Monday, December 26, 2011

January, 2012

Happy Yule, everyone. This newsletter’s going out a little early, as I’m again headed to Toronto, this time to make the big move from the house there.

So 2011 is about to hit the record books. It will be remembered here as a year of social upheaval (the Arab Spring, the Occupy Movement, the Harper Majority, the rise of the NDP and the death of Jack Layton). It was also a time of disasters (some associated with climate change): the Japanese tsunami and nuclear crisis, the arson-related Slave Lake wildfire, flooding on the Prairies, to name a few. On the brighter side, we saw the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and the Canadian tour which followed.

Here’s some of what’s upcoming in 2012:

Lupercalia: Feb. 17-19 in Edmonton. Info: http://lupercalia-edmonton.com/
COGCOA Winter Mysteries: Feb. 17-19. http://www.cogcoa.ab.ca
Spring Mysteries Festival, west of Seattle. Info: http://www.aquariantabernaclechurch.org/spring-mysteries-festival
Gaia Gathering: Canadian National Pagan Conference in Toronto: May 18-21: http://www.gaiagathering.ca
COGCOA Summerfest: dates TBA.
PanFest, Aug. 3-6 on a lake south of Edmonton: http://www.panfest.ca

January Birthdays: Jackie R., Henry K., Gayle, Paulie, Margie F., and probably some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.

January's Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. 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.

Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m.: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info at cogcoa dot ab dot ca.
Jan. 9, 12:30 a.m.: Full (Wolf) Moon.
Jan 17, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, in south Calgary, hosted by moi. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Jan. 23: New Moon. Celtic Tree Month of Luis (Rowan) begins. Chinese New Year of the Dragon.
Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m. sharp: COGCOA Imbolg Ritual.

Blessings for the New Year,
Hergest

Friday, December 02, 2011

Thought Experiment

Happy December, everyone.

Congratulations this month to Bev who received her Evergreen First Degree on November 29. And congratulations to Jen, on performing her first initiation; the Craft goes on!

Late last month, Calgary singer-songwriter Vanessa Cardui debuted her first solo album, Thought Experiment, before a near-capacity crowd at Cantos Music Foundation. You may know Cardui as the lead singer of Heroincredible, whose own Indelible came out last year. This project may be thought of a sequel of sorts, as Heroincredible’s Nick Stoll co-produced, and bassist David Sharow also plays on the album. Opening for Cardui were sets by her mother, Linda Faye Gwenhwfar Miller (whose vocal training and phrasing were obvious influences), Sora (a Calgary musical icon whose love of Greek mythology is also evident here), and Karen Sim, a jazz violinist whose humour is very present in her playing.

In Thought Experiment, Cardui compiles an exploration of the many types and moods of love, from falling in love (“Where Poetry Fails”), to a reunion of puppy lovers (“Before She Falls Asleep”), to religious worship (the spoken-word “Reflections of a Goddess Crowned in Light”), to love of mythological proportions (“The Wrath of Achilles” and the powerful “Laius”), to the unspoken distance between a daughter and father (“Father”). The album ends with the rollicking paean to mead, “It All Winds Up in the Glass”, destined to be a cult favourite in the tradition of Heroincredible’s “The Dragon-Slayer”. Cardui is a bright star rising on the local musical scene.

December Birthdays: This month the magic mirror turns to Ziggy, Searia, Holly, Heather Dawn, Diane W., and probably some of my Facebook friends. Let me know if I’ve missed yours.

December Events:
Note these events are listed for information purposes only. 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.

Dec. 1-4: Festival of Crafts at BMO Centre. Info: http://www.festivalofcrafts.ca
Dec. 3: COGCOA Coffee Cauldron. Info (at) cogcoa (dot) ab (dot) ca
Dec. 10, 7:36 a.m.: Full (Cold) Moon.
Dec. 14: Mercury Retrograde ends (thank Goddess!).
Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. sharp: COGCOA Yule Ritual.
Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m.: Calgary Witches’ Meetup, in north Calgary, hosted by moi. Info: http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Witches
Dec. 21, 10:30 p.m.: Winter Solstice. Celeste.
Dec. 22, 7:45 a.m.: Solstice Sunrise Vigil, led by Rikki, in southwest Calgary. Contact me for directions.
Dec. 24, 11:10 p.m.: New (Milk) Moon. Lunar month of Beth (Birch) begins.

Blessings,
Hergest

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