The Ramblings and Wanderings

Archive for the ‘Life of a Hedgewitch’ Category

We have been seeing more and more pets being abandoned with the bad economy.

Most of these people have not cut down their weekend beer fund, but they are getting rid of the kids dog.

For shame.

They don’t have names yet, two filly quarter horses! yay

and with Beltaine around the corner:

Invocation of the Flower Maiden

Not from mortal mother or father was she created
Her body was made and blooded
By the powers of nine most sacred
From the first of fruits
From the fruits of creation
Of highland primroses
Of woodland blossoms
Of earth and fertile soils
Of the flower of nettles
Of ninth wave waters
She is immortal
She is conjured
By enchantments of sage and bard
By the Druid of Briton
Of Eurwys, of Euron
Of Euron, of Modron
Magick greater than five hundred druids
Mighty and wise as Math
Made the Flower Maiden
Forged in the fires of creation
Made by the Magician of magicians
Made by the Sage of sages
When the world was in its youth

(By Juniper, inspired by the Cad Goddeu)

Paganism is growing like one of my hometowns.

Kelowna is a beautiful mountain town on a big lake (complete with lake monster) that grew up really, really fast, as did the surrounding areas.

And the people didn’t plan for it.

So now that this valley city has sometimes a million cars passing through and around it a day during the peak summer months, they need to completely rebuild their infrastructure.

They are tearing the whole damned city apart, some of it the oldest and prettiest parts of town, to build hiways and sewers and sidewalks and bridges.

Paganism is growing this way.

We are growing very, very fast and we are not planning for it or laying down the infrastructure to support this growth.

We are screwing ourselves, and our children, over.

also

The armchair pagans on today will be congregations of tomorrow.

The hard workers, the elders, the clann-makers will be the clergy.

We need to face this.

Ouch

Oh, and….

“It isn’t easy being a pink monkey in a society that DEMANDS brown ones” ~ ADHDTigger

How I practice and express my paganism reflects my personality. I am a zany,
often silly, fun loving and cheerful gal.

Yes, I take my faith and my Craft very seriously, but that does not mean I am
going to act like a totally different person in ritual, I am still going to be
myself.
And the sort of person that I am, is the sort of person who likes to play dress
up. Just because I show up in a robe or an outfit that might belong at a SCA
event does not mean I am not dedicated to my spirituality, it means I am also
dedicated to my individuality.

How can one stand “in perfect love and perfect trust” before their gods dressed
in someone else’s idea of what is appropriate for them to wear? I must be me, I
am the woman who at nearly 29 years of age still wears striped socks that don’t
match.

You can ask anyone who knows me, they will tell you there are few “bland,
boring, normal” folks out there who are as dedicated to their spirituality than
I am.

I have the right to dress up in any manner I choose, even in a silly manner.
I have the right to dress like my ancestors as a way to honor them if I choose.
You have the right to be embarrassed if you see me walking by in my “silly”
clothes if you so choose.

It takes all kinds.

Cheers,

Juniper

I am a busy little bee! I have been doing many more runs int o the city these last couple of weeks than I thought I’d be. My poor old pickup truck isn’t cut out for this.

Everything from fencing to dog food to a new filly. Yay the new farm is cleared of snow enough to start moving our animals in.

Will post pics and catch up with you all soon!

Cheers!

I am hosting Beltaine (May 1st to 3rd, its a weekend) at my farm, Misty Acres.

Please come out and enjoy 55 acres in southern British Columbia that backs onto thousands of acres of back country. Misty Acres is located on a mountainside between Grand Forks and Greenwood.

Misty Acres has access to the Trans Canada trail on the property. There are several lakes nearby as well as the Kettle Valley river, which is world renown for its inner-tubing (though the water may be a little chilly for swimming). Also a short drive away is an old mine where you can take tours and collect your own crystals and semi-precious stones.

There are a few different groves and areas for ritual, so you or your group can have your own ritual. I will also be leading a (Celtic) Hedgewitch-y ritual.

There is plenty of camping space, and kids and dogs are allowed.
Dogs MUST be up to date on their vaccination and you will have to bring something from your vet to prove this (we are an animal rescue an cannot risk disease).
Kids must be supervised by their parents or older sibling at all times.

Activities planned so far include a wildcrafting walk, a BBQ (possibly a pig and veggie roast), a bellbranch and/or rattle-making workshop, a faux boar hunt hosted by the Druid’s Hearth, crowning May Queen and King, a processional (feel free to dress up), a land blessing, seed blessings and scattering, a hobby horse race (with prizes for “best in show”) and (hopefully) a maypole dance.

Possibly also a trail ride or pony ride for us and the kids.

As well as good old-fashioned campfire fun!

Access to Juniper’s house for bathroom and kitchen will be available. If there is bad weather, we can all move indoors.

No vendors please, or I will have to get festival status. Trade and barter is permitted however, juts no money can change hands.

There is ample parking for RVs, but you will have to drydock.

Bring food for yourself, and a potluck item for the BBQ.

No underage drinking (drinking age is 19)

Please bring camping gear, food and drinks, a broom or hobby horse for the race (loaners will be provided for those who do not bring one), offerings for the ritual, a knife or pruning shears and other supplies for the wildcrafting walk, a field guide or book on herbs and plants in BC if you have one, a costume or ritual robes for the processional and ritual, and anything else you wish to bring along.

We will have a nudity free area around much of the property, as well as my Mom’s (Sue) house and property next door; I doubt she wants to see it. Nudity will be encouraged in the more wooded and therefore private areas. Roughly half of the property is visible from the hiway, though you may be far enough away to look like an ant, you would still be a naked ant, so I don’t think nudity will be quite so prevalent here.

I will give families with children, elderly etc first choice in the main camp closest to my home.

Feel free to invite others; we can have a maximum of 50 people so that we do not have to get a festival licence. Plus as this is my first year on the property, I want a smaller and more family oriented gathering.

I’d like to know by April 15th if you will be attending.

We do rescue dogs on our property, and while most of them will be down on my Mother’s side of the land, I should mention there will be smaller dogs about, along with the ones that people bring. We do ask that people do not head over to Sues’ house, the kennel or horse area without an organizer along.

Non-Pagans are more than welcome, so long as they are open-minded. Prayers and toasts to non-pagans gods will be allowed as well if they wish to join in the toasting the meal or any such thing.

Yes this is a free event, though there will be a donation jar to go towards the costs of the festival and for the dog rescue as well. Just bring what you need.

Water is free but it is well water, it’s safe to drink but some folk are not fond of it.
There will be limited campfires and BBQs, and all bonfires will be communal, so if you have a camp stove or some such thing, you may want to bring it.
Refrigerator space will be communal as well.

This will be operated on the honor system and with only a few volunteers.
Guests will be asked to clean up after themselves and mind proper camping safety etc
Peeing in the woods will be encouraged. Leaving toilet paper in the woods is not.
Not unlike an old style clan gathering

As we are on the mountain itself, the weather is a bit changeable. The clouds like to hang out on “misty” acres. It should be sunny and warm during the day but the mornings and late nights tend to be misty and cool, so I recommend bringing layers and a extra blanket or two just in case. If the weather gets too bad there are two homes on the land and there will be a bit of a pavilion set up as well.

There is somewhat limited parking, so we are encouraging people to carpool if possible.

People will be free to do as they please, explore, hike, go into town, head for the river etc.
The schedule for events will be handed out to everyone, as well as map. If you or anyone wishes to do a little demonstration, poetry reading, workshop, lecture etc please fell free to do so. There will also be a soapbox set up in the main camp for anyone who needs to vent.

PS if you have Hawthorn or Blackthorn in your area, or sold in your area, I’d be glad to have one to plant here for the festival. Thanks

Email me at juniper@walkingthehedge.net or juniper@gmail.com for more information address and phone number etc

Please RVSP as soon as possible.

If anyone wants to volunteer and hour or two of time during the event just to help out with oddball jobs we would very much appreciate it!!! And it will make you look good to your pagan community *wink*

A family member visiting and taking care of moms dogs let her dog in with the 6 week old collie puppies and he killed one and injured another. Momma dog (athena) was also slightly injured defending her babes. Please please any healing energy and prayers to ease the dead babes journey into the afterlife would be very apreciated right now.

Update:
The pup had a broken neck and had to be put down. Athena has a couple of small bites on her nose and is very upset but okay. I have just gotten back from buyring them and am going to go lay down for a nap.