Enter the circle as You

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Adult and Group
Worshiping The Goddess
in her aspects of
Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
--------------------------------
Our grove was established
on the spring equinox
of the year 2000, current era.
We  meet each month
in the glow of the full moon
to celebrate as She
has charged us.   
We will greet you
of like mind
with perfect trust
and welcome you
in perfect love.
We seek the healing gifts
of laughter happiness
and joyous celebration.
Tranquility and peace
inhabit our grove.
There is no place here
for negativity.
THE SILVER OAK GROVE, FDA
Is an open circle dedicated to the spirits of Healing,
Tranquility, Happiness and Humor. We enjoy the company of
people of like mind. We have no "High" priest or priestess.
Only Caretakers.
When you visit you become a Caretaker as well. Please do!  
Take care of the land and all who are upon it. Care for the
wildlife and bring a gift for The Little People. Care for each
other. Care for yourself.
Our Silver Oak Grove policy concerning children at events:
It is unfortunate that we live in a time when the "forces for
good" in the community are able to use laws concerning child
welfare to restrict adult behavior.
Wiccan/pagan parents have had their families torn apart by
anonymous reports to local, state, and federal law
enforcement agencies who react without hesitation.
In fairness to those agencies, I will concede that not all were
using their powers to garner headlines, promote their
existence and profit from their reaction.
There are, in the legal system, crusaders for political gain
and parasites who earn their wages and enhance their power
to rule over society by twisting the intent of the law.
The Burning Times may be in the past but the harassment of
those who observe their own form of religion instead of
being a member of what I call "the Competition Religion" are
persecuted in spite of their First Amendment Rights.
Where minors are involved, pagans are in danger of being
prosecuted for exposing children to unacceptable behavior.
Be it nudity or inappropriate philosophy, those who seek to
condemn and control will cause all manner of suffering for
the family and anyone who associates with them.
Take away the child factor and there is no legal threat .
Any person who has not reached the age of majority may not
attend any gathering at Silver Oak Grove by our decision as
property owners.
Our events are for adults only.  Parents should leave their
offspring with a responsible person and enjoy time away from
the kinder.
Home school your children in the pagan lifestyle if you
desire. Our events are not the place for little eyes and ears
to gather information for show and tell at school.
We wish to provide a tranquil and secure place to socialize
and be at home among respectable friends.
If requested, I can recount many events which were
disrupted by the actions of minors. From toddlers escaping
their campsite and getting lost near dangerous areas to
bands of teenagers setting fires to alters and stealing from
merchants. More than one underage girl was discovered in
compromising situations. We can not allow that to happen
here.
If you are a parent and find this offensive, please consider
our position as hosts to the group . We do not want to give
any person the excuse to intrude on our property uninvited.

Goddess Bless
Gaelan & Marion
Grove News and Updates:
July 2005 C.E.
Construction is still delayed on the teaching
pavilion and circle garden due to weather and
other more pressing chores.
We hope that the roof and siding will be attached
by the end of the month and sufficient shelving
built in the crafting shop to finish moving our
household goods from storage. Once that is
accomplished we can get the pottery studio in
production and begin holding classes.
There is plenty of camping space and we have an
outdoor shower and hot tub but restroom facilities
are a must build before we host any more than
3-5 people. Of course we can hire porta potties
for a weekend gathering but that would mean
charging a substantial fee and we are trying to
avoid that.
Our travel schedule is limited until we get things
done here but we have committed to Fall Fling
and the Alabama Renaissance Faire in October.

August-- The roofing for the pavilion finally
arrived. In a week or two it will be a completed
structure.

September/October/ now November:
Procrastination is such a wonderful affliction. In
the past two months we have gotten the teaching
pavilion covered with a green metal roof and the
shelving up in the crafting shop. Things are still
disarranged and more is on the way next week.
Neglected as this has been, we did have a nice
WET time at Fall Fling in Georgia.
Even though the outer rain bands of Hurricane
Wilma traipsed over the site, no strong winds did
mischief to our cooking shelter as once before.
Mom contented herself with just keeping us damp
and chilled. Not too bad, Just enough to
encourage snuggling,
The drizzle did let up on Saturday night for the
dancers to inspire the drummers at the fire. I hear.
 I wimped out and staggered back to the Druidic
Den of Iniquities and let the younger kids play.  I
was whipped after cooking for two days and nights,

Wok-Around-the-Clock, Your 24-hour
International Snack Bar & Coffee Shoppe lives up
to its motto; "Ring the Gong,
We Cook All Night Long ".
We did too. With the help of Marion, Kurt and
Erin, we fed the unwashed heathen masses and
they came back for seconds.
It looks like we will be serving Stuffed French
Toast, Druid McMuffins, M'Lady's fabulous Chi-Tai
Stir-Fry and Quesadilla El Diablo along with our
other culinary wonders at  Moon Dance Memorial
Day Weekend in 2006. More will be revealed later
---film at 11.
With only a couple of weeks prep time, we did the
Alabama Renaissance Faire the fourth weekend
in October, again with Kurt and Erin's wonderful
assistance.
Then we treated ourselves to a
healing/photographic expedition to the Smoky
Mountains in Tennessee.
Marion has posted a new photo gallery at her site.
Back out of here and take a peek.
Only you know, for you, which is right.
So enter the circle anywhere you like.

Each of us an individual, special and right.
Don't be like me, Let yourself take flight.

Do not conform, to your own self be true.
Silver Oak Grove F.D.A. Approved!

Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit taking us
far.
Come to the circle to represent who you
are.

Laughter kills worry and fear, says Mama.
Healing, Tranquility, and Laughter from
Mama.

Now come together, Let the Magick begin.
Completing the circle that never ends.

Begin at the circle, to the circle return.
Now go!  Grown and learn!

So Mote It Be
  
By,  Marion WaterDragon
some adult content in art
Fast forward in Time!
August 2007---a lot has and hasn't happened in two years, many dreams and little money
to make it so.
There were also some health problems experienced by your friendly neighborhood
druid that slowed him down considerably. I have to take the blame for the delays. I got
lazy.
Shortly after Yule 2005 there was a pronounced loss of energy and a visit to the VA in
Birmingham, (Marion calls it "Taking me to the Vet to get me 'fixed'---not funny),
anyhow, the doctors discovered that I had a pulse rate of 24-28, not happy with that they
called in the plumbers and subjected me to an exciting afternoon of Roto Rooter, stint
and pacemaker installation. (Marion asked the Dr. for the remote control---not funny!)
Afterward I was subjected to lectures and remonstrations about continuing my
lecherous pursuit of nubile maidens and quests for good Southern barbecue.
They "tried" to put me on a diet.
I informed the dietitian that; "If it's chicken or catfish it is FRIED or you're a communist."

As before, I attempted to continue living as I deem proper for me.

It was during a fishing trip to Florida in the late '60's that I learned how to live.
On the 6-O-Clock News that evening was a story about two residents of a nursing home
who had reached the century mark that same month.
The news team visited the first; propped up in bed, tubes running in and out under the
oxygen tent, life monitors beeping in the background, attentive nurse in her starched
whites hovering at the bedside like they always are---.
So the microphone is shoved under the oxygen tent and the question that is on
everyone's mind is asked:
"So, to what do you attribute to your longevity?"
"(Wheeze--wheez"), "Whazzat?" (More wheezing and the hissing sounds of forced air.)
"What did you do to be able to live such a long life?"
"Well, (wheeze), I never smoked---I never drank,--never got married,----always went to
church on Sundays and Wednesdays-----wheeze, wheeze, cough ---"
(Nurse) "Y'all are gonna' have to go now."
(Cut to outside/flower bed. Second subject kneeling in dirt, planting seedling while
chewing on a stub of a cigar.)
(Same question)
"Every morning I take a shot of Irish whisky."
"That's it?"
"Yep."
"What are you going to do after you get through planting these flowers?"
"Go down to the beach and look at the girls."

It's the quality of life, not the quantity.
Or as another popular bit of advice goes;
"It isn't the number of breaths that we take in life that is as important as it is the number
of moments in life that take our breath away."---or something like that.

Well I intended to keep experiencing those special, magickal, moments as long as I may.

It was at Moondance a year ago last spring that I had another semi-heart attack and
officially retired from going on any escapades to gatherings.
Years ago I was at Cerren Ered when a dear friend and fellow merchant expired the
evening after the event was over.
She went out happy after serving the Family the last food from her kitchen and partying
until the last.
I would wish as happy an end to my time, however, I saw the grief and the trouble her
demise brought on the Family in packing her gear and assisting her family to transport
the body as well as the intrusion of authorities and other mundanes into the site.
I wish to spare my friends that burden and so I must thank you all for the memories and
enjoyment of some 20+ years that I spent traveling to SCA and Pagan gatherings; selling
my pottery and other crafts, cooking, entertaining as best I could, healing and being
healed in return.
But I ain't done yet.

And so we shift to Stage 2:
With the loss of my ability to get the heavy work done and the depression over the
passing of a cherished lifestyle I fell into a lethargy of inactivity and let Marion take over
the running of Rancho del Gato/Sanctuary as we have renamed it.
We experimented with opening the site to a local pagan group; offering camping, full
moon drum circles, and modestly priced feasts.
It was a disaster.
Be advised; should you have a sacred space and open it up to invasion by people that
you don't know well, expect to have your property stolen, trashed, thrown in the bonfire,
and reservations reneged.
This last item of rude behavior cost us several hundred dollars in groceries we
purchased, anticipating feeding the dozen or so who promised to show for a weekend
and didn't bother to cancel.
More depression. After three successive unsuccessful attempts at hosting an event, we
closed the gate to that group.
Fall back, regroup, find reliable friends. Start a new Family.

Spring into summer, summer into fall, winter set us back on major plumbing repairs and
then came spring again and a new will to get things on order.
In the last few weeks we have rewired the pottery studio so that the kiln now has the
correct amperage feeding it and the studio is almost in shape to start pouring and
spinning mud.
However; we still have to replace some kiln furniture which was stolen during our move
from Huntsville, get new cones and clay/slip to start making magickal things and,------
hopefully, find partners in crime/students who will assist us in returning Stonehenge
Stoneware and Associates to service.

We are conducting interviews for crafty individuals who would like to learn to create in
clay or wood or any other media that we have, (or can get), the equipment for.
We have the facilities.

I have the experience of those 20+ years of on-the-road pottery peddling and event
cooking plus a half century of photojournalism, (B&W darkroom only), that I am willing to
teach in exchange for assistance in our endeavors.
Now, with daytime temperatures kicking 100+, is not a good time but think on this:
In September we should be able to start bringing all the loose ends together.
Should you be interested to having a sideline/career as an SCA merchant or visit pagan
gatherings and pay your way by crafting useful and fun items, I can show you how I did it
Understand, I promise no more than you will at least break even and become wealthy in
memories.
If you are thinking about getting rich you had best commit to working long hours and
diversifying.
I have observed that, when crafty people work together, sharing ideas and experiences,
the creative juices start to flow and magick happens.
If you haven't already read Gaelan's Page and SCA, please do to give you a better idea
of the fun that I have had and the friends I have made totally paid for by my efforts in
selling my crafts.
If I can do it, you might do it better.

So, you come here, camp out, we'll feed you, teach you or assist you in producing items
to sell at events, show you the best ways to set up, advertise yourself and your wares,
help you to create a persona and spiel, put you on the path to making your way.

In exchange; you may help set up the sales tent/s, camp, break down, load/unload, etc.
We would expect this to become a Family association/cooperative enterprise.
We would support each other as best we could to achieve the most pleasant experience.
Interested?
Contact us at sexydruid077@aol.com
Talk is cheap. But, you've got to start somewhere.

Future Plans---The old house behind the trailer is getting inspected tomorrow by a
demolition contractor.
Assuming that we have the funds, it must come down this winter before it caves in
and/or catches fire thereby wiping out our trailer in the process.
Progress reports will be filed.

Second goal----we have decided to sell off some of our 58 acres in order to build a
proper house with as much earth friendly innovations as we can design.
In a peaceful valley, North Alabama, near a County Fishing Lake.
Deer on premises as well as other wild life.
Limited hunting.
We try to keep it a natural haven with only occasional assassination of predators to our
chicken flock required.
Pesticide free pasture land suitable for organic garden.
Fronting sightly used two-lane black-top/semi-private road.
County water lines possible in near future.
Nearly flat corner lot and/or cedar grove on sloping hillside and section of bottom land in
flood plane.
(Fine for crops but not as home site. Last big flood--1970-- made standing water 6-8
inches in some places. Called 500 year flood by officials).
Contact if interested.
(256)776-1277
email;
Watermoondragon@aol.com

Hopefully we will have enough to start building a real house within a year.
But first:

Marion wants a zoo.
So after the demolition is done, we have to build a row of varmint proof poultry pens to
accommodate a collection of birds ranging from peacock to quail with ducks, geese,
guanines, and exotic chickens.
The things I do for this woman!
Pagan Friendly
Property For Sale
Meanwhile, I'll concentrate on producing a hummingbird video for the Home site.
Marion still has last year's hummers on her Home page.
September has arrived and the cool down is evident.
Marion is getting ready for a month long run of reading at a nearby Flea Market with
another, Lady Sherry, who has joined with her as one of the Wyrd Sisters.
Booth to design and build.
My department.
General clean up is underway around the ranch.
We are having a war with the raccoons. They assassinate our poultry, I snipe them.
Score; Chickens and guanines -minus 12, Raccoons-minus 1 and one near miss due to a
misfire, (first that I have ever experienced--lucky 'coon).
Another Want Ad:
We could sure use a general handyman type; skilled in carpentry, to contract with us for
small building/repair projects. We feed good on the job.

OK, this installment is off to the press and I must be back to making life interesting for
M'Lady
Please go to her web sites and iPod broadcasts:

All Things Pagan Radio

All Things Pagan @myspace.com

Mabon Blessings
Goddess Bless
Gaelan
The Silver Oak
Grove FDA
Friends of Druids
Association