Dragonrise Witchcamp 2015

Walking to the Stone Circle in the meadow at Dragonrise in 2013 

 

I am very happy to announce that I will be teaching at Dragonrise Witchcamp again this summer. This will be my second time at Dragonrise (you can read about my first year here).

 

 

From the camp website:

 

Dragonrise is a long-weekend family-friendly camp full of magic!

The next camp will take place between 30 July to 2 August 2015 at Wildways on the Borle in Shropshire.

Dragonrise is open to all ages and experience levels and has already built up a reputation for being accessible for newcomers, challenging for more experienced folks and welcoming to all.

Together we will learn magic, weave stories and grow. In 2009 we began a new adventure, a family friendly Witchcamp in Britain, originally called Sunrise. We would love for you to join us this year as we spread our wings again. Our goal is to be eco-friendly and as affordable as possible, while facilitating a magical experience for all who join us.

A Reclaiming Witchcamp is an intensive period of time working together with like-minded individuals within the context of a story. You choose which path you would like to take throughout our time together and each morning join teachers who will guide your learning. Each evening we come together in ritual based on the story of the week.

Throughout the camp you will learn new skills, meet new people, forge new friendships and grow in yourself.

Our first camp was in August 2009, in our previous incarnation as Sunrise Camp.

Our second camp was in August 2011, under our new and permanent name of Dragon Rise. We worked with the wonderful story, Dragonhearted, by Suus. Witches and witchlets arrived in the hills of Snowdonia from all over Europe, finding our dragon wings and opening our dragon hearts.

Our third camp was Catching the Tale in August 2013 at Wildways where we worked with Lugh and Brigid and the power of stories, rewriting our own in the process!

Witchcamp will change your life, just like magic!

This year we will be working with a beautiful myth from Shropshire and it is looking like it will be a wonderful camp! If you would like to join us, booking details can be found on the Dragonrise website here: http://dragonrise.spruz.com/downloads.htm. Click to download details and a booking form.

 

 

The Skylodge at Wildways, Dragonrise 2013

 

 

 

The Owls

 

The owls announced it first, twitting and quavering back and forth across the valley to each other. Engrossed in my task of chopping wood I hadn't even noticed, but they prompted me to look up and register the oncoming twilight.

The sun dropped behind the hill and daylight gradually drained away into the west. As I stacked the logs and put away the axe, I listened to the birds singing the sun to bed, the rooks gossiping as they settled in the rookery for the night, the owls greeting each other in the gloaming.

I listened intently to the sounds of oncoming night, smelled the woodsmoke on the breeze, watched the darkening sky.

As a last, tardy wren flitted to her roost, the stars appeared: first bright Venus following the sun, then more and more pinpoints of light like tiny guiding lanterns. Orion was completely visible by the time the birds finally fell silent.

I shut the chickens away and walked back to the house, the comforting glow of light in the porch beckoning me in.

Good hunting, owls.

Imbolc Altar

 

 

 Posted a little late... oh well!

 

Winged Messengers

 

 

Snippets From my Journal...

 

This morning a heron, grey as the sky, rose up out of the mist and flew before me, great slow wing-beats into the trees. There is magic everywhere, look for it and it is there.

 

This morning, two bluetits perched on the windowsill, not a foot away from where I sat writing. Cheeky clowns, hanging upside down and chattering with each other, tiny bright-eyed balls of feather and bustle. Remember that joy and play are as much a part of life as seriousness and work.

 

And now, as I write, the heron flies overhead again as if in salute, or acknowledgement, or benediction. I am blessed.

 

*****

 

Starlings gleam in the slanting sun, their wings translucent gold silhouetted against the sky. Magical, mystical, fairy tale birds until they land and become once again, a small flock of garrulous fallen angels. The divine is immanent, if not always obvious.

 

 





Quick Update in Photos

As I mentioned in my last post, I was unable to post new photos to the blog for a while. So here are a few that I would have posted, had I been able to. It also serves as a quick round up of what IB and I have been up to.

 

In the spring, during a visit to a nearby farm I unexpectedly found myself helping deliver a calf  as the cow was in difficulty and an extra pair of hands was needed. Luckily all went well and the photo shows both mother and baby both fit and well a short while afterwards.

 

IB and I spent an idyllic afternoon in May wandering in gorgeous bluebell woods. I could hardly bear to leave.

 

 

We have had many lovely times with friends in our local Pagan community - there have been Moots (monthly social gatherings), seasonal rituals, meals out to celebrate birthdays, and workshops - this photo is from a wand-making workshop.

 

 

There have been lots of interesting places to visit - to Brecon with my parents to meet up with my sister and brother-in-law...

 

...to Castell Henllys in Pembrokeshire to see Robin Williamson perform (a magical bardic evening in an Iron Age roundhouse by firelight)...

 

...to the beautiful Aberglasney Gardens to wander in beauty and enjoy a delicious meal on the lakeside terrace...

 

...and another trip to Madrid...

 

...to see the ever-wonderful Rubinoos...

 

...and a Winter Solstice visit to see the Mari Lwyd at the National Botanic Garden of Wales (where we also enjoyed a fabulous exhibition of Jackie Morris' paintings).

 

 

Better Late Than Never

 

Mandrake showing remarkable restraint around Christmas decorations

It has been a while since I posted. For a large part of last year I was beset by technical problems. My computer decided to deny me access to my photographs, and I could neither upload nor download photos. Hence most of the photographs in newer blogposts have been recycled from earlier posts. I couldn't even share photos of our new kittens (well, new in Autumn 2013) - be warned, that will soon be remedied!

Then my email vanished into the ether when my email provider was bought out by a bigger company who promised 'nothing would change' and then promptly disabled the service with no warning, explanation or apology. Then I managed to get locked out of my 'alternative' email address when it prompted me to change my password then steadfastly refused to recognise either the new or old passwords.

My misery was compounded when my broadband suddenly ceased working. This was complicated by the fact that the account was still in T's name, as it had been set up some years ago as part of a phone package he had bought. The broadband was free (this was when they were trying to get people to switch to broadband) so I hadn't wanted to rock the boat by changing the name of the account holder in case I would have to start paying. IB and I tried everything to fix the broadband before finally having to get T involved. He very kindly investigated for us, only to confirm that it had been disabled as that tariff (i.e. free!) was no longer available. So I then had to search for a new provider. I got one arranged, but a couple days before it was due to start, there was a big storm during which the house was hit by lightning. Luckily, there was no damage except for the phone line which was fried (no I can't believe it either). That took 3 weeks to get fixed.

All in all, it seems like events were conspiring to keep me away from my blog. So it has been a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ong time between posts. But it is a new year, I am back and will be hopefully making up for lost time over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, kitten pics!!!

 

A sleepy baby Woodruff

 

Despite being from different litters, Mandrake and Woodruff are inseparable

 

The candle is much shorter these days, and Woodruff is much larger! I will have to take a new photo for comparison.

 

Woodruff being adorable.

 

Mandrake is always in search of fun.

 

Mandrake.

 

A bit older in this one..

 

 

Nearly fully grown!

 

And as you can see, they have settled in well with the rest of the household...

 

...which doesn't leave much room on the sofa for the humans!

 

Reflections from the Cusp

We seem to be teetering on the cusp of Summer-into-Autumn at the moment. It is September already (how did that happen?) but as yet the days are warm and sunny even if the mornings are shrouded in mist and have a nip to them. No frosts yet, thank goodness.

It has been an amazingly busy summer, with much fun and celebration (parties, outings, picnics, a wedding complete with fancy dress!), plenty of sunshine and lots of hard work, both at home and in setting up a new business (or possibly two). Life is good at the moment.

And for once I am looking forward to the onset of autumn proper. Perhaps it is because we have actually had a decent summer for the last two years. But I am eagerly anticipating snuggling into cosy jumpers, warm nights around the fire, kicking through fallen leaves, making my favourite soups, roasting chestnuts...

Summer, don't be in a hurry to leave. But Autumn, I am looking forward to greeting you once again, old friend.