April 14-15 , 2007

Just having a good time!

Rain and cold weather kept us away from Frozen Head State park and our first camping event of the year, forcing us indoors for Ostara weekend. So, Saturday evening we gathered together at Steve's place to get things started. We, of course, arrived bearing plenty of drinks and snacks ready to enjoy each other's company once again.

It was a fairly quiet evening with a smaller than usual group present. The mood was relaxed, although there was the obligatory silliness as the photo to the right is proof of.

After sundown, we pulled the chairs around the candle on the coffee table, settled in on couches, and prepared for sumbel. It was an intense sumbel that had emotions ranging from humor to the most serious and sad. Sumbels like this one always seem to bring us closer together as a folk and remind us why sumbel was such a powerful and important rite for our ancestors. Folks visited for a short while after sumbel concluded, then headed home to rest up for Sunday at the Himes homestead.

Guests and friend started arriving about noon on Sunday at Herbert and Suzanne's place. The weather was damp, cold and dreary, making us glad we decided to put off camping until next month.

Dishes brought for feast were placed on the dining room table, snacks on the pass-through and people settled in and visited until it was time for Ostara blót.

Beth served as gydhja, and as always, did an outstanding job. We hailed and honored the goddess Ostara and were reminded that no matter how bleak a situation may be, new life and new beginnings will always come. During blót, as has become our tradition, we each drew a colored egg with a rune on it representing, perhaps, where this year's new beginning might lead us. Welcome Spring!

Following blót it was time for feast. Beef stroganoff, roasted chicken, pork loin, buffalo tenders, green bean casserole and piña colada cake were some of the tasty items we feasted heartily on.

With full bellies, folks started heading home in the late afternoon after another memorable weekend.

Click here to view some photos from the weekend