SeaHeart

Since we are faeries at heart, Jenn and I have been going to the Spoutwood Fairie Festival on May Day since 2004. It is the happiest, most magical time of our year, and we look forward to it more than I could ever say~ :) I recommend it to EVERY single person who has even a pinch of magic in their hearts. It is the most community driven, joy filled event in the world--it is a dream come true, and a heart place and time for us~ <3 (You can go back through my Fairie Festival tag and see our story of the festival--this is the place where I proposed to Jenn in 2004. <3333)

Me and a baby water fairy in 2004~


I have watched the steady progress of Glen Rock Fae: The Spoutwood Fairie Festival Documentary with vast excitement--from the web site: "'Glen Rock Fae' is the story of the Spoutwood Fairie Festival, which is the largest and longest running May Day fairy festival in the world." The documentary is FINALLY finished, but the director needs our help!

Though the documentary may be finished, money is needed in order to get the DVDs pressed and created--that's where we come in! Over at their Kickstarter page, you can contribute as little as $1, and the funds will go to getting the DVD out into the world. More people need to know about the wonder and magic of this festival, and the DVD is the perfect way to do that!

If the festival has ever touched your heart, if you've ever experienced it, if you've loved reading my posts about our experiences there--please consider contributing. Though Jenn and I are incredibly strapped for cash, we found some somewhere, and gave it up so that this thing can live. :) We are so excited about it, are already gearing up our costuming ideas and excitement for the festival in general, and simply can't wait for its release.

Please consider donating--thank you so much~ <3

"You should not fill your head with foolish dreams. What are you reading?"

"How a Princess Edane,
A daughter of a King of Ireland, heard
A voice singing on a May Eve like this,
And followed half awake and half asleep,
Until she came into the Land of Faery,
Where nobody gets old and godly and grave,
Where nobody gets old and crafty and wise,
Where nobody gets old and bitter of tongue.
And she is still there, busied with a dance
Deep in the dewy shadow of a wood,
Or where stars walk upon a mountain-top..."

~ from The Land Of Heart's Desire by William Butler Yeats



~*~

We have returned from the Fairie Festival. Recap post coming soon--it's almost impossible to believe it's all over. I am a wee bit more than a little sad.

Because there's too much sadness and worry, I'm switching gears. Thank you so much for your prayers and good energies for Solstice...If you could please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, I'd greatly appreciate it...I'm going to try and focus on happy, hopeful things today to help raise her energy--and ours. :) <3 (Jenn didn't get picked for jury duty--so that's one happy thing~)

And, obviously, the Fairie Festival is almost ONE WEEK AWAY!!!

(To those new on my friends list, the Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm is the highlight of our year~ It was the first trip that Jenn and I went on when we became a couple, and it was where I proposed to my sweetheart~ The place holds so much magick and mirth and true, deep joy that we look forward to it more than any other time of the year...)

We put a lot of thought and planning into our costumes each year...thank the gods we have so many different costuming pieces, because we're going to try and construct most of our costuming this year from what we already have. I'll have to make a few wings and head pieces and hair falls, but other than that, it's fairy-closet-raiding-time!

Friday
Jenn: Pioneer Fairy
Sarah: Cowgirl Fairy

Jenn came up with this pair, actually...for Yule, I gave her bloomers and a (yet another to add to her collection) bonnet, and she has a vintage prairie dress...so all that needs to be added to this is LOTS OF SPARKLES (please don't ask me where prairie women got their sparkles, I probably don't want to know XD), and wings. All I need to make her wings is a quilt fabric and some time. For myself, I have a cowgirl skirt and hat (which should surprise no one) and a plaid shirt. All I need for myself are wings, which I'm going to make out of bandana fabric...which is the only thing (and time) I need to create them. Also, sparkles. I've been trying to find an old pair of cowboy boots at a thrift store with no luck...I usually go barefoot anyway (I'm immune to poison ivy!).

Saturday
Jenn: Pink Unicorn
Sarah: Purple Bellydancing Unicorn
Everyone (is invited to be in our): Glory of Unicorns

I had the outrageous idea to do a Glamourbomb right in the middle of the festival...lots of fabulous, wonderful people who I know and love are coming this year, and everyone is invited to be a unicorn on Saturday! Let me know if you can't find a horn or don't know how to make one, and I can help you~ A "Glory" is a herd of Unicorns...wouldn't it be fabulous if there were multiple unicorns roaming the festival? ;D Rachel and Kat and Corey are definitely (hopefully? *bats eyelashes*) going to be unicorns...it'll be fabulous together~ I have a beautiful purple flying skirt which I'll layer over black gauchos and purple and black striped high socks, my usual bellydance choli over a purple tank top, lots of purple hair falls and our sturdy purple wings...all I have to do is make the hairfalls and horn and flower encrusted headband. Jenn will be pink, wearing a floofy medieval style skirt and dusty-rose top, with beautiful cellophane wings and her awesome pink wig (with the antennae bent over to form ears). All I need to make for her is the flower and horn encrusted headband. I also need to make Rachel's headband for the excursion~ :D

Sunday
Jenn: Jellyfish Fairy
Sarah: Untamed Woodland Fairy

For years, I've wanted to do a very wild, raw, back-to-nature type fairy, and since that's what I'm invoking this year, I thought it'd be very powerful to aspect that in a costume at the festival. I'm going to need to make an outer skirt (there will be several layers of skirts), but I have the wings--I'll also need to make hair falls in the appropriate color. Now, Jenn's costume is the one I'm probably the most excited about over the weekend. She'll be wearing my Tribal Mermaid fringe belt, I'll make the appropriate color of hair falls (it's a very hair-fall-y kind of year), and then the WINGS. I can not adequately describe our plans for them. You'll just have to wait and see. ;)

So! I realize now, after the emails and private messages that I should have left comments open on my last Fairie Festival post...lots of people had questions, and so many people are coming!! What are your costume plans? Do you have anymore questions? Let's have happy times and discuss~ I can't wait to see you guys!!! ;-; It's going to be the most blissful and wonderful festival yet--and everyone is perfect, so that's saying so much~

Nine days!!!!

Since we are faeries at heart, Jenn and I have been going to the Spoutwood Fairie Festival since 2004. It is the happiest, most magical time of our year, and we look forward to it more than I could ever say~ :) I recommend it to EVERY single person who has even a pinch of magic in their hearts. It is the most community driven, joy filled event in the world--it is a dream come true~ <3

Come out and have a fabulous, magical time! If you're going to be there, we'd love to meet up if only for a little while! As the time draws a little closer, I'll be revealing our faerie costuming for this year, so you'll know how to recognize us~ <3 :)

Me and a baby water fairy in 2004~


The 19th annual May Day Spoutwood Fairie Festival!

The May Day Fairie Festival is the brainchild of Rob and Lucy Wood, owners of Spoutwood Farm, an organic farm in the Community Supported Agriculture movement. It began as a party for about 100 friends, and has been celebrated by 16,000 “friends” of the little people from the local area, all across the US and across the Atlantic. Previously a one-day festival, a second and third day were added as a response to the festival’s rising popularity.

Once again, the festival will celebrate the beginning of spring and all of the nature spirits return to the warm world with 70 arts and crafts vendors (mostly featuring handmade art inspired by the little people), performances by musicians and dancers, storytellers, participatory maypole dancing, fairie craft activities such as wand and garland making (involves a small fee), food vendors, fairie and other nature spirit environments to explore, a Nature Place offering a place for environmental, health, animal interest and other groups to share their vision, fairie and gnome habitat tours, fairie tea parties, guest appearances by the Green Man, the Mossmen, Sweet Pea and others.

Jenn, last year~


The fairie and May Day themes go back to ancient times in almost all cultures, especially to the Celts of the British Isles who had a festival on the first of May called Beltane. It was a time of great rejoicing at the return of the earth's abundance in spring and the impending bounty of summer. The Celts celebrated the spirits of nature by honoring not only the plants that they could see and smell but also the unseen beings of the fairie realm.

When: April 30th from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and May 1st and 2nd from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day

Where: Spoutwood Farm Center 4255 Pierceville Rd Glen Rock PA 17327 717-235-6610

Admission: Admission is $15 for people over 12, $5 for people 12 and under, and free for those 2 and under. A three-day pass is available for a reduced price of $30...the three day pass can also be used to get through the gates quicker, even if you are only using it for two of the days. Those who decide to volunteer when they arrive at the festival can request a 2-hour job assignment; upon completion, the admission fee will be refunded.

Us, 2008~


About Spoutwood Farm: Nestled in the rolling landscape of York County is Spoutwood Farm - a family owned farm and part of the Community Supported Agriculture program, supports more than 100 families with organically grown food throughout the year. Spoutwood Farm supports sustainable living practices and offers workshops and classes in streamside ecology, mead making, medicinal herbalism and more. Spoutwood is a 501©(3) non-profit organization.



Kubiando is a Way of Living

Knowing that the Universe supports you
Understanding Life’s Lessons along the way
Believe in Yourself
Invent new ways of being and be an Inspiration
Always do your Best
Never, never, never, give up
Divine guidance surrounds you
One Love, One Circle of Life

(From Kubiando.com~)

...in no particular order:

Florida
Our Florida pictures are on Flickr, Jenn posted about our trip here and Rachel posted about our vacation here, and every single time I try to write up a post, I draw a blank. I can't articulate it...I simply can't, and I'm going to stop trying. It was one of the most amazing sets of days of our lives. The magic, the purification and loving embrace of the ocean and our soul family...honestly, every single time I think of what was experienced, the ritual that Rachel and I had on the beach that full moon night...I begin to cry. I've written about it in my paper journal, and that's the record I'll keep, close to my heart. There are universal truths...if you are a witch, and you go the sea, everything changes, and you are healed, always, forever. Healed.



The Fairie Festival
Jenn and I have been going to the Spoutwood May Day Fairie Festival since 2004 (it's actually where I proposed to Jenn~ <3). In the beginning, it was a second honeymoon type thing for us. We simply cavorted on the land for three holy days and nights, and it was just us. Over time, we developed incredible friendships with some of the amazing people who go there or are a part of it, and then were able to introduce our friends to it, too. To us, it's still holy and sacred, but now we share it with those wonderful people who come with us, who are there, too...so it's evolved and changed from a honeymoon type atmosphere to one of love and community, and the circle comes around again. The more fairy magic in the world, I think, the better~ To those new on my friends list, I start posting about said fairy costuming MONTHS IN ADVANCE. Expect costuming posts in...oh say, a day or two. XD There is NOTHING better in the world than any excuse to wear fairy wings. Jenn and I talk about the Fairie Festival every day lately, knowing that it is the sentinel between winter and the beauty and bounty of spring...we CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!

Diana's Grove
I'm halfway through my second year of the Sisterhood of the Silver Branch, and...along with that spiritual work this year...I am lucky enough to experience Diana's Grove again. Diana's Grove was where I first met Rachel, actually, many years ago~ :) To be able to experience the land again, the sheer magick of it all...I am humbled and eternally grateful. This is the last year of Diana's Grove in this incarnation...and the perfect year is, of course, the story of Persephone. What is Diana's Grove, and why am I doing it? Diana's Grove is sacred community...it's myth within our lives. It's sacred land, it's sacred people...it's an experience that is once in a lifetime, and that I'm actually able to be there for the final year, working with my matron Goddess and Her journey...wow, wow, wow.

What Would You Give?
...The reason I brought it up now, instead of a post all of its own (of which there will be plenty this year), is because one of the questions asked of us in January's work really touched me, changed me...meant something to me, in Florida, and continues to here. Rachel and I were sitting on the beach, and we began to talk about this month's work, when she brought up a question I hadn't yet seen. Right now, we're dealing with the part of the myth of Persephone's disappearance (there's more to it than that, but I digress), and Demeter's reaction to it...including roaming the earth, weeping and searching for Her daughter. A question asked was this: if the Goddess, in Her guise as Demeter, came to you...how would you help Her...what would you give? The question shook me to my core, and immediately my heart rose up with a response, and there was so much more that was unearthed and came to fruition and showed me magic...On the beach, in the full moon, Rachel and I discussed it once again, and something else came to light. If you were in Demeter's shoes instead...wandering the earth, and you came to the Goddess' door...what would She give you? The paradox of it, the giving and receiving (especially the receiving), and all of the implications and the way the world has been shifting lately to bring these awarenesses to me...beautiful. I had to share that question with you. :) What are your own answers? And if the Goddess gave to you...do you love yourself enough, have compassion to yourself enough, to receive it?

I Am a Priestess
I keep writing things here, and then erasing them, because nothing holds the passion and joy and rampant tides in my own heart for what happened to change things on the beach that night, and why I now call myself a Priestess in my faith, to and for my Goddess. So we'll save that for another day~ <3