Recap of the Weekend:

We got to the camp grounds and wow.  The cabins and recreation hall were nice!  We could not believe them!  That night we visited and got to know each other.  It was so nice to meet everyone! 

This is when some of the teaching already started.  The guys would hold the most fabolous conversations about things.  For those that came who knew nothing about ADF this was the event to be at!  Every conversation taught bits and peices.

Saturday morning, breakfast and all that jaz.  Skip and I decided that since all were entertaining themselves, that we would change up the schedule.  We waited on our shoppers to return.  It was so nice to not be ruled by time!

Then it was Skip's class.  Oh man it was neat!  He spoke about the Earth Mother and how she is percieved thru time and cultures.  He also gave us many ways we can help honor her.  At the end he led us thru a meditation.  You could actually feel the breath of her.  It was very nice!

After a break, Kirk spoke.  He broke down ADF Druidism for us.  Talking about how ADF developed it's COOR and why it has in it what it does.  Though he said it was not a spiritual talk, it was.  Because it had to do with the meat of our ways.

We stopped for lunch at this point.  I cooked up the hamburgers for all.  After lunch, Brian spoke on ritual Mead and Beer.  Showing how over time things have changed and are nothing like they are now.  He showed us why beer and mead had more healing properties then they do now.  It was very interesting.

Our last speakers were Carolyn and Warren.  Well, it ended up just being Caroly speaking on what Warren prepared.  They spoke on spirituality in your daily life.  And their chants were neat!  Come next year and you may be blessed by them!

Ritual came.  We made it to where half of it was outside and half was inside.  We marched over singing a chant.  Then the ritual flowed. Skip led us in the two power meditation and wow.  When it came time to open the gates, Kirk led us in this.  We chanted, "Open the Gates." over and over, faster and faster, while he quickly (to this day I don't know if he was walking fast or running or flying) went around the sacred space and then spinned in the middle with his staff.  Wow, that left us feeling in awe and speechless!  Well, Lesley was the one calling Bridgette.  Lesley offered the Whiskey to the fire and poof we almost had burnt up GO!  But it was all good.  Skip read our omen for us.  The Ancestors said Justice, the Nature Spirits said Wonder of Nature, and the Shining ones said Wisdom.  When the ritual was over, all were happy and blessed. 

Some of us up till about 3:30 AM talking.  Just having a good ole' time!  Sunday came too quickly for us and now it is time to plan for next year!  We hope you too can make it out to our humble festival!