Pagan Moonbeams

Those of you that have children and want to teach them good, positive path neopaganism, check out Pagan Moonbeams.  They are trying to plant the seeds of growth and enlightenment to our children and are doing a great job.
It is a free monthly educational resource provided by dedicated volunteers! Check them out, I'm sure they would appreciate any help or donation you can help them with.
 
The November issue includes an interview with me. Worth every cent!

- Tony

Druid's Fire and Morrigan's Kiss

Finian's Pub looks like a fun place to go in Jackson, MS. An article in the Jackson Free Press indicated they were hosting as Samhain ("sow-in") event. It would feature music from the Bailey Brothers and a costume contest with cash prizes. What really interested me were the Drink specials all night--Druid's Fire, Morrigan's Kiss and Blood Beer. I wonder if I can get their recipies... Certainly, the idea of "Morrigan's Kiss" scares me. Definately a place on my list to try when I'm near Jackson.

According to Valerie Alexander, the assistant GM at Fenian's, the bartenders at Finian's came up with the drinks!

Ever illustrious bartender Toni Jones put her mixologist’s mind to work for Morrigan’s Kiss.

½ oz Jameson Irish Whiskey,
½ oz Pama Liquor,
½ oz Peach Schnapps, and
½ oz Cranberry Juice.

Shake & strain.


Joseph Stianche, with his fun & crazy antics came up with the Druid’s Fire.

½ oz Jose Cuervo Tequila,
½ oz Bacardi 151 Rum,
½ oz Blue Curacao, and
½ oz Orange Juice

Shake & strain.
Sink a splash of Rose’s Grenadine into the bottom of the glass.

Matthew Rhys a Druid

Matthew Rhys, well knows as the character Kevin Walker in the TV show "Brothers and Sisters," has been accepted into the Welsh Gorsedd.


BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | Hollywood star Rhys joins druids

Hollywood star Matthew Rhys may be used to wardrobe changes, but his latest costume is particularly striking.

Dressed head to foot in a flowing white gown, he became a member of the Gorsedd of Bards at Wales' leading cultural festival, the National Eisteddfod.

Also see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7550168.stm

Glastonbury Weather

Several publications, including the Evening Leader and Yahoo Music (UK & Ireland) ran articles about Druids praying for sunshine for the Glastonbury (music) Festival. It appears that the so-called "Archdruid King" Arthur Pendragon led revelers in London's Hyde Park in a plea for sunshine the week beforehand at the first annual NME Glastonbury Sun Dance.  Weather working must be different in the UK than it is in the US.  I don't think I've ever considered weather working from over a hundred miles downwind.  Maybe it is all about reveling than anything else. 

 

Winter Solstice at Stonehenge Aotearoa

The Wairarapa Time-Age had an interesting article about the Winter Solstice being celebrated at Stonehenge Aotearoa. Of course that piqued my interest. I had heard of Stonehenge Aotearoa but really didn't know much about it.  Well, the photographs are awesome.  It appears that the OBOD folks put on a Winter Solstice (June 21st in the Southern Hemisphere) celebration.  Their special events page shows they've hosted Wiccan and other special events.  It looks like a site well worth visiting.  If you ever get close to that part of the world, be sure to visit the site.  It has made my list of places to see.

Stonehenge Decoded

The National Geographic folks focused upon Stonehenge in June.  The magazine ran an excellent article "If the Stones could speak" in its June edition.  Additionally, the television station ran a program, "Stonehenge Decoded."  The TV program was good, although it took some literary license.  For example, they indicated that the site was sacred and that individuals that went onto the site in Paleolithic times would get into trouble for doing so, even when following a hunt.  No evidence of that, but it made for a great diversion.  The bottom line is the show promotes a new theory that identifies Stonehenge as a family burial site for a limited number of important people. Besides the tv show and the magizine article there is a web site that is is a lot of fun. There are video's including reenactment and photos galore.  Photos include predawn at Summer Solstice and lots of screen savers.  There is a quiz, that even I, who thinks he knows quite a bit about Stonehenge, didn't ace.  There is even a game that is quite fun. All-in all the focus on Stonehenge is wonderful and refreshing.

Eolas: Wisdom of the Oaks - Imbolc 2008

The third edition (Imbolc 2008) of Eolas, Wisdom of the Oaks is now available for download from the Druid Order of WhiteOak - Ord na Darach Gile website. This issue includes an interesting article outlining the mythological stories, some of the archaeological findings, and modern folklore regarding the solstices by Sean Harbaugh. For the Bard, Ann Heymann has a wonderful article about Brigid (Brigit), Imbolc, and the Gaelic Harp. I had heard of the "Ceremony of Raising" and it was great to have the several etymologies of Imbolc in one place. She goes further into a brief explanation of a tripartite cosmology of music; laments, dance tunes, and lullabies. Facinating. I'm hoping she will be able to present more in the future. There was also poetry, recipes, and reviews to round out the edition. Nicely done. Well worth checking out.

The Henge Builders

Archaeology Magazine, in the January/February issue had a wonderful article about "The Henge Builders: New Discoveries inspire archaeologists to re-envision the culture that created Stonehenge." The seven page article in the magazine is much more thorough than short, 1 page, extract on the Archaeology web site.

Among the many new findings are:

1. Bones near Stonehenge reveal that people were immigrating to the area from the European continent.

2. New carbon-14 dates indicate that Stonehenge is 1,000 years older than archaeologists previously believed.

3. A wooden henge nearby, at Durrington Walls, has lead to a contorversial idea that wood henges were associated with rituals for the living while Stonehenge was associated with rituals for the dead.

4. That the winter solstice alignment of the stones may have been more significant than the summer solstice alignment.

I must add that the author, Mike Pitts, takes some license in stating that the "view [of Stonehenge] has changed little since Hawthorne's time," [150 years ago] in that the stones were rebuilt re-erected and otherwise improved in early 20th century and again in the '50's and again in 1964. Photos of Stonehenge from before the 'Heritage Restoration" are a bit different. He even mentions the problems he had doing research 30 years ago because the intermittent excavations at the site went largely unpublished, so I'm surprised he thought there was little changed in the past 150 years.

Top 10 Discoveries of 2007 - Lismullin Henge, Tara, Ireland

Archaeology Magazine, January/February included an article about the Top 10 Discoveries of 2007. Among those discoveries, was Lismullin Henge, Tara, Ireland.

Within the articles, they talk about the discovery of the massive, 260 foot Lismullin Henge discovered just over a mile from Tara. This find confirmed the long-held belief that the area around the Henge contains a 'rich complex of monuments."

They also mention construction of the M3 highway which threatens not only the Hill of Tara but also the other archaeological sites in the surrounding valley. They go on to remind us of the worldwide support for the protection of the Hill of Tara, (See). There is a petition on the saveTara.com website that you can sign to show your support for saving Tara. I have long held that the Hill of Tara and its surrounding landscape are sacred as part of our ancestral heritage. There is a Save Tara Valley website and the Global Collective Arts is mobilizing with Anam Cara for Tara. I urge you to join and support any of these groups in opposing the M3.

See: Lismullin Henge • Gabhra Valley, Ireland for details.