01:58 followed by the August 28th partial Lunar Eclipse @4Pi54:07. Shown below are both horoscopes in dual form, set for Washington DC (to represent America). Both Eclipses occur during a Venus Hour (Venus remains in her own sign of Libra). Additionally, the date and sign of the Initial (first ever) 10 South Eclipse are penned on the image for context, meaning that all subsequent 10 South Eclipses may be viewed through its initial sign – in this case, Pisces, which gives a Jupiter-Neptune flavor to the Sun-ruled Leo Eclipse of 2026.

10 South is an old series stretching back to The Crusades era and the ambush of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem‘s army, but thanks to the heroism of Humphrey II, the army managed to escape – as the Theme of 10 South describes:

10 South Theme: Breaking out of a very negative situation to a space with more options; the Cosmos shows the way (paraphrasing B. Brady).

As you can see, a sparse number of astro-notes are added for a curious reader such as yourself:

Written by Jude Cowell

June 23, 2026 at 9:13 pm

Zeebra Designs: Nests of Ecuador

Written by Jude Cowell

June 14, 2026 at 5:23 pm

Posted in Environmental Issues, Nature

Tagged with ,

June 14, 2026 Gemini New Moon for Birthday Boy!

by Jude Cowell, partisan for the common good

Here we see a bi-wheel of two horoscopes – the June 16, 2015 “Prez Bid” New Moon with belligerent Mars 24Gem35 (inner) and this year’s Gemini New Moon 25Gem07 (outer) which perfects at 10:54:07 pm edt on June 14 2026, the day that Trump turns 80 years old. Multiple astro-notes are penned on the image, some color coded, which I hope you can read if you wish:

Venus-Jupiter: Raids on the Treasury; Many New Laws (highlighted in green); Slush Fund

Basically, among other things, it’s Reckoning Time for America via the timing of transit Saturn in mid-Aries opposing our 1776 Saturn 14Lib48 (highlighted in blue; notes on chart). And the US has a whole lot of reckoning to do, as you may agree.

Then there’s also a lot of Mars action shown through the June New Moon of 2026 conjunct Mars in the 2015 “prez bid” (as I call it) horoscope, and falling among his natal Gemini planets and North Node. Meanwhile, a new cycle of activity is typical at New Moons when plans are seeded for the future. As for 2015, perhaps you remember Trump’s escalator descent to make his “prez bid” announcement at Trump Tower NYC to a group of paid audience members – $50 per head, last I heard. Now in 2026, forget the $50 – he’s finagling a massively large slush fund of taxpayer money to pay J6 insurrectionists to act as a paid militia, some say. To act against the rest of us, that is. For as you know, some J6-ers are cop kill*rs and/or attackers, and he intends for us to pay them for their thuggery on his behalf. Plus, some of them have been re-incarcerated for crimes against children.

Now naturally, energetic planet Mars is associated with sports and athleticism, so we think of the crude sports event that the Birthday Boy has set up on the White House lawn which, according to this particular American, is another way to degrade America in time for her 250th birthday in July.

Well, thanks for reading. Let’s take a bit of solace from the fact that, at least, the JFK Memorial Center for the Performing Arts has now removed his blighted name from their building.

Written by Jude Cowell

June 13, 2026 at 10:09 pm

US Solar Return 2026: We’re 250 yo!

Shown below is a marked-up version of America’s 2026 Solar Return Horoscope set for Washington DC, based on the Scorpio Rising Horoscope with 8Sco35 rising and 16Leo08 at Midheaven (2:21 pm LMT July 4, 1776 Philadelphia, PA). As you likely know, our nation’s Scorpio Rising Chart has long been championed by Michael O’Reilly of Neptune Cafe fame.

An abundance of astro-notes are penned on the image as you see (mea culpa) including the transit Saturn in Aries opposing US 1776 Saturn in Libra which is known as the Reckoning Time transit, and I suspect that most everyone agrees that with all the corruption and illegalities ongoing the last ten or so years in America, it’s more than time for a full accounting of miscreants and culprits. A recurring transit, yes, but this time around, this Saturnian transit will actually peak (become exact) on March 15, 2027.

In addition, the Pre-Event Solar Eclipse (@28AQ49) of this Solar Return 2026 is in the 10 North Saros Series which adds potentials for communications issues and disruptions, delayed messages and such. Obviously, tendencies toward misunderstandings, misperceptions, deception, and/or tough-minded negotiations are likely to be involved with the year’s proceedings.

Now this return chart’s Syzygy Moon (= previous lunation: a Full Moon @8Cap15) perfects on June 29, 2026 – the day that Mercury the Messenger turns retrograde @26Gem14. That’s chatty Gemini, sign of Communications of all sorts. So, as you see, the June 2026 Full Moon in Capricorn shines at the Midheaven (the goal) of our SR 2026 Horoscope. And there’s manipulative Pluto in tech-minded Aquarius continuing to lead them all with AI on his Technocracy agenda, no matter what it costs the rest of us. Locomotive shapes of planets represent the high-powered executive.

As for the year’s Sun Cancer-Moon Pisces blend of energies, it paints a picture of “a cagey crab fish” – secretive, slippery, and sensitive, and which tends to “blow with the wind.” If this description sounds like someone in particular, then we may be on the same page, dear reader! (For more details see Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles and Suzi Harvey #ad).

In closing, the Harvey’s Image for Integration that I select for this solar year’s blend is, “A lone sailboat offshore at sunset,” which for me symbolizes a certain politician in his “sunset years” but also represents the pariah condition that America has been forced into by her enemies, both domestic and foreign – those who determined many moons ago to remove the US from her global leadership post – an ongoing project of many decades if not centuries.

Image: US Solar Return perfects Sunday July 5, 2026 12:54:36 am EDT Washington DC:

Written by Jude Cowell

April 19, 2026 at 12:12 am

Ancient Ancestors Who Eloped!

by Jude Cowell

For some time now, yours truly has discovered ancient ancestors through the geni dot com website and its massive database. Most turn up via my paternal Strickland grandmother, and some through my paternal Barnett-Webb-McClellan ancestors (Barnett is also part of my maternal side but geni doesn’t have as much info on my mother’s lineage due to brick wall ancestors of old whose names are lost in the mists of time).

So, over the weekend I got busy following the ancestors of Katherine Swynford and husband John of Gaunt of England as far back as their lineages are available in the geni dot com database. The earliest ancestors of them both, (for they are some of) my 20th great-grandparents, end with Baldwin I, first margrave of Flanders, aka, Iron-Arm. Born between 837 and 840, Baldwin I died in 879 in Arras, and wife Judith (!) of Flanders as she is known to history, was a princess, a daughter of King Charles the Bald who disapproved of their marriage – so they eloped.

Judith was born in October 844 in Orleans, Loire, and passed away sometime after 870 in Auxerre, Yonne, Bourgogne, Franche Comte. You see, after her Papa said No, the couple traveled to Rome to plead their case for marriage to Pope Nicholas I, aka, Nicholas the Great; they were successful by November 23, 862 and were wed in a ceremony in the cathedral at Auxerre.

Meanwhile, in 2026 I can’t say, Now you know the rest of the story because these events happened way too long ago for more than basic details. But if you wish, check out the Wikipedia page of Baldwin I, margrave of Flanders, and you might discover a detail or two I missed in this sparse retelling of my 30th great-grandparents’ romance and marriage – Baldwin and Judith!

https://judecowell.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/250px-boudewyn_i_van_vlaanderen.jpg

PS; Sorry, dear reader but I can’t seem to delete the second image of Baldwin I’s statue at Bruge City Hall! jc

Written by Jude Cowell

March 30, 2026 at 6:34 pm

The First Great American Eclipse

On July 29, 1878 @6Leo33:34 came the very First Great American Eclipse conjunct US 1776 North Node of Destiny. Its path of Totality was visible across our country, and it was first in a series of “Greats” for America. You likely remember that there have been two subsequent Great American Eclipses since 1878 – the 1 North of August 21, 2017 @29Leo conjunct royal “kingmaker” star Regulus, and an 8 North on April 8, 2024 @19Ari24 – exactly conjunct transit Chiron (19Ari24), the wounded healer and/or blind spot. Their paths of Totality crossed in an X formation at Carbondale, Illinois, thus splitting the US into four quarters.

Now as you may know, Carbondale has been known as the crossroads of the railroad industry (Wikipedia) which is suggestive since the year 1878 fell within the Gilded Age years and the financial crash, aka, the Panic of 1873, was due in large part to expansion of, and overinvestment in, railroads. Notably, crooks, losses due to speculation, fraud and chicanery are all over the 6 North Eclipse Horoscope, as you can see below.

Meanwhile, with this post our focus is on the First Great American Eclipse in the 6 South Saros Series with themes of: being forceful, taking power; manic energy with great force in relationships; sudden events; huge efforts in group activities (paraphrasing B. Brady). In our day, a 6 South Eclipse last repeated on October 25, 2022 at 2 Scorpio, a money sign of Big Business.

So, an overview of US Events of 1878 is instructive with “first” as one clue. The year includes significant events such as the Yellow Fever Epidemic which began in New Orleans, the founding of The Yale News as the first daily college newspaper in the US (bringing Yale and the Skull and Bones Society into the picture), The Lincoln County War (New Mexico), the last (not first) Salem Witch Trial in Salem, Massachusetts, the first telephone exchange (New Haven, CT) in the US, and, significantly – the signing into law of the (first ever) Posse Comitatus Act by President Rutherford B. Hayes.

You’ll find other events of interest if you search, such as discoveries of large amounts of silver in the US ($$), the robbery of a Manhattan bank, plus, the stagecoach robbery by poet “Black Bart” whose only reward for his effort turned out to be a taunting poem left for him in the stolen empty safe box!

Yes, as usual I squooshed too many astro-notes onto the chart. Hopefully they’re readable but if not, perhaps enlarge the image, or print it perhaps? Prominent planets that aspect the Eclipse are color-coded:

Chart-ruler and leader of a ruthless Locomotive shape, Jupiter is green, Saturn is lavender, and Neptune is pink. The Pluto-MC (Midheaven, the Goal Point) conjuncts the Eclipse; its potentials are penned on the chart, right side, and are highlighted in orange.

btw: rumor has it that there’s a 4th Great American Eclipse in our nation’s future but that must be a discussion for another day. Thanks for reading! Jude C.

1878 in the United States – Wikipedia

Written by Jude Cowell

March 19, 2026 at 12:40 am

His 80th birthday inches closer

Written by Jude Cowell

February 2, 2026 at 8:10 pm

Trump Solar Return Chart 2026

He'll Be 80 Years Old and Counting!

As you see, Donald Trump's Solar Return Chart 2026 shows an unaspected Sun which can indicate undiluted power for the year (until next birthday) without mitigation from other planets (actors). Alternately, it may suggest a year of frustration due to fewer outlets for the solar energy and vitality to "shine," plus, there may be some measure of isolation as well.

Now this SR 2026 horoscope is set for Washington DC although Trump may be located elsewhere on the evening of June 13, 2026, which would shift the chart somewhat. Because sometimes the Sun returns to exact birth degree on a date other than the day of birth, often a day prior, as we see here. 

Mea culpa! For as usual, I smooshed way too many of my study notes onto the chart.

Plus, I've never inserted a horoscope into a post this way before but hopefully you can view it via this link:

https://1drv.ms/i/c/1647309e7485b2f0/IQCNLwX7gW5nRbAE2AdRxcmxAUVjVT_pUoKbeepXsXMXjx4?e=ByVjvc

Written by Jude Cowell

December 6, 2025 at 11:51 pm

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