Druids and allsorts!

It's autumn, but there has been hardly any rain. We're still turning out to fires, mostly ones lit by people who aren't very aware.  They light a small fire and don't put it out properly, or they light too big a fire for the dry conditions. Ah well, at least it keeps us busy.  And dirty...

...but not in a good way!

I need to talk about the Druidcamp.  It was while back now but it was most marvelous.

Damh the Bard, Cerri and Kristoffer were so lovely.  As I've said before, if you want to see what a spirituality or philosophy will do for you, look at its leaders, and you couldn't ask for for kinder, wiser, more connected beings than these three.

I learned a heap, and laughed and cried a lot, and some of the moments in the ceremonies and bardic circle and giant music session were just mind blowingly amazing.

Julie, Tamzin, Cait and I performed Savage Daughter together at the eisteddfod.

Afterward at the bardic circle, I did my new song called King of the Boars that I wrote for my new lyre, Torc.  I love this pic Michelle got of me.

I look a lot more relaxed than I

felt!

I also got to spend time with my Druid peeps!  Yay!

Selfie with Mandy, and a photobomb by Damh the Bard and Kris!  Did you ever!

On the plane with lovely Michelle and my Druid brother Dusty!

My dear druid sister Trudy!

       
And we explored a bit of gorgeous Adelaide.  The botanical gardens are lovely, as is the old architecture, and they have a lot of art and quirky bits that I loved, except the moment where I thought i was about to fall down these stairs, though it turned out there was glass over them!  The sculpture at the bottom looks a bit worried that he might have had to catch me!  

Around here, things go on as usual.  The last chicks of the year are growing up. both roosters, dammit, but being part Hamburg, they aren't very big so won't be able to bully the girls, or very loud crowers, so they might be able to stay.  Frankendotte has gone to live with mum's partner, Karl, and his hens.  He is rechristened Frank Sinatra for his singing, which Karl loves.  A lucky break for Frank!

One of the so called Hamburgs is definitely not all Hamburg.  He is rather hideous in the face right now but his plumage is pretty and interesting.  He was christened Chugly (chicken ugly) for a while but he's now called Bunky, short for Shubunken, because of his goldfish colouring.

The other one is classic Hamburg and is The Cisco Kid because of his embroidered black and white appearance.  He is super pretty, which makes Bunky look worse.

I'm crocheting a blankie for my friend Amy, and as usual Mr Kitty has to help.

He's such a lovey.

I've been passed as a driver for the big ICV in our comms brigade (incident control vehicle).   

We turned out to the late shift with our comms brigade to a large fire and got to see our brigade mates from Chidlow VBFB.  Ha, I wasn't the grubbiest for a change!  Away from the fire, it was cold out there!  It seems silly to be fighting fires while it is cold, but there you have it. 

It was hectic at first.  We arrived to find many appliances and support crews on the boards to keep track of with our very good crew ...

 ...but as the fire was blacked out, trucks were stood down, and the night drew on, the number of fireys dropped, and by the time we left at 2am, it was quite spooky out there. Just one lone guy from the water truck wandering in to find coffee and food at the blessed Salvos truck!
  

No rain, but we know autumn is here because the Virginia Creeper has once more turned.

  I found one of my books on the feature wall at our local library.  Yay!

Roo and i got to turn out to a fire together in the back of the truck.  Also yay!

Yes something weird happened to my face.  Other than me just being weird as usual. 


We had some of our Druid mates over for a Samhain night.  It was lovely getting to see my  friends enjoying playing my lyres. They're so calming to play.  
 

   

            Also Guinevere felt she should be part of the night, and Michelle got a pic of her for me.

Michelle also made me this quilt!  Squeeeee!

It has the rune Ansuz on it, for my patron god, Odin, and for inspiration and skill in communication, and the two ravens who accompany Odin, Huginn and Muninn.  I just can't even begin to say how much I love and appreciate this gift and all the work and skill she put into making it!  I love you Michelle!

This gorgeous old Jarrah tree was on the side of the track we walked one morning this week.

Look at all the liminal space, and the face too!

Michelle also got this pic of my dear Rosie, who is 11-and-a-half now and showing her age a little more lately.

My sweet sweet baby, how did you get to be an old dog so suddenly?            


      

A Mothers Day Gift For You

 

A free new story for you! 

Happy (and scary) Mothers Day!

https://tlmerrybard.com/just-one-night-in-the-land-of-fire/ 

Life and Dream

The dream was the 17th OBOD Australian Assembly, or maybe the assembly was real life at last.  Not sure.  At any rate, it was bloody amazing, and I can't talk about much of it because it is secret Druid's business (it is a mystery school and it is most fun if you get to learn things in their correct order) however I can say that a weekend with more than 40 people who are all open, heart-centred, nature-loving, creative and just downright wonderful, well, it was life-changing.

Ceremony, connection, laugher, tears, goosebumps, stories, singing, dancing, hugging, meditating, making music, walking amongst the trees with people who love them like I do.  Pure bliss!

Can I show you pics of the lovely people and what we got up to?  Nopey nope!   I wish I could but I can't.  I'll hold the times and the photos close to my heart instead.  To those who were there, just let me say, I love you all, and you are all amazing humans, and may we meet again soon, because I can feel your hearts all the way out there across Australia and New Zealand, and it is something to hold to, but will not be enough forever.

Special mention to Dusty and Jenni, my fellow WA-ites, who shared a cabin with me and made me feel like a kid camping again.  You both rock and I love you lots!     

Here is the hillside beyond the campground with a distant rainbow.
     

Here is me just after my initiation as Druid.  What can I can say about that but, hell yes, if you are an OBODie on the path, keep going, because it just gets better and better, and of the Druids who held space for my fellow initiates and me, I want to say a heartfelt thank you, and may it be so that I one day come to carry and share the joy, warmth and wisdom that you carry and share so gracefully.

Almost the very best thing?  I made it!  No crashes, no bad reactions, I was full of energy for the whole four days no matter how hectic it got.  I had to be careful, especially of what I ate and breathed, but ten years ago, if someone had told me that one day I would be well enough to do such a thing, I'd have thought they totally sucked for teasing me.  Chronic Lyme *can* be treated and managed well enough to have a good life again, and I am living proof, but I will never take it for granted.  I'm loving every moment of it. 

Home is good too.  I'm still bouncy happy Tina.  No post-con depression.  I am every day working to add more of my spirituality into my life.  Seeking to find out who I am at core, and making sure I prioritise those parts of my life that feed that.  We are all works in progress, and I'm working on it.  Always will be, I'm sure.

More time in nature...

More time with good friends, human and animal...

More time doing work of the hands...

The moccs are getting a makeover. 

Druid tabard to be...

       More time doing all sorts of writing and making art and making music...

New kids' story coming soon!

More time doing service for my community at both my brigades, including my amazing new bushfire brigade, Chidlow VBFB...

Shiny new jacket for a shiny new beginning!

More time snuggling you-know-who...

And apparently less time crocheting, because that same you-know-who likes sitting on the current afghan way too much lately.

Blogging is still going to be less frequent, but I miss the diary element of my time here.  I might endeavour to be more regular with it.  We'll see.  Lots else to do these days!

I wish for you all, "a blessing upon your days, a blessing upon your lives, a blessing upon the land."  /|\ 

 

Yardwork and Skiving Off.

I made this!

It's been a stormy winter and so far we have three giant bonfires, nearly all from fallen trees rather than the planned grooming of the property that we do every year.  I made this one all myself! It is densely packed with soft green branches and represents hours of hard labour.  Who needs a gym? Hopefully they will be dry enough to burn before fire permit season begins at the end of August.

Today I finished piling up the last of the fallen tree, with the help of Gogs and Drew.  It would have taken me quite a few more more hours, but we were done in 40 mins or so and off to a cafe for cake and a chat!  What would I do without the Firey guys?!  I got Drew to take the above pic before they added any branches, though, while it was still genuinely all my work!

On Sunday, just for a change of pace, I took off in Andrew's Jimny, Timmy, to have a drive out to the old farmsite of Malmalling, where we had a lot of bushfires this year, and where I get lost every time.  I think it is because it is where two small rivers meet, so you tend to think you are on one river and suddenly realise you are now on the other one and facing a different direction.   It is very tricky, especially at night when at a fire and trying to get back for water or food.  Your GPS trail looks like spaghetti after you've done a few hours out there!

Despite being a good half hour's drive down gravel tracks into state forest, it is a favourite haunt of trailbikers, but I managed to find some peaceful places.  This granite outcrop was a great place to have my sandwiches for lunch.

I love Granite outcrops.  So much natural power.

There's Timmy waiting for me at the bottom like a good little Jimny.

The tracks were much wetter than they are in summer (Derrr, Tina!) and in places Timmy and I were up to our ankles in water.  I had a bit of a girly squeal to myself as we slipped a bit while crossing here!

Timmy did a great job though, living up to his rep as a good 4 x 4, despite being a miniature version.

I also came across the old farmhouse site.  These two magnificent old oaks stood sentinel over the rubble of the home that once they graced.

Their energy was so peaceful. I loved them at once and spent some time communing with them and thinking about the people who had once lived here.

These Friesias (?)  had grown all alone and unaided into a beautiful setting of their own.

   
Down by the little river (I'd call it a creek but it does indeed own the grand name of Helena River)  things were magically damp and a tad spooky.  I kept expecting to see a gnome, or the Oz equivalent of such, peering at me,

Google did this, and not sure if I like it or not, but it does better capture the green of the grass across the river, and the bright shimmer of yellow winter afternoon sun on the water.

Ahhhh, nature, how I love you!   Malmalling, I'll be back to visit again.  Maybe during the week, though, when I will have you to myself!