I just went over to the Faerie Magazine website to do my monthly check on the postings, and to my dismay, I find that the boards are no longer there, replaced by a Blog page from the Faerie Magazine staff members. Now, I admit that the postings were becoming fewer and further between, with fewer people participating, but there really was a great deal of useful information and discussions that are now lost... (Sigh!) I do hope this isn't a sign that such a great Magazine may be fading away, especially since I just renewed my subscription for another two years.

My friend Miriam surprised me (again!), taking this portrait of me sometime during Friday night at Fires Rising.  I honestly don't remember her doing this... I suspect the quantity of Mead I consumed is what makws my eyes shine so well...

A friend took this portrait of me as I was sitting at the Wickerman Burn 2009 Registration Kiosk, and just sent it to me. It came as something of a surprise, because I didn't know he was taking the photo at the time. He called it his "proof" that I was a "Horny Old Man"!  Seems to me he doesn't know they're antlers, proof that I'm such a "deer" old man". (Grin!)

So, how do I condense twelve days of combined work, play, recreation, meeting new friends, inviting people to Enchanted Folk, and just plain having fun down to a single blog post? By 'cheating' and using the Journal entries from my personal Journal, that's how! (Grin!)

20 May -- Ivy, my Pagan neighbor and new friend who I met on the Four Quarters Boards while looking for a ride, picked me up at 10:00 AM for the four-hour drive to Four Quarters farm and Campground. We talked about the farm and the events held there on the way down, but even that didn't prepare me for how BIG the place is! One of the staff members helped me unload into my 'room' in the loft, then took me on a quick tour of the campsite on a golf cart. I met Nic, Ariel, and Orrin, as well as Patricia and Ilsa, some staff members and some of the organizers of Wickerman Burn, and found myself volunteering to help with both building the Wickerman and sitting at Registartion -- Luckily not both at the same time! After that, I spent three hours or so hiking along the roadway through the campground, and still never saw all of it!

21 May -- Awake and ready to go at 6:30! Must be something in the air here -- or the sun shining into my eyes as it rose. Had breakfast with the staff and volunteers at 8:00, and was in the High Meadow working on the Wickerman by 9:00. Ouch--got sunburned BAD!!! My arms HURT!!! Ate a cold supper, didn't have the energy left to cook.

22 May -- Up early again, probably because I was asleep by 8:00 last night. Fixed a hot breakfast, then applied a TON of sunblock -- my arms feel like they're on fire! Stayed in my 'room' until almost 9:00, reading the book I brought with me, then went down to man registration. Registration was slow until late afternoon, then picked up with dozens arriving all at once. Spent most of the day talking with Staff members, learning about how Four Quarters operates. Actually enjoyed a day without 'real' work. Went to a drum circle, and visited with some of the campers and 'theme' camps, made some more new friends. Late to bed...

23 May -- Busy day, up a bit later last night. so I 'slept in' until almost 8:00, though It was hard to do -- sun in my eyes for several hours. A bit stiff, but still ambulatory. Helped in the woodshop making some stakes for the gardens, and planing planking for the floor of the new dormitory, then headed off to the festival around noon. Lots more people on site now -- met several people from the W-B area, and exchanged contact info; I think I solved my transportation problems to get down to Four Quarters more often. (Grin!) Wow, what a burn for the Wickerman! Someone added fireworks and an explosive charge (safely behind the Man), and the firespinners and drummers really put on a show before they lit him up. Flames and sparks, fifty feet into the air! When it was safe, all the onlookers rushed to dance and run around the remains -- I even hobbled around him a few times before sitting down with the drummers to watch. I was 'encouraged' to try several samples of Mead brewed by people attending, so I was ready to sleep when the fire burned low...

24 May -- Late night, later morning -- almost Noon when I awoke. Very stiff and sore, but I feel twenty years younger. (Grin!) Mostly spent the rest of the day helping some campers pack up, then visiting the late-staying theme camps and exploring the campgrounds. More new friends, even a few old ones I hadn't seen in years. That made for some interesting conversations! Fairly early to bed, have an invite to breakfast at 8:00 in the farmhouse with the staff.

25 May -- up early to a rainy Monday, so the hot breakfast in the farmhouse was especially appreciated. Not much can be done except in the woodshop. so I helped there. planing more floorboards and helping with the milling of the siding most of the day. Also took time to help with some campground cleanup, and decided that using the outdoor shower would NOT be a good idea, especially since it started pouring icy cold rain right then. Thank goodness for the inside shower at the farmhouse! Spent the early evening reading, then went to bed around 9:00.

26 May -- More rain early morning, so I went back to bed, back up around 10:00. Spent some time with the staff members, helping do final cleanup, then ate a cold supper of fresh salad greens, tomato, and PB&J sandwiches, topped off with a glass of the Harvest Cyser that the 4QF produces. Really good stuff, I plan on tasting the rest of their selections and taking a few bottles home with me. Read some more, and to bed by 9:00.

27 May -- Up early, in spite of the rain -- it has slowed to a drizzle, but at least we can do some outdoor things today. Invited to breakfast at the farmhouse when I wandered by, they have some fantastic cooks! Lots of 'catch-up' stuff around the campsite, cleaning showers, setting up for the next weekend event. Helped finish the Coffee Dragons site, nailing down decking and coating it with thoroughseal; messy job, but easy to do the way they showed me, using a roller instead of a paintbrush. No more wood at the woodshop, so nothing to do with the planking there -- I took a couple of hours to wander the campsite and visit with some of the members who have permanent campsites. Met Ron and Don, twin brothers, lots of fun with them since they're closer to my age and act 18. Now I just hope that the rain goes away before people start arriving tomorrow.

28 May -- Sunny Morning, but chilly! Up at 7:00, made hot oatmeal for breakfast, along with apple slices cooked in. Grabbed a cup of coffee, too. Got to remember to drink more water during the day, I'm feeling dehydrated. People start to trickle in around noon, but don't expect a big crowd -- only 40-50 expected. Met Fox, the organizer for Fires Rising, and helped with decorating the Drum Circle. Also cut wood for the fires, and spent the rest of the day wandering the woodlands, meeting new folk and making friends. Lots of new faces by nightfall, and the meal plan dinner was very hearty -- they're using Penn Dutch recipes all weekend. Spent time around the drum circle fire, met more people, made more friends. Osa surprised me with a hug and kiss -- not used to nearly naked young girls doing that! Lots of dancers around the fire -- Willow, Miriam, Willow Two, Zulana, Shar and a bunch of others whose names I can't remember. Up very late learning chants and teaching a few in Welsh.

29 May -- Ouch! Stiff and sore today, but in a good way. This place really does make me feel younger. Lots of classes and demonstrations, even got a shoulder massage that felt REALLY good. More people than expected showed up -- nearly sixty around the Drum Circle, counting drummers, dancers and onlookers. Up even later than yesterday -- hope I can make the all-nighter tomorrow!

30 May --Up at 6:30, feeling really stiff and sore -- but again, in a good way. Made it down for the meal plan breakfast and filled up on eggs, bacon, and cheesy grits with biscuits, butter, and honey. If I keep eating like this, I'll gain weight! More classes including a workshop on visualizing the elements. Somehow, I had never made the connection of the similarities between Earth, Air, Fire and Water before today -- on the surface, very different, but each can have very similar properties with the others. Met Sophia, who does some very lovely paintings. She may be doing some illustrations for Tiny Pagans Press when I get the manuscript for the children's herbal. Met Alex, and did some work on the Grandfather Drum, a four-foot tall, two foot diameter cherry log that's being hollowed out, stripped of bark, sanded smooth and carved for 4QF. It's really going to be beautiful! All night Drum Circle and Ceremony started at 9:00, very spiritual and moving. I got pulled into dancing (sort of -- more of a shuffling limp!) and did spend the entire night awake and chanting, dancing, and playing the pennywhistle around the fire. Lots of good energy, but I was ready to sleep when the sun finally rose.

31 May -- Up at noon and feeling vibrant! Last night's Drum Circle and Ceremony have me energized! Wandered into camp and helped people pack up to leave, then spent time with some of the camp members who were staying on. Back to the loft to read and supper around 7:00, and did some prepacking before going to bed.

1 June -- Up and packed by 7:00, so I helped with weeding the garden for a couple of hours until Ivy was ready to leave. Also bought a membership for the year and four bottles of the wine/mead that 4QF makes. (Grin!) The drive back home took longer due to traffic and construction, but the time was spent in good conversations and a short catnap on my part. Looking forward to the next time I can visit -- and hope I can bring (Name hidden to protect the innocent) with me. I think she'd love the place.

That's really the 'short and dirty version -- there were dozens of other things I never touched on, but one I really want to share is the creation of the "Fairy Village" theme camp. Imagine people sitting down for hours at a time and creating various 'Fairy houses' to be left in a wooded area along a seldom used pathway -- Oh, bother, why imagine when a friend has supplied pictures! Enjoy!

And some links to more pictures and videos of the celebrations:

lalartu.smugmug.com/gallery/8356971_5dYi...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vnMGKtFGOM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aaGrScxxG0&feat...

Anxiously awaiting the 20th, when a new acquaintance (and hopefully soon-to-be friend!) picks me up for the four-hour drive to Four Quarters Sanctuary, where we and several hundred others will be attending TWO back-to-back Pagan festivals over the next 12 days.

Wicker Man Burn is a smaller, East-Coast (?) version of Burning Man, with all the attendant celebrations, tied together with the Sanctuary's Pagan basis and a huge dollop of celebratory/party FUN! It runs from Friday, May 22nd to Sunday, May 24th, so I get to spend Thursday just relaxing and communing with nature while others get things set up... but then, I'll probably volunteer to help with that, too. (Grin!0

I have already volunteered to help with clean-up afterwards -- the Monday through Wednesday --  before they start setting up for Fires Rising. I'll be helping with the fireworks set-up for that... those years doing Explosives and Demolition work for the U. S. Army gave me some useful skills, after all! That again runs from Friday through Sunday, and my new friend will be driving us back on Monday Morning.

I'll be 'camping out' in the Loft section of Staff Housing, thanks to volunteering, so I won't have to worry about the weather or setting up a tent. I'll also be spending part of my time at the sanctuary helping with the design of a children's playground area,  exploring the site to determine it's suitability for a Merry Meet weekend, and just getting to meet like-minded people. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

(Information about the Four Quarters Sanctuary and the MANY events that occur there can be found on the web at www.4qf.org/ )