Category Archives: Uncategorized

Garden Time

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The week before last, the weather was gorgeous: warm (70*) and just right for gardening. Which was perfect as my Gardener’s Supply order had just arrived. Yes, I know, ordering planters is an egregious waste of energy (they came from Vermont, about as far away as possible) but I literally could not find what I wanted/needed at any of the supply places around here — big box and independent both. These are recycled plastic, 16 inches deep and UV treated to keep their color. They are sturdy enough to hold the vines I want to grow to shade to front porch and pretty enough that I enjoy looking at them. As with many ‘green’ decisions, I had to balance competing priorities. Here’s what the porch looks like now:

What you see here are mainly the two jasmine plants. There are also two Clematis vines (purple flowers they will have) on either side of the jasmine on the right. Around the base I planted Allyssium already in bloom, and the fragrance is exquisite. Here’s a closer look at the two blue pots. The top one is filled with various plants from last year — flowering ivy, allyssium (can you tell that I like it?) and dianthus (which should have hot purple flowers this summer). The one on the floor has one of my two foxglove plants.

J. planted a rose bush for me. The two pots flanking it are the seemingly indestructible stargazer lilies. I say that because he planted them in 2006 and all he does is water them. I’m looking forward to the rose bush developing and blooming. Right now it’s pretty gloomy over in that corner.

Our back porch is cleaner (or at least, tidier) than it has been all winter. But it too is pretty low on plant life. I’m hoping to plant lavender and allyssium in containers and place them under the window onto the porch. The smell should really imbue the workout/craft/guest room.

Traveling

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I made it to Toronto yesterday — but my luggage apparent’y remained behind in Chicago. It was a tight connection to the last plane out, and I knew it was a 50/50 chance . . . and I lost.

The bad news is that they ‘can’t find’ my luggage, and in one hour I’m going to be presenting here at the Toronto Pagan Conference. My key talk, Magickal Group Dynamics, the one with a ton of handouts and detailed notes for me to follow so I get as much information as possible into a single hour. In my luggage are those handouts, business cards, and — most importantly — copies of my book. I was going to give one to Deo and another to Judy Harrow. Now, I have nothing.

Not even a toothbrush (which is mightily disgusting, let me tell you). I’m ignoring the ratty hair (thank goodness it isn’t long enough to mat, yet) and the slightly droopy clothes. This is because I was smart enough to wash my socks and ‘dainties’ in the sink last night and draped them over the heater. So, underneath, I am actually clean and comfy.

Sadly, I am running a fever and the head cold has not abated. I’d deal if my luggage were here, but its too much and I just want to go home.

Enough self-pity. I’ll post a real commentary about TPC after my talks.

The Beltane Papers Needs Your Help

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(Full Disclosure: I am the Book Review Coordinator for TBP)

The Beltane Papers, an all-volunteer magazine, has been in service to the Pagan Community for more than 20 years now. In that time it has weathered fair times and foul and succeed in producing a beautiful, scholarly journal of the Mysteries. Now, with the severe illness of the editor, Marione and a distributor’s bankruptcy (after we paid them $3, 000) Issue #38 hangs at the edge. The issue is complete, it is at the printers, and if we don’t find another $2000 we simply won’t be able to go to print (we need $4200, and have $2400, the additional $200 is to help with mailing costs).

We are reaching out to our community.

If you can spare even $5 it can make the difference between a success print and yet another Pagan magazine falling by the wayside. (How many of us still miss Green Egg?)

Major contributors’, individuals or businesses will be listed on our website and in a future issue with contact information (unless, of course, they request anonymity).

Our website (www.thebeltanepapers.net) has a link to PayPal, making a donation quick. But we can also accept checks at:
The Beltane Papers
P.O. Box 29694
Bellingham, WA 98228-1694

If all goes well, we will print and mail this issue.

But what about the future? Yes, we *are* looking to the future of this magazine. We can’t (and have no desire to) come begging to the community every time we need to make up the difference.
An immediate help would be an increase in the number of subscribers. We need to double the number of people receiving The Beltane Papers primarily because our printing costs would nearly halve. It would also allow us to work with larger distributors and you might actually see our beautiful magazine in more local stores.

We are also assembling an aggressive marketing campaign to reach out to new subscribers (and advertisers), but our editor’s illness has hindered our efforts in that direction. We expect this to be a one-time need, and we honor our responsibility to produce a beautiful, factual, fascinating Journal for our Community.

We look to our community for assistance, and are grateful for all help — even if it’s just spreading the word.
Thank you, profoundly.
the All-Volunteer Staff of
The Beltane Papers: A Journal of Women’s Mysteries
Website: http://www.thebeltanepapers.net

Hello world!

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Welcome to my attempt at blogging. As fascinated as I am by LiveJournal, and the fact that basically all of my friends participate on it, I just can’t bring myself to join that community. I’m frankly aghast at this desire to ‘journal’ in public… it feels vaguely obscene, like indulging in salacious finger-licking on Easter Sunday in a Catholic cathedral.

A friend asked me what I have against LJ and I replied:

“Nothing. Its just that so many Journals become housewife diaries. You know:

“Dear Diary,

Adam looked at me today. It kind of freaked me out.

Ate the apple per instructions.”

The Journals that post real content on a regular basis — those are the Journals I respect and admire. I’m not ready for that, and in not achieving perfection I must find a soothing compromise.

Yet, like many ‘obscene’ things, I’m drawn to the process and I want to partake. So, welcome to my way of doing things: This is my walk on the borders, the fringes, and in between worlds.

Welcome.