ADF · Dedicant · Journal

I realize that high day rituals won't be the same now that Rowan is here (for quite awhile at least) and it's not a bad thing.  I've come to accept my role as one of the folk rather quickly and unexpectedly.  Though I can't journey as deeply or be as attentive to what others are saying in a rite, it is wonderful to hold my son in my arms and sing to him, as I am singing to the Elder Wise and those present and look down to see him smiling radiantly  up at me... to feel like an Irish mum or Norse family (as it were the weekend past)... to observe things from the outside (literally walking round the edges near the trees as that calms Rowan) yet still be part of the ritual in the making of offerings both in silence at the edge and in song at the center... to watch a grove grow. 

I felt a warmth fill me as dubhlainn welcomed the Elder Wise and my eyes welled up though I shed no tears.  I only wish we had interacted more with them.  It must have been very powerful for the officers to make their oaths in their presence, especially a new Senior Druid before the druids and priests of old.  And yay for honoring a living tree!  Overall a very lovely rite.  I include below my song of praise, begun two Beltanes ago that I was inspired to finish for this occasion. It's really more of a chant and could benefit from a second voice coming in at the new verse and perhaps a third to make in more dynamic, but it was still effective solo.

Ancient Ones, foremothers and forefathers
Ancient Ones, heroes and kin
Ancient Ones, warriors and poets
Ancient Ones, we call you again

Ancient Ones, grandmothers and grandfathers
Ancient Ones, wise ones and kin
Ancient Ones, healers and seers
Ancient Ones, we honor again (pour whiskey)

Ancient Ones, foremothers and forefathers
Ancient Ones, elders and kin
Ancient Ones, druids and cheiftains
Ancient Ones, be here again.

Jay, Rowan and I had an excellent time at Three Crane's rite last night.  Very good to see our dear friends both of their grove and ours.  Thank you Black Bears for making the trip.  I wish I had been in a more receptive state for the ritual. 

( rest behind the cut ) welcoming to the deities, it said everything and you could feel his integrity.  I was very moved and I know Adam was too (he was sitting beside me and makes these little hand motions or grunts when something resonates with him, which was quite a lot that night).  One thing I wish I could have been more focused on was the journey to Helheim athenamsb led, as that was the one thing I purposely didn't read from the outline she sent, as I wanted to experience it in person.  I missed most of the decent, but I did see my ancestors across  the room and reached out.  That was the most beautiful version of Mothers and Fathers of Old I've been part of. 

I think it was a true testament to the dedication of the Cranes that their omen was carried out the way it was and I loved it.  Each person that had invited the Kindred drew a rune (which we often do) but it was these same people that announced the omen to the folk (as opposed to a single seer) the all had an excellent understanding and seamus_mcnasty summed things up wonderfully.  Rowan enjoyed playing with the waters cup.  Adored Missy's performance of Wayfaring Stranger.  Never been to a sumble that large but it was moving to be part of a community all focused on a single purpose, honoring the dead.  Adam observed that Rowan seemed to enjoy the sumble, he was standing during some of it.  He started to fuss a bit during the closings, so I walked him round the back of the hall, when we got into the light he perked up and we visited with a little one year old (they held hands).

When the rite was called to an end I made a B line for shawneen_bear and presented the babe to him.  Then I headed back toward the Black Bears.  We gave gifts to the Cranes and I introduced myself to Steph Gooch who then scolded me for not coming to a Stone Creed rite yet.  I'm definitely going to their Yule, but I'm really interested in dubhlainn 's rite to the Ancient Wise.  I was then whisked away for a grove picture.  Rowan had a great time dancing with rhiannon76 while I got grub.  We ate and chatted with dubhlainn , but soon Rowan became overwhelmed by the intense drumming so we packed up.

Jay and I had a nice post ritual talk on the drive home.  We both were a bit preoccupied with Rowan to get a whole lot out of the ritual and Jay is not at all inclined to large rites (neither am I really, but I don't get vehement about them).  But he was the one to say that the liturgy was excellent and would work more effectively for us with a tighter knit group.  We came to a point of acceptance that it's not that Black Bear is so different, or does things "better" it's simply the way each grove must operate per their capacity.  Three Cranes is a large grove that draws a lot of people and thus they must cater their rituals toward the folk which really is the way things would have worked historically.  Where as with Black Bear we get very few visitors and thus end up more like a small order of druids performing more esoteric feeling rites.  The rituals are basically the same, ours are just longer and thus go a bit deeper because we don't have to work about the deep restraints of having so many people making offerings and what not.  That being said, I'm sure the people involved and the folk get lots out of it spiritually, we're just not used to that dynamic.

I am being summoned by Rowan.  Thank you Cranes!</div>

Walking toward the check out in our local grocery store my eye caught something in the cold beer case several yards away.  Could it be?  Surely not.  Yes... omg, it is.  Near hyperventilation took place, yet I grabbed my husband's hand and kept walk forward.  He asked if I wanted one.  All I could do was ::wibble:: in reply.  He said "alright I'll get it for you, you go ahead and find a pew".  And a few moments later he joined me with what he reported was the only one left on the shelf.  Strongbow cider... in BOTTLES!!!  Never have I seen this sweet blessing before.  So substitute bottle for pint and can for half-pint and I'm as pleased as Pippin!  That is all.

Or you know ever, or sooner if we decide to pull the little device out but I don't see that happening.  Got Mirena installed this morning (yes I'm a computer) and I'm a bit more crampy than I felt going in.  Luckily my sister is coming over to help with Rowan while I get everything ready for this weekend, not much but I just don't feel up to bouncing him around and such.  Oh and other good news, I'm not pregnant!  Cos you know they've got to check that beforehand.  Was actually worried for sec when they insisted on doing a test.  Yeah, an eleven month old and a newborn, no thanks.  Sis is here.

On August 9th Jay, Rowan and I had our first family ritual.  We were going to celebrate Lughnassadh the weekend before but feeding schedules and weariness got in the way.  However after reading Kirk and Nora's e-mail about their rite, I told Jay we had to uphold the high day in some way.  See, Jay is rather intimidated by family rituals or just me and him rituals and thus we let Yule and Midsummer (well I went to Siver Falls) slip by.  He'll just have to get over that as we both feel strongly about creating family traditions.  Jay suggested we hold it on the one month aniversary of moving in as we had not done a spiritual cleansing of the house (by sage as opposed to Murphy's Oil Soap) and I wanted to process the boundry and some other IE inspired home traditions as well as officially establish our Sacred Center.

( Rest behind the cut... )

a black squirrel ran up our black ash tree.  makes an ie druid momma very happy to know the big world tree that gives all the shade to the backyard is an ash, even if its not european... neither is the black squirrel, which had a golden tail.  only in this last year have i seen black and grey squirrels in this area.  perhaps they have migrated east from Kent mingling in with our fox squirrels, who i always thought were red squirrels, but no those are british and really quite red and have peaked ears.  now i want to read miss suzy again, me thinks she was a fox squirrel.  ( rambling on yard and spirituality )

Sorry for all the posts, but we're basically caught up.  Dreadful photo shoot at about two weeks, when we thought we'd do birth announcements, but all the coordination made mommy cry.  She did a lot of that when she had to go over to grandma's house.

( Yeah I've got battle scars... from my nails... )

At a week old Rowan went to Legacy Village with his mum and grandmum.  Rowan slept through Crate and Barrel, woke up at Arhaus, demanded to be fed several times when grandma wanted to go into stores he did not and ended up eating at Claddagh Irish Pub in the same nook mummy and daddy had their post wedding dinner in.  Wish I had gotten a photo of that, but alas only repetitive shots of feeding in the car.

His Classic Pooh onsie features Pooh Bear with a turtle and a hedgehog and says "even prickly friends need hugs".  ::waves at Aunty Ann::

for me to upload photos from my phone, here are the two already on the computer.  daddy's little gingerbread man and big dagda feet.  both from first morning in hospital.  happy three weeks.