Hard to believe, but it’s true! Summer Solstice is just ten days away and so is the beginning of the 2nd Annual Goddess Gathering. After an absence of over ten years, we’ve returned to the sacred space known as Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary to celebrate the Solstice and we invite you to come join in the celebration!
We’ve already got people coming from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and, of course, Ohio. There’s still plenty of room on our 16-acre site for people looking to celebrate the Summer Solstice with like-minded people. So no matter when you decide you might want to check us out, you can register at the gate. There are prices for the entire event or day passes, if you just want to come for a day. Children under 18 are free.
If you do decide to come for the entire event, and you’ve never been primitive camping, I’m sharing some information I shared a couple of years ago from a book called Roughing It Easy. The book was originally published back in 1975 and was authored by Dian Thomas. At the time, the Washington Post called it, “A camper’s bible!” Maybe that’s because it was written by an outdoor woman from Utah. All I know is it was and still is a valuable book to have around if you’ve never been camping or haven’t been in quite a while.
One of the valuable pieces of information she shares is how to make a bed roll, in case you don’t have a sleeping bag, have no one to borrow one from, and/or can’t afford to buy one. It goes like this:
*Tape a tarp on the ground and spread one blanket over it.
*Lay the outside edge of a second blanket down the center of the first so that it is halfway off the first.
*Lay a third blanket over the first and a fourth blanket over the second.
(If you desire more blankets, continue in the same manner.)
*If you desire a sheet, lay it down as the last blanket.
*To close the bedroll, take the outside edge of the top blanket and bring it to its other edge. Continue overlapping blankets until the bedroll is completely folded. To close the bottom, fold it under 3” and pin it in several places. (See figure below.)
My only addition to this is that, since a ground cloth is essential to keeping yourself and your bedding free of ground moisture, you should wrap the bedroll in that tarp. It will keep it clean and dry while you transport it. Sleeping on the ground is tough so you may want to bring an air mattress, cot, or at least a foam pad to put underneath you to make things a little more comfortable. Don’t forget your pillow!
The author has offered different lists for a camper, whether first time or seasoned, to consider – most are pretty practical, but things that could be forgotten. For example, under “Personal Equipment List”, she lists clothing, sleeping equipment, but also personal items like a comb, a mirror, towel, washcloth, toothbrush and paste. She also has a “miscellaneous” list that includes camera, chapstick, first-aid kit, flashlight (so important down on the Land), any meds you may take, pocket knife, sun glasses and a musical instrument (you never know what may happen around a bon-fire!)
She then moves on to her “General Camping Equipment” list. She makes two suggestions here: 1) take as little as possible; 2) take equipment that can be used in different ways and later discarded such as cans and foil. For basic equipment, she suggests:
*A hatchet or axe
*A blade saw or a string saw
*Tarps and/or ground cloths
*Ponchos
For fire equipment:
*A shovel and water bucket (in case of fire)
*Leather, heavy cotton or asbestos gloves (for handling hot objects
such as logs, pans, or foil-wrapped food placed in the fire for cooking)
Basic cooking equipment:
*A good skillet or Dutch oven
*A grill or grating (to place over the fire to cook)
*Can opener (don’t know how often this is forgotten!)
*Knives
*Spatula
*Toasting forks
Other suggestions include:
*A dish pan
*Dish soap
*Trash bags
* Paper towels
* Paper plates, cups, and utensils (especially if you don’t like dishwashing)
*Aluminum foil
The lists go on, but you get the idea and I’ve listed some very bare necessities that are often forgotten.
So what makes us so primitive? There’s no electricity of any kind, at this time. Plans for the future, when funds and hands are available, include solar for lighting and also for things like CPAP machines for those who need them when sleeping.
Although we do have one outhouse that is fitted for composting, we have two others that still await that conversion and are very much “outhouses”.
Water on the Land comes from a hand-pumped well at the bottom of the hill close to Registration. Although the water has been drunk by those of us who have frequented the Land for decades, since it is an open well, we are required to post the sign you see below by the Health Dept. The water is good for drinking, cooking, and washing. If you feel you would rather not drink from it, then you will need to bring drinking water with you.
Being a nature sanctuary, there are wild animals on the Land. Although there are no bear or large wild cats, there are raccoons, deer, squirrel and bats. In the case of the raccoons, you will want to make your food supply unreachable either by placing it in your car at night, with the windows rolled all the way up, or in a storage trunk or container that is “child-proof”. Raccoons are very clever and can open many types of containers when they suspect food is inside.
We ask that you don’t bring any pets or animals with you. Our first priority is the animals that are already living and using Sanctuary Land. Besides, this is a celebration for humans. Bringing your pets along isn’t fair to them or to the other humans who may have allergies or fears concerning them.
Raven-Wolf does have poison ivy and poison oak on it. If you are allergic to either or both, you may want to start a regime of vitamin C to boost your immune system about a week before coming. Be sure to pack calamine lotion or any other treatments you use for such occasions, along with a small first-aid kit and something for headaches and just plain aches and pains from working hard. Bug repellent is also a good idea.
We ask that anything you pack in, you pack out when you leave. Keep watch on all fires you build – make sure they do not flame so high as to burn the trees and make sure they are out when you leave. We very much appreciate your time, efforts and cooperation!
If you think you might want to come, and aren’t sure how to get there, contact us at RavenWolfNature@aol.com and we’ll email you PDF copies of 2 maps on how to find us!
Anticipation builds… Come join in the fun!!!
Love & Blessed Be
Elder Maya
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