May 18-19, 2002
The weather continued its topsy-turvy behavior this month with cold and wind as the kindred met at Gee Creek on Saturday to bring in the May. Most of the campers arrived by mid afternoon and set up camp on a slight rise in case the rain returned. Everyone was happy to see Johnny and Julia from Skaldheim Kindred in Nashville.
Once camp was set up there was the usual catching up to do. By sunset the skies had cleared and the temperature dropped even more making the campfire feel that much better. A formal three-round sumbel was held. The first and second rounds went to the gods, goddesses, and ancestors as usual. There were a number of interesting toasts, boasts, and hopes for the future during the third round. After the sumbel it was time for stories, songs, and of course, the traditional midnight kipper feast. Sometime around 2:00, people headed for their tents.
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, if still cold. The campfire was quickly restarted and warm drinks prepared. After a leisurely breakfast some of the kindred took a short hike along the Hiwassee River. In the meantime, a number of kindred members and friends from Chattanooga showed up for the day.
Sunday was filled with activities. First there was an abbreviated version of Viking games. Then Laurel put on another English country dancing demonstration. She then organized an improvised line dance for everyone. Warmed up from the line dance, the Maypole dance took place. Although not the total chaos as last year, this event could still stand some improvement!
Dea served as gyðja for the first time and did an outstanding job. There was a type of cleansing ritual in which old worries were released followed by a walk through smoke from a need fire as a form of protection during the year. The day was also made special by Laurel taking her final oath and becoming an elder. Once the blót was over, the feast got underway with it's usual bounty. It was a full and satisfying weekend.
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