luna wing and spiral stone
Gratitude is flowing through me these days. On Solstice
afternoon, just a few hours before our gathering,
I received news that I was awarded the grant I had applied for
back in April. It is a significant monetary award, granted to me from
the Forest Viability Program - an incentive program that
supports forest owners in developing a business to keep forest
lands forested. I agree to put my land in a long-term conservation
easement, and they give me money and a
team of advisors to help develop my plan! What is exciting
is that one can apply with a traditional forest product such as
maple syrup, mushrooms, timber, or with a non-traditional
product such as craft, education, etc.
My plan falls into the non-traditional category
(I imagine you're not surprised!) for nature and arts education.
For many years I have been dreaming a year-round workshop space.
This winter I became very clear that to fully birth my vision
for RavenWood and my work,
I needed to have that space NOW.
And, as it is with dreaming, when I birthed the dream
with such clarity of now, there was action
to be taken... manifest money! So, I did!
With great excitement I announce the birth of:
RavenWood Forest
Studio of Mythic and Environmental Arts
There will be much to do, meetings, a business plan,
advice from foresters and who knows what else.
I will build my teaching space and integrate the teaching I have
been doing in the university with the magic of this forest, the
mysteries of seasonal cycles, exploration of the natural
world and with the stories whispered from
the land and from deep
within our bones.
Speaking of magic......
RavenWood has been full of luna moths.
For days nowI have been finding wings
on garden paths, in the driveway,
on the front steps. I'mhoping I will see a live one,
they are so extraordinary. Last year
I had one visit my front porch for two days.
Truly amazing.
On the front door this morning, however,
was another amazing moth, the giant polyphemus.
I've been seeing many of these, and fortunately they
are alive. What a pair of antennae!
Two have stayed the whole day, not
minding my comings and goings and
luckily well hidden from the blue jays.
Also visiting for the day were three sphynx moths
attached to various places on the house.
sphynx moth
Garden magic abounds as well.
I've been a busy bee, building arches,
planting, spreading compost and enjoying
the colors and structures of flowers.
Below is the mountain laurel and spirea at peak.
Today I noticed the last of the little laurel blooms
drifting to the earth, an extraordinary
year for laurel it seemed.
This year's garden arch for the morning glory to
dance with and to mark the entrance to the garden.
I walk under this sweet and sublime sun face on
my way to sip tea amongst the ferns.
At the end of the day, when he knows its almost time to come in,
Pasha often sits on the front step pleading with me with
his love-eyes for one last jaunt down the forest path....
and sometimes I can't resist.....
(PS - I've been having formatting issues..
so this is the best I can do with the text!)
