Another Weekend Approaches!

Have any plans for this coming weekend? The second weekend of the 2019 season at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary takes place this coming weekend – April 12 – 14.

According to our coordinator, Mary T. Borden, the first weekend went well. They got some things done and scoped out what the Winter’s weather created that needs fixing up and repairing before this year’s Goddess Gathering Reborn happens at Summer Solstice in June.

As you can see from the pictures below, there are benches that need scraping and painting along with a lot of downed wood to be cleared and stacked. For those who can handle a chainsaw, or even a manual saw, there will be plenty to cut up. There will surely be other projects that are discovered that could use some help in completing.

 

Although the temperatures have come up since the last weekend there, it’s April and the weather is unpredictable with dips in temperature, wind, and rain always a possibility. (You know, “April showers bring May flowers.”) It’s always advisable to dress in layers and bring clothes for warm and cold or rainy weather. Sturdy shoes or boots along with gloves and a hat are advised.

If you decide you want to come out and help, please contact Mary T. Borden for directions and gate opening time information, You can reach her at (740) 241-9340. You can either call or text, but if you do text, be sure to put “Raven-Wolf” on it.

It’s also time to mention Goddess Gathering Reborn and getting registered for this event. Registration forms can be found on the web site under “Goddess Gathering” and then click on “2019 Festival Registration Form.” If you register before April 30, 2019, you can save some money!!! If you register for the whole event, June 20 – 23, 2019, you save $10 per person. Even if you can only attend for a day or two, you can save by registering early. It’s $15 per day per person instead of $20 after April 30th or at the gate. A savings of $5 per day per person. Children under the age of 18 are always free!

Vendors are most welcome and there are no additional fees or charges, other than admission, to come and sell your wares or offer your services to those in attendance.

We encourage people to participate by presenting workshops or entertainment. Just like in previous years, if you’d be willing to do two 1-hour workshops or one hour of entertainment, you could get free admission! If you think this is something you might be interested in participating in, there’s a Workshop and Entertainment Application on the web site that you will need to fill out and mail in to be considered. You’ll find the link to it on the left side of any page toward the bottom. Questions concerning workshops and entertainment should be directed to Krista Hanson either by email at kmagicnrgs@aol.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or by phone at 513-349-9197.

One last thing to mention, for now, is that there is one cabin available for renting on both work/camping weekends and during the festival. Referred to, by us, as “Morrigan’s Cabin,” it will be available on a first come, first serve basis, at a cost of $10 per night for weekends and $20 per night for the Goddess Gathering festival. If you are interested, contact Mary T. Borden either by email at vesta13.mb@gmail.com (Please put “Raven-Wolf” in the subject line.) or you can call or text her at 740-241-9340 (If you text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it.)

If you decide to come out and join us, camping (other than the cabin) is free. We hope you’ll decide to come out and join us!

Progress Continues…

If you haven’t been able to make it down to Raven-Wolf yet, you might wonder what, if anything, is happening there. Progress, that’s what’s happening – slow, steady, progress.

It would always be nice to have lots of hands to help, but the group at Raven-Wolf is dedicated to the upkeep and continued progress of improving the Land. These past several weekends down there were an example of that.

There are four cabins on the Land, besides a trailer or two, that have to be maintained just like a house needs upkeep. A couple of the cabins are maintained by permanent members but there are a couple that are also unoccupied. The upkeep of these falls to those who maintain the Land and any volunteers who are willing to lend a hand.

The first cabin that you see, when you drive up the hill, is the one called the “Elder” cabin. Named for the last permanent resident, an Elder in the Craft, it was the second one to be built on the Land close to 20 years ago.

After the Land officially reopened in the Spring of 2015, sites had to be cleaned of trash and leftovers from previous occupants. Later that season, the buildings were given a new coat of paint and basic repairs have been made since then. Not much else has been done, due to lack of funds and the capable hands of volunteers.

Over the course of the last several work/camping weekends down on the Land, and thanks to the hands of a number of wonderful people, the old shingles were taken off, new paper was tacked down, and new shingles were put in place on the Elder cabin. This past weekend caulking was done to seal up gaps and seams.

A big “Thank you!” goes out to: Mary Borden, Jennifer Borden, Aleda Borden, Rhonda Savage, Brian Nichols, Jacquie Daugherty, and especially Brian Daugherty, who you see in the picture putting the shingles on. We are very grateful for all your time and efforts!

This past weekend, they also got the kids involved in helping on the Land. Even the smallest were taught how use the manual log-splitter to split wood and then shown how to stack wood. Practical knowledge is a good thing.

There are still five work/camping weekends left in the season down at Raven-Wolf. The next one is September 14th – 16th. Free camping is still being offered to any who are willing to lend a hand however they are able. If you think you would be interested in spending a weekend, or even an afternoon, in Nature on a beautiful site, contact the Coordinator, Mary T. Borden, at 740-241-9340. You can call or text. If you do text, please put “Raven-Wolf” on it. She can tell you when the gates will open and even give you directions, if you need them. Come to the forest, you’ll be glad you did!

Love & Blessed Be

A Note from the Coordinator

Hey everyone,
Spring has sprung in Ohio. That means we are starting up our work weekends to get the Land ready for visitors. As always there is PLENTY of chainsaw work to be done. The Goddess was kind to us this Winter/ While there are several newly fallen trees, there was no structural damage to any of our buildings. She laid a tree down just missing the outhouse at the bottom of the hill. There was minor damage to one of the benches around the lower community fire circle. A new board and some fresh paint, once the weather warms enough for painting, and it will be just fine.

Look for the Calendar of Events on the left of this page and click on it to see when those work weekends are happening. You can double check with me about doming down to help either overnight or for a day trip via email at vesta13.mb@gmail.com or by phone or text at (740) 241-9340.

Please also be reminded that NO One is to be down at the Land ALONE! While it is tempting to just pop in and walk around the gate, this is a DANGEROUS practice, hence the rule! I don’t want t come open the gate to find any human casualties.

Be advised that while it is Spring, we ARE in Ohio. Nighttime temperatures can still drop down into the LOW 30’s! If you plan on staying overnight, we highly recommend WINTER-RATED gear! There is also the option of a Cabin for the weekend. It is on a “First-Come, First-Serve” basis for the small fee of $5 per night. If your not sure your gear meets those requirements, give me a call and I can help you check or give some pointers on making a warm bedroll. Be sure to bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. It is even more important in colder weather because you don’t realize how much water you are losing during the day.

ANNOUNCEMENT: There will NOT be a work weekend May 11-13, 2018! That is Mother’s Day Weekend! Go enjoy some time with your mother if she is still on this earthly plane!

Until I see you at the Land, Be Safe,
Lady Vesta

 

Awaiting Spring…

The weather here in Ohio is taking us all for a roller-coaster ride as we await the coming of Spring. As I’m writing this, snow is falling out my home office window. Two days ago, I went grocery shopping without a coat as it was 68 degrees. Such is the tale of the turning of the Wheel.

My thoughts drift to the Land we call Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary and I wonder what the Winter has brought for us to discover when the last of Winter is behind us. The winds and frigid cold have probably caused some older and less healthy trees to shed limbs and even fall entirely. Will the road be blocked by a fallen tree on that first weekend down there?

Winter leaves many with the sensation known as “cabin-fever”. When the warmth of the Spring Sun is finally here to stay we open windows and can’t wait to get outside. The sunshine and warmer temperatures motivate us to go out into our yards and clean up the debris left by the harshness of Winter.

For those without yards, we hear the call of Nature and go out into local parks to smell the fresh air and feel the warmth of the Sun on our faces. It feels so good to be free of the cold and begin to see Mother Earth come back to life once more.

Such is the tale of Raven-Wolf as well for it is a place, resembling a park, and yet like a home to all the creatures who call it their home. Humans find sanctuary there as well. It’s a place away from the crowds and noise of the cities. It’s a place to turn off your computer and your phone and just “be.” It is here that you can reconnect with Nature and the spiritual side of your own nature. It is here you can take a deep breath, exhale, and just relax away from day-to-day stresses.

Being part of Raven-Wolf is one of those “win-win” situations. You get to reconnect with all that your “normal” life keeps you from, and Raven-Wolf gets your help in becoming all that it was and is meant to be. This is a sanctuary for all creatures – human and beast alike.

Spring is still a month away and the first weekend at Raven-Wolf is about six weeks away. We hope you will consider coming and being a part of a very special place. Come add your energies to the energies of the many who came before and created a wonderful haven for so many so that it will be that place, once more, and even more.

Love & Blessed Be

38 Days until Goddess Gathering!!!

Time is moving so fast! Although the Winter was very gentle to the Land, there’s still work to be done to get ready . We welcome any and all who might want to add their energies to the continuing restoration of this sacred space.

There are two consecutive work/camping weekends coming up – May 19 – 21 and Memorial Day weekend – May 26 – 29. These are the weekends when a large portion of the maintenance and preparation take place for the upcoming Goddess Gathering event. Remember that camping is free for both weekends in exchange for your help .

The big project for the next weekend involves a dumpster and the disposing of many years of debris that accumulated while the Land sat fairly dormant. We consider this to be both a physical act and a magickal one as well. Not only does it help restore the Land to its former beauty, but it sweeps away the vibrations of the old to make room for the new. With this act of compassion and caring, Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary is reborn and opened to infinite possibilities of a new generation of magickal and nature-loving people.

As you can see from the above picture, what must be disposed of has at least made it down the hill to where the dumpster will be delivered this coming week. All it takes now is willing hands to take it from this pile and place it into the dumpster so that it can be taken from the Land both physically and vibrationally. Your help would be most appreciated.

Besides this project, mowing, weed whacking, clearing paths, opening campsites, cutting wood, creating wood piles, and more are waiting for hands to help accomplish the tasks. Even cooking a meal for those working or sitting at the gate to welcome those arriving counts as helping out! Don’t forget that your help this year counts towards a discount to Goddess Gathering 2018!

So, if you’re looking for something to do for the next weekend or two and are willing to help out in exchange for free camping and discounts to the next year’s Goddess Gathering event, contact Mary T. Borden at marymom1@earthlink.net or 740-241-9340 for gate opening times.

Just a reminder to those who are thinking of coming to this year’s Goddess Gathering: You can register at the gate, but if you’d like to take care of the paperwork early, all mailed registrations must be postmarked no later than June 1, 2017 so we have time to send your confirmation letter and maps to you.

Young or old, when you pitch in and help, the Land helps you to rest very well….anywhere!

Love and Blessed Be

Elder Maya

Countdown to Goddess Gathering!

Last weekend was the first work/camping weekend at Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary. A rainy Friday and some chilly nights left a small group to do a walk-through to assess the Winter’s damages. I’m happy to say that they were almost non-existent! Other than a branch down across a path leading to one of the cabins, everything was pretty much as it had been left.

For us, that’s really good news. Since the rebuilding, rejuvenating, and general maintenance started in 2014, Winters have generally meant clearing away and cleaning up from the dormant time before work could continue on the projects to bring the Land back to its former stature. So, “Thank you, Lady and Lord and anyone else who had a hand in being gentle to our sacred land!”

Guess what? We’re only 67 days from the next Goddess Gathering! Yeah, I know, that’s pretty amazing! Our coordinator, Mary T. Borden, would like to see a lot of improvements take place between now and then. What we need are willing hands to help. Yes, we are a primitive site with a hand-pump well and latrines, but there have been many who have spent some pretty wonderful times on that Land and never felt uncomfortable because everyone pitched in to help. We’re looking for more of those kind of people to come and be part of this sacred space that we call Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary.

You can find our calendar of events on the web site, but here are the camping/work weekends between now and Goddess Gathering (June 21 – 25, 2017):

April 21 – 23 : For this weekend we start weeding places we want to
plant. It is OHIO, so planting will take place a litt later. For now, let’s look at where we want to CULTIVATE some NEW GROWTH.

May 5 – 7: Wood-cutting – chainsaws and wood-splitters will be in use to create piles of community firewood in various areas for the upcoming Solstice Gathering.

May 19 – 21: Potential planting weekend. Once again, this IS Ohio, so it will depend on the weather.

May 26 – 29: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND – We shortened up the time between weekends to take advantage of this longer weekend. Depending on the weather and hoping for  sunny skies to allow for a fresh coat of paint on surfaces that need protecting from the elements.
June 9 -11: Officially, the lat weekend before Goddess Gathering.  This is a time to mow campsites for those who are pre-registered and make surer there are fire rings and
wood caches set up for them in advance.

Remember, there is free camping for anyone who comes to help on any of these weekends AND any help you give this year will count toward a discount to Goddess Gathering next year!

Please don’t hesitate to come to a work weekend because you aren’t physically capable of wielding an ax or running a chainsaw. There really, truly is something for everyone to do. If you like to cook, you could help by cooking for the work crew. If you like kids, you could watch the children of those working. Are you a people person? You could sit at the gate and greet people when they come in. If you can hold a paint brush, there are things that need painting. Like I said, something for everyone. We could help from everyone who is willing.

If you’ve never been to the Land and would like directions, you can contact me, Samantha Herron, at Durga1974@aol.com or message me on Facebook and I would be happy to email you a PDF copy of two maps we have available to get to the Land.

We have new contact information for our coordinator. You can reach Mary easiest by email at marymom1@earthlink.net or you can reach her by phone at 740-241-9340. We’ve had a few people get lost even with the maps, so having a phone number could come in handy!

One last thing before I go. There’s only about 2 weeks to go before the deadline for pre-registration discounts expire. Registration must be postmarked by April 30, 2017 to receive the early registration discounts! Come May 1, 2017, the cost of registration, either by mail or at the gate, for the attendance to the entire event jumps to $60.00 per person. Day rates will also jump from $15 a day per person to $20 a day per person. If you want to attend and save some money, be sure to get your registrations postmarked by the deadline!!!

For those interested in attending, a registration form can be found on the web site. Right now, we can only accept cash, checks, and money orders. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Love and Blessed Be

The Earth Awakens

 

Here we are…only one month from the opening of Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary for the 2017 season! Wow! It hardly seems like any time has passed at all. Soon it will be time to assess the damage done by the winds, rain, and snow of this Winter and begin the work to ready the Land for the season and especially for Goddess Gathering 2017 – “Solstice with the Goddess”

That first weekend will be April 7 – 9, 2017. It’s still free to camp, if you are willing to help and you will need to check with Mary T. Borden, the Coordinator, for gate opening and closing times. No matter what your physical abilities may be, there will be some way that you can be of help, if you are willing. Remember, any help you give this year will count toward a discount to Goddess Gathering next year!

Being down on Sanctuary land is a very healing experience. That healing goes both ways – as we do what we can to take care of this wonderful sacred space, the Land heals us in return – mentally, emotionally, and physically. There’s a lot of love that resides on this Land. You feel it the moment you step out of your car onto it. We were meant to be here – to heal and be healed.

The coming together of like-minded people who care about the Earth, creates a joy that’s hard to explain. The “work” that needs doing doesn’t seem like work at all. For some, it becomes a blessing to be part of taking care of this Goddess-given land. You begin to feel a real connection with the Earth here. Mundania seems far, far away when you are here. It’s a whole other reality that exists on Raven-Wolf land.

There are many who have said they seek to find a place where they can openly express who they are and be able to practice their rites unencumbered. That’s one of the many reasons this Land was established 27 years ago. A new generation of people is being sought who want to be part of something like Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary and Goddess Gathering. Here, we can be stewards to the Earth, healing it and ourselves; we can meet others who follow similar paths and rejoice in our similarities; and, here, we can openly be who we are.

A new season is about to begin. Time to plant seeds, both physical and spiritual, for the growing season ahead. What do you wish to grow and harvest this year? We hope you will choose to come grow with us as we begin yet another season of caring and sharing in Nature!

Be sure to check out the Calendar of Events here on the web site. If you can’t make the first work/camping weekend, perhaps there’s another that will allow us to meet! See you there!

Blessed Be

Elder Maya

The Earth Calls to Each of Us but Only a Few Will Hear the Call

This past weekend was another of the few remaining work weekends for the season down on Raven-Wolf land. I was unable to make it due to illness and it saddens me to report that only two people came to continue the work there. I want to say “Thank you!” to Mary T. Borden, the Coordinator, and her daughter, Jennifer Borden, the Head of Maintenance for the work they accomplished in ridding the Land of leftover trash from many previous years of former members. Ladies, you are awesome!

Here’s the thing I really don’t understand though. Over the years, the last few especially, I’ve heard Wiccans, Pagans, and other nature-loving spiritual people say how they would like a place to go and meet other like-minded people. I’ve heard people say they want to be out in Nature where they can practice their rituals and beliefs unencumbered by city noise, neighbors and other distractions. Raven-Wolf is Pagan-owned land and has been for over 25 years. The whole purpose of getting this land was to provide such a place.

Then there are a myriad of people who talk every day about planet Earth and how we all need to be doing things to help Her. You’re right. Part of what we humans are meant to do is be stewards of the Earth – to work in harmony with Her and help protect and conserve the plants, trees, and animals. Well, that’s the other part of what Raven-Wolf is all about. That’s why it’s called a “nature sanctuary.”

So here is Raven-Wolf Nature Sanctuary – a place for communing with Nature, being a steward to the Earth, and a sacred space where you can practice your spirituality without fear of interruption of any kind. Where are these people who say they want such a place? Where are the people who claim they want to be part of the healing of the Earth?

Although this 16 acres was bought primarily for Wiccans, Pagans and other magickal folk, all who walk a positive path and care about Nature and the healing of the Earth are welcome. They always have been. So, if you’re an ecological-minded person, a tree-hugging person, a lover of the peace and quiet of the country, you are most welcome no matter what your spiritual path may be or even if you have no spiritual path.

Please forgive me, I’m feeling a little sad right now. This little piece of the planet needs hands and hearts to help it. There is a desperate need for people willing to come and spend a few hours, a day or even the weekend to help out. Whether you can wield a chainsaw or cook a meal, you’re help would be greatly appreciated. If you can run a mower or use a paint brush, the Land could use your help. There are so many things that need to be done that there’s something for anyone, no matter how physically capable you are, to do. Quite frankly, the Land needs all the help it can get.

The rebuilding and recreating isn’t all about work though. Raven-Wolf has been that place to celebrate the changing of the seasons, rites of passage, and other celebrations. It has been a place of drumming circles, bonfires, dancing, laughing and so much more. That part of Raven-Wolf needs to be brought back into existence as well. New, happy memories are waiting to be made.

Two weekends remain before the official closing of the Land for the season: September 30 – October 2 and October 14 – 16. While there is still trash to be cleared away and dead trees to be marked for felling, there is also an opportunity for drumming, talking, laughing, enjoying Nature and each other. We hope you will find the time to come and join us.

I want to close with a poem I found years ago whose words have so much meaning.

WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO WE ARE

We have forgotten who we are.
We have alienated ourselves from the unfolding of the cosmos
We have become estranged from the movements of the earth
We have turned our backs on the cycles of life.

We have forgotten who we are.

We have sought only our own security
We have exploited simply for our own ends
We have distorted our knowledge
We have abused our power.

We have forgotten who we are.

Now the land is barren
And the waters are poisoned
And the air is polluted.

We have forgotten who we are.

Now the forests are dying
And the creatures are disappearing
And humans are despairing.

We have forgotten who we are.

We ask forgiveness
We ask for the gift of remembering
We ask for the strength to change.

We have forgotten who we are.

U.N. Environmental Sabbath Program

Blessed Be,

Elder Maya