Sunday, August 31, 2008

September, 2008

Happy September, everyone.

First, the news… Evergreen Introductory classes are slated to begin Wednesday, October 15 for four weeks, plus the fifth on Monday, November 10. If you’ve been interested in beginning our classes, mark your calendars.

Rather than a formal event, Calgary Pagan Pride Day is happening as a picnic on Sept. 20, and they’re also doing a pathway cleanup at Eau Claire on the 13th. The 13th is also the annual “Women’s Take Back the Night March”, perhaps more relevant lately in the face of all the gang violence in the city.

Details are a little sparse, but Druid author Brendan (Cathbad) Myers will be in Calgary the weekend of Sep. 19-21 for two workshops with the Covenant of Gaia, and a brunch on Sep. 21 hosted by Awen Grove. See links below for further information.

For those of you who have been wondering, Margarian is still slowly recovering from her illness of last winter. She’s recently had blood tests to try to determine why her stamina is still so low, and we’re currently waiting on the results. In the meantime, she still hasn’t made the trip to Toronto to deal with her late mother’s house, and my summer vacation has been on hold as a result.

I can feel in autumn coming in my weekly morning commute; the sun just rising, the mountains painted pink in sunrise glow, with occasional fresh dustings of snow. Morning sun on the skyscrapers gives the downtown a mythic quality, belying the stress and Mammon-worship that goes on there. The mornings are cooler, the leaves a little paler, and the birds, which have been flying in pairs and family groups, are beginning to gather for migration.

No book review this month; I’ve been enjoying The Bull of Minos by Leonard Cottrell. It’s a 1955 account of the discoveries at Troy and Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann, and at Knossos, Crete by Sir Arthur Evans. (Both Schliemann and Evans were real characters, which adds to the story). I’ve also begun reading Wicca 333: Advanced Topics in Wiccan Belief by Kaatryn MacMorgan. A little preachy, but food for thought. For recreation, I’ve also been re-reading Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson’s Illuminatus! trilogy, the cult classic conspiracy-theory spoof from the 1970’s.

September's Birthdays: Lee G., Frank S., Carla M., Cathryn B., Mordwyn, Mysteel, and probably some of my Facebook friends.

September Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 30, 1:58 p.m. New Moon. Coll (Hazel) lunar month begins.
Aug. 30 – Sept. 1: Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival. Info: http://www.calgarytattoos.com
Sep. 1: Labour Day.
Sep. 4: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Sept. 5: Calgary Pagan Book Club discusses Farrar & Farrar’s Witches Bible. Facebook: Calgary Pagan Book Club.
Sep. 6: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Sep. 13, 12:00 noon: Calgary Pagan Pride Day Pathway Cleanup at Eau Claire. Facebook: Pagan Pride Pathway Cleanup
Sep. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Women’s Take Back the Night March, starting at Central Memorial Park. Info: http://calgarycasa.com/programs/take-back-the-night-2006
Sep. 15, 3:13 a.m.: Full (Harvest) Moon.
Sep. 16, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by yhos, in north Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Sep. 19-21: Workshops with author Brendan (Cathbad) Myers, sponsored by the Covenant of Gaia. Info: see Sept. 6, or visit http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca
Sep. 20: Calgary Pagan Pride Day Picnic, at Fish Creek Park.
Sep. 20, 3:00 p.m.: Haunted Pub Tour, at Cat & Fiddle Pub. Facebook: Calgary Haunted Pub Tour.
Sep. 20, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Mabon Ritual.
Sep. 21, 10:00 a.m. Sunday Brunch with Brendan (Cathbad) Myers at Kilkenny’s Irish Pub in Brentwood (500, 3630 Brentwood Road NW), hosted by Awen Grove. Info: http://awencanada.com/
Sep. 22, 9:44 a.m.: Autumnal Equinox.
Sep. 25, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup – Autumn Equinox Ritual, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Sep. 29, 2:12 a.m.: New Moon. Muin (Vine) lunar month begins.

Blessings,
Hergest

Saturday, August 02, 2008

August, 2008

Happy Lughnasadh, everyone. I’ll spare you the monthly blurb this month. The weather’s beautiful for a change, and we should be out enjoying it. Already the days have begun to visibly shorten, and the back-to-school sales are already happening. Carpe Diem!

This just in: The annual Gathering for Life on Earth, the Vancouver area pagan festival scheduled for the August long weekend, had to be cancelled following the rockslide along the Sea to Sky Highway earlier this week. Reports are that alternate events may be happening in Vancouver. Info: http://www.gatheringforlife.org/

August's Birthdays: Cathie M., Cat T., Raine, and probably some of my Facebook friends.

August's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only; no endorsement is necessarily implied. Dates and locations may be subject to change; see the source for details. If I’ve missed anyone and you’d like to add to this listing, please contact me.

Aug. 1-4: PanFest in central Alberta. Info: http://www.panfest.net/
Aug 1-10: Calgary Fringe Festival, in Inglewood. Info: http://www.calgaryfringe.ca/
Aug. 1, 4:13 a.m.: New Moon. Tinne (Holly) lunar month begins.
Aug. 2-4: Canmore Folk Festival. Info: http://www.canmorefolkfestival.com/
Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m.: The Unitarian Church of Calgary Lammas celebration, at 1703 – 1 Street NW. Bring something from your garden for blessing; potluck to follow.
Aug. 3, 2:00 p.m.: Serpent & Owl Clann Open Lughnasadh Celebration. Info: serpent_and_owl at shaw dot ca
Aug. 4: Heritage Day.
Aug. 6-11: Shambhala Music Festival, Salmo River Ranch, B.C. Info: http://www.shambhalamusicfestival.com/
Aug. 7: The Eclectic Circle, led by SpiritnSoul, Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1558/
Aug 11-28: Globalfest Fireworks and Multicultural Festival. Info: http://www.globalfest.ca/
Aug. 15-17: Con-Version XXII at Calgary Radisson Hotel. Info: http://www.con-version.org/
Aug. 16, 3:16 p.m.: Full (Sturgeon) Moon.
Aug. 19, 7:00 p.m.: Calgary Witches Meetup, hosted by moi, in south Calgary. Info: http://witches.meetup.com/1322/
Aug 23-29: BC Witchcamp at Evans Lake, B.C. Info: http://www/bcwitchcamp.ca
Aug.28, 6:00 p.m.: Calgary Druid Meetup, hosted by Athelia. http://druid.meetup.com/93
Aug. 30 – Sept. 1: Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival. Info: http://www.calgarytattoos.com/
Sept. 5: Calgary Pagan Book Club discusses Farrar & Farrar’s Witches Bible. Facebook: Calgary Pagan Book Club.

Blessings,
Hergest