Wisteria

Well I've returned from the woods.
I guess first though I should explain a lil' about where I was. Wisteria is a privately owned event site and nature preserve. There are several events held through out the year, and people come and camp and reconnect with nature & perhaps themselves. There are several places like this in the United States, but if you don't know where to look they can be difficult to locate. Advertisement is not widespread, and that's probably not such a terrible thing. The type of folks who visit places like this tend to be environmentalists, earth-spiritualists, and just about every age, level of education, and income level you can imagine. It has several spiritual sites, mounds, stone circles, a space for sweat lodges, and spaces for drum circles; as well as paths through the woods that are a little more wild than most people are used to. I've only started camping here again in the past couple years. Coming to places like this for some reason helps me re-wire a little bit, and I've needed it.

This past weekend was pretty short insofar as the time I generally spend there (which tends to be more in a 4-7 day stint vs 2.5 days). I arrive late Friday afternoon. The kitchen (Caffina's) was serving dinner, and most everyone was in good spirits bundled up against the cold. Oh the weather, it stayed in the 40's high, 32 low, and spotty misty rain. The highs were running 20 degrees colder than normal, but who lets the weather stop them from a good time? Anyway, I find a spot and pitch a tent for my friends who were coming (I stayed in my old geriatric van), and huzza the weekend began.

I guess a blow-by-blow isn't necessary. I generally camp alone, and bounce around hanging out with people I know and meeting people I don't (the advantage of not being rooted in any one place). Since the weekend was so short I spent most of it alone. Highlights were walking around in the woods & nearly getting caught in the dark without a flash light... interesting because the paths there are a little overgrown and in the deep twilight of an overcast evening with no moon in the sky it gets a wee dark. I highly recommend the experience (be safe though, bring a flashlight and know where you're going).

Generally there are no animals on site, but this time around Natural Freedom LLC brought a few horses for a workshop. I didn't attend the workshop itself, but I did stop by. When I was younger I had lessons in english style riding, & the last time I had spent any time with horses was when I lived in Colorado. These were extremely friendly and social animals, pactictulary the female Angel. You can see in the photo her pressing her muzzle to my head, which she did for at least half a minute. Very surprising, I've never seen a horse do this.

There was also the pig roast (very tasty pig), and the ceramic pit firing that happens every year. I didn't take part in the firing aside from hanging out by the fire (which gets about 6 feet tall roughly), listening to drumming and just talking to people. It was nice. On the last day I grabbed some folks and took a walk to the Fairy Shrine, which is a kind of land based... instlation for lack of a better term. People come and leave items for the land spirits, and whether you believe in that or not, it's a nice spot to visit.

So yeah, as bad as the weather sounds, it wasn't horrible. I find that these places give you what you put into it. If you choose to focus on the negative, without and within, that's what you'll get back. If you don't participate, people will leave you alone. But, if you engage the enviornment it will give you back what you need (not necessarily what you want, but what we want isn't always what we should get).
This is the last festival of the year, but if this is the kind of space that interests you I highly suggest coming next year.

More of my photos of Wisteria can be seen here

That's all for now.