months…no years have now passed in balance of the rending of the gods
friendships fine and founded well into the dark and light
receiving /sending calls into the night
for love and love alone
the unnamed of the real and coming gestures
mudras of the mind
and spirit kind
demanded now the venture to the
patterns forms and signs
we pleasantly released and offered moisture through the breech
without a hesitation of a thought
.....or what we “ought”
planned risings like a flower in the field
a harvest yield
of maps
of lay lines in the making of a quest
now arranged and balanced in the bowels of form and steel
all things placed... balanced
holy from the real
geometries of space
a path
a pass
a map
and formed to lift the norm
“we’ll find the four faces of the tetragrammatron!!!”
we chimed together in a song
merbird
shaman
and a host of holy wrongs
were bending then
so now our eyes saw fire
scanned the path and set to lift and fly
this rocking motion of the earth
sizing archs and angles with the eyes of mirth
delight in viewing the adventure
on the road

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the geometries begin
witness to placement of mortal beings on the trail of tears
sent to the forward
As an impulse of humanity
companions and friends
keeping safe
the text of times
luxuries of traversing the path of wonder
all that hear the snap of twig
the flutter of the startled flocks that rise on bold relentless timed approach
will in their spirit kind
accompany the new repeated endless eons
of in present past
And shift n grind the step of raucous rapture in the fall
or rise
…pure matter in its densest form
a bubble of all times to come
within the tightening of all the spiral formulas
one flow about the lay lines of the earth
a math language first in form
tri angel trinity to hypercube
and all the while those half wake eyes
resting in the round
will notice but a minting in the heart
and find that all humanity is once again to walk the trail of tears
with laughter love and hope arising in their veins
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Bags packed .Cooler with water, cokes, juices, posted close within reaching distance. Computers, books and sum such that we think we cannot live without are all in place within the trunk and back seat. Map quest comings and goings for DC, upstate New York, Minnesota (don’t ya know) and back to Florida all in place.
The timing and places to be has been figured out in a roundabout fashion and we decided to play it by ear.
Yes the Crone ritual would be on the Rising of Sirius and that was probably the only fixed date for any gathering. Trying not to think of the trip in number of miles…(which actually came to more than 3000)…we rather focused on the ideas of being present in the adventure .
The first stop was to be at my nephew Ryan’s new home in Washington DC. My niece Angela was also there renting a row house from her brother.
Cris’s car was comfortable but the air conditioning decided to take a turn for the worst .Trust me, the midstates have it all over the south when it comes to mid summer heat and humidity
__________________________________________________
The beginning trek up the seaboard was without event other than my exposure and learned appreciation for industrial music. Since Chris was doing most of the driving ,an unspoken agreement that the driver was the keeper of the sound kept our spirits up. Most interesting were the words. Often quotes from ancient poetry , esoteric musings, erotica, and sometimes silly ironies or just irreverent fun. Now I am addicted and searching out the cds.
Was a sweaty journey without air conditioning…but adjusted with cold drinks and putting my head out the window like a dog, or traveling the greater portion of the miles at night. Also learned how to set my hand in a comfortable position so as to blast the air at my face. Traveling was never a passive endeavor.







WASHINGTON DC


its a forever job to remain in the question
i treasure our continued association
rich it is in the fruit of our being...
testing the
full realm of paths....guiding with a hand
of a companion...each other through
unfamilur territory...
the lonliness abides a while in the
aftermath and
speeds/seeds our paths to fruition...
the next
cycle...all dancing the new again...
tiptoeing on the
filmy grid...carefully plotting the next wave /tremor
cross the lay lines of Giea...or like worlds known or
unknown...
towers
roots
and seeds
seeking them that seek us

_________________________________________________________________________



_________________________________________________________________________
There has to be a reason why they made the streets of DC so confusing. Spending most of the time trying to backtrack...only to be more deeply imbedded in a maze of exits and side streets. Finally found our way by talking by phone with my nephew...coaxing us through the grid, street by street. SOOO hot and uncomfortable. AHhh to get inside with the air conditioning. Drinking up the cool.
Stayed at Angela's row house on the first floor. Her temporary home.
Ryan has been working on a number of renovations ,sculpting the cellar into another apartment for Angela. Keeping a lot of the original brick in frames of recessed areas .
Settling in we make our plans for checking out the market and capitol.
This was a first time for both of us. But most of all we wanted to make plans for meeting with friends we have talked to on line and putting a face to the word.
Cris drove to Lisa’s and brought her back for the evening. We all immediately fell into wonderful conversation and laughter. Conversation flowed like a dam burst and friendships were sealed. Played a bit with the tarot and some amazing synchronicities manifested in sign and symbol.

I remembered that Shaheda had said at one time that if I was in DC to contact her. What a wonderful encounter for Chris and I . We met for lunch at a little café near the market and delighted in the exchange. Shaheda gave me a lovely note with a red string in the envelope. And on the bottom of the note is written “Here is a red string to place around what you wish to make sacred. “Days later, this string became a beautiful symbol for a pivot/transition as a sign of faith and friendship.
After lunch Shaheda so graciously offered in spite of the searing heat and humidity, to give us a walking tour of the capital and its layout. This was my first time ever in Washington, that is other than driving through on my way to New York.
I was amazed to see the extent of walls and blocks forcing entry from only one direction, video cameras everywhere, and the presence of military at all times. For obvious reasons of course.
She showed us the places of interest and encouraged us to take time in the future to explore these monuments and buildings closer when we had more time. Most amazing was the detailed attention and pointing out of the trees surrounding these buildings. Touching and speaking of each individual tree as if long friends placed in perfect geometries around these buildings. Stories and names of their individual history . This I appreciated most of all (being a secret tree hugger anyways). Then she pointed out her favorite tree . I asked that I might take a picture of her under her favorite tree. Looking closely now there seems to be a winged creature just above in the branches. Always curious these form and shapes that reveal. Or perhaps other parts of our greater self are never in full proximity of matter…just connected by mere threads between beings.
When you are in accord with nature,
nature will yield up its bounty...
and every sacred place is the place
where eternity shines through time
.. Joseph Campbell

Sunday night at the Indian restaurant . We were served by a young man whose name was Shiva.I looked carefully at him and thought that he resembled the very look and body type of the sculptures I have seen in book and more interesting is that I have been working on a 5 foot sculpture of Shiva at home... Updating it as a 21th century goth.
I asked her a question mulling around in me brain. That is if one was thinking from the physics/spirituality of matter placement:
Along the lines of our discussion about placement of trees …Such care and tending to the different types…..individual placement around the capital grounds. As if each one of these threads of green weavings held a stance like a protective garment. ….I asked her if perhaps the placement of such human individuals who carry such energetic diversities could be placed around the capital and just by their presence hold safe the makings of our nation’s signs and symbols.
The way some restaurants are set up it can be very hard to have a good conversation . I was not sure of the response but something about the color purple.
The evening went way too fast and I wished we had more time for conversation.
Chris and I enjoyed our evening with this amazing being and hope we have an opportunity to get together again. Perhaps when I return to DC next year.
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NEW YORK

Then on to Upstate NY. I grew up in a little town mid the Finger Lakes:Penn Yan on Lake Keuka. Some of the most beautiful country I have seen. It so resembles the landscapes of Italy ,And there is an area called Little Italy.
The first thing my sisters pointed out to me was an article in the Sunday paper. WOW talk about synchronicity. Whole page on crone rituals and their pagan roots. Even talked of the rising of Sirius .(Also Mary Magdalene’s Feast Day)
Well we first had 10 participants. But 2 of them that read the article backed out. Which left us with a nice number of the Isis 8.
Interesting that this timing was also so they could celebrate my birthday which was actually on September 8th(setting of Sirius and BVM feast day).
Originally I thought I would be in France by then but now it has been moved up to the end of September.
Perhaps I need to have another ritual on that day.
Anyways Cris and my grandson helped us in the ritual. During the day we sent them to the woods to find us some large flat rocks. On entry to the wood there was a large white mushrooms shaped like a phallus guarding entry to the path.
Respectfully they circled with the wheel barrel and found deep in the woods a pile of flat stones. We wondered if they had been piled there as grave cover or as someone was perhaps clearing the area decades past. Much of the stone pile had sunk into the earth, hinting that it may have been an old spring or well.
They brought back a couple loads that we formed a circle around the space outside the fire pit. Enough room for eight chairs around the fire and space to move around too.
An entry and exit was also formed with the stones like a corridor. We set candles on all the stones.
Thanks to the wonderful outline of events that Winnie had posted months before, I used a lot of the words and poetry for us all to recite and participate with.
Thankyou Winnie!
I divided it all into 8 parts so each had an opportunity to speak the words.
They all decided that we would feast first and have the ritual late into the night.
When time came ….Santos (my sisters husband….helped me light the fire we had prepared earlier. Then I entered the circle to call down the four directions and opened the sacred space.
Earlier I asked all to silently wash hands and face and find a space of calm before we begin. We all dressed in whatever inspired us. Some prepared hats. I wore a hat and a feathered boa. (pink in honor of Winnie’s words).
My grandson who plays classic and flamingo as well as rock guitar ..sat just outside the circle and played soft ambient music for the entire time the ritual took place.
Cris dressed entirely in black with a black mask that covered his face.
All candles were lit except the exit candles.
I stood at the entry to bless with sage as each entered the corridor. Handed each their readings as they entered……then Cris…drew the sign of the goddess on each forehead blessed with rode oil on the symbol and spoke, “You are the Rose. Welcome to the garden of wisdom..” to each that entered.
The ceremony was wonderful. Each read with the flashlight their parts. There were tears. I made purple shawls for each and put them on each of their shoulders telling them its good to be a woman and wear a shawl.
We all stood in circle and spoke about what is good about being a woman and crone.
We wrote on paper the things we wanted to release and threw them into the fire.
All the while My grandson mike is playing guitar music in the background.

Cris then passed out to all a crone stone then quoted these words,
“Here is your crone stone. In a form that protects it from the rough handling the world gives. Shaped in circle to remind us of the joyous and painful cycle of life and that all things are connected in Gaia and beyond. As a crone you will be flooded with special insights and attributes that you will share with others. You are a part of the greatest force on earth.”
We closed the circle with silent prayer.
Cris lit the exit candles and spontaneously spoke these words.
“Earth ,fire, water, and sky, thank you for giving us your blessing upon this occasion. The sacred mother smiles upon you all.”
Oh and an amazing thing…
I looked up and the faint clouds above us and saw they had formed a perfect square over our event. As each left the circle and received either the sun or moon or star token….the square dissipated slowly.
All the while while we participated in this ritual, My sister’s husband sat outside the circle smoking a cigar. Later he explained to us that in some forms of his families tradition that to watch over ritual in this manner was a form of protection.
MY sister Ande wrote a poem about our event as follows.
Sister to sister
We’re thick and thin
We gather this night
By route of earth and wind
Round fire we stand
Calling darkness and light
To bear witness to us
On this magical night
Surrender the blood
Take a seat on the throne
As we all become one
With the crone
To mystical doors
That maids cannot see
We step through each portal to see what will be
Standing on shores
And beaconing peace
We slip in the ocean
With child like glee
Full circle we’ve come
Girl maid mother crone
Wisdom is ours
We know the unknown
…..Andrea

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*pictures in the next post
entitled
trip pics*