My Blog

Peace cannot be gained by force

Æri — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 21:34:28 GMT

Peace keeping troops. What kind of fucked up concept is that? Military might can bring quiet by fear and submission but that is NOT Peace. Peace is an easy, happy flow of rightness. What of using force to "protect" oneself & one's loved ones? I think something is wrong with that too. It's hard to admit, but look at it. Think about it. Is something that is wrong right in certain situations? If so who decides where the line is drawn? Isn't that part of the trouble? Everyone things they are the authority on where that line is, then there is conflict about that. I don't know... I'm throwing around some ideas here that I'm not sure I have adequately articulated. Jump in and lets talk about it.

i ok now

Æri — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 21:21:18 GMT

i unbalanced myself getting too wrapped up in a cause. I ok now.

Feelin' Outta Balance

Æri — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:47:53 GMT

Somebody stop me.

Getting ready for Spring

Æri — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 15:50:43 GMT

Under a blanket of snow it seems like nuthin's going on. But in the unseen world below the surface of the Mother things are getting ready. I'm getting ready too. I got a spinning composter! Having failed miserably at the heap method, I am now prepared to feed the soil. You might think it's silly to get excited about compost. But then I think it's stupid to get excited about TV. Now what would be fun, were it not for the pollution it would create, it would be fun to dump all the TV's over a cliff and see if they whistled through the air or just fell silently. Then perhaps you could hear the cries of remorse from the Media that you were not being influenced by thier BS anymore.

I've created a tribe

Æri — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:19:39 GMT

http://tribes.tribe.net/westriverbeyond2012

Plant food seeds everywhere

Æri — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:24:52 GMT

When crisis occurs (Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, droughts, floods, artic sheets melting, global warming) food supply lines are disabled. If food is growing by every road and in every yard then we have something to fall back on. You can help with Operation Johnny Appleseed. When you travel, buy what the locals grow & bury the scraps (composts) and plant the seeds. It is time we all, plant trees and seeds along all roadways, Highways and byways, fruits and vegetables that are native in your area. Plant along fence lines within your property a fruit tree that will hang over the fence, or vines that will climb the fence so people can grab a bite to eat while traveling. Instead of having beautiful plants and shrubs at rest stops, have a garden. Why plant just native plants you ask? Because if you plant hybrids and invasive plants, they will not produce next year and invasive will take over. If you aren't hungry, tend to the garden or tree for our children and grandchildren's sake. Think of Seven Generations as the Native Americans do, take care of them before they are born. Dang, where did all of the Native Americans go, they must have had a bad immigration policy, hummm. There is no reason whatsoever for ANYONE to go hungry in AMERICA, NONE!!!! So get off your couch, reality TV shows really aren't reality, going hungry is. Lets feed the masses; seeds really don't cost that much. Info thanks to arkinstitute.com

A Message From the Hopi Elders

Æri — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:09:46 GMT

A Message (Supposedly) From the Hopi Elders You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour. Now you must go back and tell the people that this is The Hour. Here are the things that must be considered: Where are you living? What are you doing? What are your relationships? Are you in right relation? Where is your water? Know our garden. It is time to speak your Truth. Create your community. Be good to each other. And do not look outside yourself for the leader. This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel like they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off toward the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water. See who is there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves! For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lonely wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we have been waiting for.

A New Year

Æri — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:06:48 GMT

A new year and the beginning is near, how will it come about? Will I be ready? I've been kind of hibrinating. Sleeping and reading a lot when I'm not working. But things are starting to prepare to wake up, and along those lines I have started some Heather seeds, and I've started to get organized. ...

Schlotzskyesque Buns recipe

Æri — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:59:28 GMT

1/2 Cup warm water (115 degrees) 1 Tablespoon Sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast. First put the above into a 1 cup size measuring cup and allow the yeast to hydrate. Then in a mixing bowl: 3/4 Cup Warm Water (115 degrees) 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 Cup Flour 1/2 teaspoon salt Mix until smooth When yeast is ready add to the mixing bowl with 1 1/2 Cups more flour. Batter will be thick & sticky but smooth. Divide batter into 5 oven safe bowls that have been coated with butter & sprinkled with cornmeal. Allow to rise until double, then stir down and allow to rise again. (why they have you do this in the individual bowls escapes me) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 min.

Very Interesting Link

Æri — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 17:29:25 GMT

http://www.greatdreams.com/432.htm havent had time to read thru it, but looks really interesting

Artists Ride 2007

Æri — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 15:08:45 GMT

As one of the costume seamstresses providing garb for this event I was invited to attend this year. It was interesting & fun to be sort of an insider. I look forward to working an actual movie set with Jim Hatzell's bunch one of these days. The Artist Ride, began in 1984 as an actual trail ride. Dan Deuter, Lavon Shearer, and Dale Lewis encouraged the participants to dress in period costume. The photography sessions became longer and longer until in 1987 it was held at the Shearer ranch on the Cheyenne River (the longest river in North America that flows north) 20 miles north of Wall Drug Store and the Badlands National Park. The Artist Ride is by invitation only. Artists can gather scrap of mountain men, cowboys & longhorns, US cavalry, Indians, stage coaches, wagons, and almost anything from the 19th century American frontier you can imagine. In fact artists fill out a "wish list" of material they would like to see and the models do their best to pack accordingly.

How was Cecil's Siege?

Æri — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:23:30 GMT

At Siege I saw old friends and made new ones. I sort of set up a merchant booth, but then didnt really maintain it and then just took stuff down. I wasnt in the mood. I mostly just hung out. It was cold and we spent a lot of time in "the cave". My Gypsy friends have a kwansit hut shaped carport deal that they set up for a kitchen they call it "the cave". They cover the floor in carpets & had turned a above ground fire pit into a propane heater. So we sat around the fire BS-ing & drinking coffee with baileys in it. I did shoot a little archery. I bought a little tablet weaving loom & a rustic spoon & fork set. I recieved many compliments on my viking tent, including from a couple who are very into authenticity. They were happy to see me get away from my muggle accomodations. The feast was yucky. The dancing, drumming and revelry around the evening campfire (outside) was lots of fun. Leaving was melancholy, as usual

Off to Siege

Æri — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:36:26 GMT

I'm all packed up and waiting for my friend Gabrielle (see friend list). She is running on Pagan Standard time as usual, and we shall set off on our journey as soon as she arrives. I feel good about this event. We're gonna have fun!

Serendipity... sort of

Æri — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:18:46 GMT

Serendipity is good fortune come upon unexpectedly. This morning, I went in to work at 6:30am and found out once there that I was scheduled for a day off. That was good and unexpected. Also since I had not slept in I was able to get lots of sewing done (which ought to be my REAL job). I finished a 16th Century gown, all except for the outer garment hem which needs to be fitted. And I made 3 tunics to sell. YaY! Tomorrow I know I have the day off & Im going to make peasant blouse and lace up bodice to wear with a skirt I already made & wear this outfit to the Celtic Festival this weekend.

Sturgis Rally

Æri — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:16:56 GMT

The annual & famous Sturgis Rally & Races are alive and well in the hills right now. I've been here and there about the hills on the back of my friend, Doc's Harley.

Judge Orders God To Break Up Into Smaller Deities

Æri — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:25:59 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC—Calling the theological giant's stranglehold on the religion industry "blatantly anti-competitive," a U.S. district judge ruled Monday that God is in violation of anti-monopoly laws and ordered Him to be broken up into several less powerful deities. "The evidence introduced in this trial has convinced me that the deity known as God has willfully and actively thwarted competition from other deities and demigods, promoting His worship with such unfair scare tactics as threatening non-believers with eternal damnation," wrote District Judge Charles Elliot Schofield in his decision. "In the process, He has carved out for Himself an illegal monotheopoly." The suit, brought against God by the Justice Department on behalf of a coalition of "lesser deities" and polytheistic mortals, alleged that He violated antitrust laws by claiming in the Holy Bible that He was the sole creator of the universe, and by strictly prohibiting the worship of what He termed "false idols." "God clearly commands that there shall be no other gods before Him, and He frequently employs the phrase 'I AM the Lord' to intimidate potential deserters," prosecuting attorney Geoffrey Albert said. "God uses other questionable strongarm tactics to secure and maintain humanity's devotion, demanding, among other things, that people sanctify their firstborn to Him and obtain circumcisions as a show of faith. There have also been documented examples of Him smiting those caught worshipping graven images." Attorneys for God did not deny such charges. They did, however, note that God offers followers "unbeatable incentives" in return for their loyalty, including eternal salvation, protection from harm, and "fruitfulness." "God was the first to approach the Jewish people with a 'covenant' contract that guaranteed they would be the most favored in His eyes, and He handed down standards of morality, cleanliness, and personal conduct that exceeded anything else practiced at the time," lead defense attorney Patrick Childers said. "He readily admits to being a 'jealous' God, not because He is threatened by the prospect of competition from other gods, but because He is utterly convinced of the righteousness of His cause and that He is the best choice for mortals. Many of these so-called gods could care less if somebody bears false witness or covets thy neighbor's wife. Our client, on the other hand, is truly a 'People's God.'" In the end, however, God was unable to convince Schofield that He did not deliberately create a marketplace hostile to rival deities. God's attorneys attempted to convince the judge of His openness to rivals, pointing to His longtime participation in the "Holy Trinity," but the effort failed when Schofield determined that Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are "more God subsidiaries than competitors." To comply with federal antitrust statutes, God will be required to divide Himself into a pantheon of specialized gods, each representing a force of nature or a specific human custom, occupation, or state of mind. "There will most likely be a sun god, a moon god, sea god, and rain god," said religion-industry watcher Catherine Bailey. "Then there will be some second-tier deities, like a god of wine, a goddess of the harvest, and perhaps a few who symbolize human love and/or blacksmithing." Leading theologians are applauding the God breakup, saying that it will usher in a new era of greater worshipping options, increased efficiency, and more personalized service. "God's prayer-response system has been plagued by massive, chronic backlogs, and many prayers have gone unanswered in the process," said Gene Suozzi, a Phoenix-area Wiccan. "With polytheism, you pray to the deity specifically devoted to your concern. If you wish to have children, you pray to the fertility goddess. If you want to do well on an exam, you pray to the god of wisdom, and so on. This decentralization will result in more individualized service and swifter response times." Other religious experts are not so confident that the breakup is for the best, pointing to the chaotic nature of polytheistic worship and noting that multiple gods demand an elaborate regimen of devotion that today's average worshipper may find arduous and inconvenient. "If people want a world in which they must lay burnt offerings before an earthenware household god to ensure that their car will start on a cold winter morning, I suppose they can have it," said Father Thomas Reinholdt, theology professor at Chicago's Loyola University. "What's more, lesser deities are infamous for their mercurial nature. They often meddle directly in diplomatic affairs, abduct comely young mortal women for their concubines, and are not above demanding an infant or two for sacrifice. Monotheism, for all its faults, at least means convenience, stability, and a consistent moral code." One deity who is welcoming the verdict is the ancient Greek god Zeus, who described himself as "jubilant" and "absolutely vindicated." "For thousands of years, I've been screaming that this third-rate sky deity ripped me off wholesale," said Zeus, speaking from his Mt. Olympus residence. "Every good idea He ever had He took from me: Who first created men in his own image? Who punished mankind for its sins? Who lived eternally up in the clouds? And the whole fearsome, patriarchal, white-beard, thunderbolt thing? I was doing that eons before this two-bit hustler started horning in on the action." Lawyers for God say they plan to appeal Schofield's ruling and are prepared to go all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. "This decision is a crushing blow to God worshippers everywhere, and we refuse to submit to a breakup until every possible avenue of argument is pursued," Childers said. "I have every confidence that God will ultimately win, as He and His lawyers are all-powerful."

Round Houses

Æri — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:44:11 GMT

I like round houses they are more energy-efficient, hurricane, earthquake and tornado resistant than traditional square structures. Besides, they are just so cool & nifty! http://www.helikondesign.com/ Then there is the Domespace home in wood http://www.domespace.com/vinter/ A concrete dome option http://www.domeshells.com.au/gallery.html# And in China a whole round community, kind of apartments in a donut shape with a smaller temple donut in the middle http://www.asiawind.com/hakka/houses.htm

Natural Building w/Cob

Æri — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:06:42 GMT

Cob is a very old method of building with earth and straw or other fibers. It is quite similar to adobe in that the basic mix of clay and sand is the same, but it usually has a higher percentage of long straw fibers mixed in. Instead of creating uniform blocks to build with, cob is normally applied by hand in large gobs (or cobs) which can be tossed from one person to another during the building process. The traditional way of mixing the clay/sand/straw is with the bare feet; for this reason, it is fairly labor intensive. Some of the process can be mechanized by using a backhoe to do the mixing, but that diminishes the organic nature of it. Because of all the straw, cob can be slightly more insulating than adobe, (for cold climates cob is combined with straw bale insulation for a super cozy & efficient results). The wonderful thing about cob construction is that it can be a wildly freeform, sculptural affair. I've seen some very charming homes made this way. Cob was a common building material in England in the nineteenth century, and many of those buildings are still standing. http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/cob.htm & http://www.womenrise.org/naturalHouse.htm

Too HOT

Æri — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:36:56 GMT

Yesterday was 104 degrees. It's been like this for a couple of weeks. The ground is cracking, the grass is dormant. It's a good time to be on the graveyard shift, on my "days" off I can be outside at night. Last night, in the dark, I finished arch trellis made of deadwood that I will train Virginia Creeper over. Watered my grapes, and organized my woodshop (a little). Then I came in and finished two sewing projects. I ALMOST went out in the front yard at 1:30 am to paint the remaining stripes on my Viking tent, but figured I'd save that for tonight. There's a nice street lamp out there to paint by.

If you have ever wondered if You Might be Pagan?

Æri — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 01:31:39 GMT

1. When you're sworn in in court, you bring your own grimoire. 2. Painting yourself blue, spiking your hair, and dancing naked around a bonfire sounds like large amounts of fun. 3. When asked if you believe in God, you ask, "Which one?" 4. You know what "widdershins" means. You know when to apply it. 5. You think The Mists of Avalon should be a religious text. You use it as such. 6. You have friends who say they are elves. You believe them. 7. You commit blasphemy in the plural. 8. Upon dying, your first thought is, "Darn it, not AGAIN." 9. When you say "Mother Nature," you don't mean it in an anthropomorphic way. 10. You know that there are exceptions to the laws of physics. You've caused them. 11 The first thing your guests say is, "My, that's a nice...altar...you have there." 12. You understand the symbolism behind a maypole. 13. You've ever ended a phone call with "so mote it be." 14. Your children go around telling people that "the Goddess loves you." 15. On Halloween, you yell "Happy New Year!" at passers-by. 16. You know that Christmas trees were originally pagan symbols. That's why you bought one. 17. You have a frequent buyer card at the local antique bookstore. The proprietor of said bookstore picks out anything to do with the Celts and saves it for you. 18. You think Mercedes Lackey should be a cultural icon. 19. Gaia is NOT the lady on Captain Planet. 20. You have an entire spice cabinet and you don't cook. You know that laurel and bay leaves are the same thing. 21. In Religion 100, you were disappointed because they didn't cover YOUR gods. 22. You know that there is a right way and a wrong way to draw a pentacle. You can explain the difference. 23. You've spent the last year and a half looking for a familiar. 24. You talk to trees. They talk back. 25. You know dragons and fae exist. You've seen them. 26. You've been seen talking to cats. They talk back. You understand what they're saying. 27. You've seen "The Craft." You know where they were making stuff up in "The Craft." You have explained this to other people. You can do it better than they did it in "The Craft." You know it's a load of crap. 28. You're reading this page. You understand what it's talking about. You have more to add. http://members.tripod.com/zer0dmx/might_be_pagan.html

Off to the woods

Æri — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 19:53:28 GMT

While in town it will be almost 100 degrees I am off to the hills to hike around in the cool shade & gather fresh spring water for a new batch of mead.

More progress on my tent

Æri — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 18:32:42 GMT

I've finished some whimsical painting on the front of my tent & installed toggle closures. Pictured here I have laid out the cedar uprights so I can trim the front to the right size before sewing it to the sides. The sides are not painted yet but will be green stripes on the natural canvas. Also now that I have the right shape cut for the front I can cut out the back piece. I'm so excited!!!! Æri

Viking Tent frame goes up

Æri — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:41:31 GMT

Pictured here is the cedar framework for my viking tent. I've cut the outlines of the falcon heads but not detailed or sanded yet. Im roughly following the directions from www.currentmiddleages.org/tnets/norseaframe.htm. The canvas is in progress, ready for stripes. Im not going to paint it the cookie cutter red and white. I have to be different, so mine will be green & "white"(natural canvas). The front and back triangles are going to have vines & celtic designs painted on them. Æri

Then there's the Yurt

Æri — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 02:17:50 GMT

Then there is my Yurt that I worked so hard on. I actually have all the pieces done except for a door, but due to roof pole issues & trouble getting the thing set up round, I'm abondoning the project and using the canvas for a tent and day shade for medieval merchanting & camping and the hand made bamboo lattice is going to be a fence around one of my flower gardens.

Currrent Projects

Æri — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 02:16:43 GMT

The breakdown bench and table set is almost done, I just need pegs & the bench leg supports need routed out so they fit around the base of the support. You can see it here tho. It's suppose to be stained weathered gray, but as you can see the REAL weathered gray on my fence behind it, it's easy to tell they so called weathered gray stain is pretty pathetic. Oh well.