Well, one more May festival to go. I am so far behind on catching up, I might be going backwards. However, I like to post a festival report for every event we do, and it has been a busy season. This one is the last of our Month of May festival, and we have actually just come home from another one, but that will come later.

Like the previous festival, the Maryland Faerie Festival was celebrating it's 5th year in 2009. The show had a set back last year, with a scheduling conflict for the site it using resulting in it being held in June. That weekend turned out to be one of the record breaking dangerously hot periods in MD last year and there were severe complications due to it. I wrote about it Here. The show survived and thrived, and as is often the case, will need a couple of years to reset and reboot. But they sure made a great start of it this year and excelled despite the rough weather, because, well, it has been a wet spring.



( Following the bouncing bubble.... )

The 5th Annual Greenbelt Green Man Festival was on May 8th-10th. Excellent little show. Happens in historic Greenbelt, Maryland at the Art Deco Roosevelt Center. We have attended 3 of the last 4 shows there, only missing a year due to car trouble and stress from our move. It's a great show, other than some logistic difficulties, and the last of our small community shows we do. Everything else is large events drawing thousands, but due to that wonderful theme, celebrating the Green Man and Ecology, and the fact that we have an excellent collector base that makes it profitable, and it being run by several friends, and getting to stay with our dear Sister/Friend Heather and her family..well, we keep coming back.



( Come along to see lots more pictures... )

I seem to have missed it. My family hasn't gotten to see the pictures from this year's events. So the following post is for the benefit of family and friends, and those wonderful grandmothers, who want to see some silly fun. Cute kids in silly costumes follows. And be prepared evil doers, for Word Girl is on duty!



( Trick or Treat and have some candy... )

This was the 2nd Annual FaerieCon in Philadelphia, PA. And it once again was an exploration into the deepest realms of Mythic Arts and Faerie Realms. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many awesome artists and inspirational to say the least. And that word, inspiration, to inspire, that is, "To Breathe Life Into" became a word of the weekend.

So follow the piping Green Woman....



( Click here to visit the enchantment and become inspired... )

A recent picture from the final weekend of the Maryland Renaissance Festival, snatched from Flickr. A full update on MDRF and the FaerieCon event is coming soon. Until then...all I have to say...is, "Man, I am tired"....
Kubinado

Just playing a little catchup here, and I need to post my pictures from the Greenman March before updating about FaerieCon. So here are a few more pictures, some Boggies and a few words on the weekend.



( Enter the mists... )

Here is our booth.



We are next to Charles Vess and Larry McDougal. Both very talented artists. However, there was some bad news. Alan Lee, the guest of honor is unable to attend. It seems he has had a death in the family. And Brian Froud, the other headliner, is unable to fly due to a eye condition that forbids the change in pressure. So, as Larry said, with out the headliners, than it is up to the backup bands to put on a big show. Which is exactly what will happen. Several of the Spoutwood Tribes who are here have decided that the we have an obligation to bring up a big event and raise the energy. With a half dozen or more BogBrothers marching today, then we certainly should.

And here is one other picture of a Froud. Here is Toby and his friend Ignatz entertaining the kids in the lanes. He is really fun and Ignatz is a wonderful puppet.



Kubinado!

We will be attending and exhibiting at the 2nd Annual FaerieCon!



( More info, art, and fun behind the cut... )

In which there was no "Theme" for the weekend, so we made out own, of pictures and cute babies...but wait, that is what we do every weekend...



( lots more pictures, as always, behind the cut... )

I would like to share with you one of the more inspirational things I love.
This is the "A knock at the Door" flash video from Duirwaigh Galleries. It is complied of art by many people who I am now honored and proud to call my friends. It was inspiring the first time I saw and still is. I think this really sums up why I love fantasy and mythic art and why I think it is important. I reminds me that what I do is important to the world beyond just providing me and my family with an income. And it reminds me to dance with abandon.

I would suggest you turn up the volume or use headphones, dim the lights, click through to YouTube, watch this on full screen, high quality, and Open the Duir....

I wish I had more pictures to share, but alas we were TOO BUSY! However, I took a few.
For example, my face was hung on a wall...



( A few more pictures, but only a few, and some stories behind the cut... )

In light of the fact that the 2008 North American Gathering of the Rainbow Tribes and Prayer for World Peace has been happening all this week in Bridger-Teton National Forest near Pinedale, Wyoming, and I met my lovely wife at a Rainbow Gathering, and Gatherings and the Rainbow Family scene were such a fundamental part of my life for so long, and, this 4th of July, American Independence Dayis the day on which thousands are coming together in giant circle of hope, well, I thought it time I wrote about them.

So this HUGE picture, video, and link heavy post is going to have some mature content. It may contain nudity, references to illegal drug use, a few "dirty" words, radical criticism of our popular culture and political system, open eyed criticism of the counter-culture, utopianism and idealism, wacky stories, funny anecdotes, love, laughter, and a little peace. Please don't click through unless you can handle it. If you can, than Welcome Home Sisters and Brothers!



(  Click here to come follow the Rainbow Trail... )

Be grateful. This could be the best or last moment of your life. It matters. Ever moment.

My friend Sienna, who is fighting the amazing fight of leukemia, is a mother of two beautiful girls and an inspiration. I wrote about her previously here: http://wildwose.livejournal.com/17803.html

Sienna is an old friend and former MD RenFest participant, having spent many years in the henna booth. Suffice it to say, as I cry if I say to much, that Sienna is a vibrant, young, talented, happy, and wonderful person, who suddenly developed Leukemia last year. We have been following her fight and helping as best as we can. Her girls are just a bit older than my Ellawyn and most of Ell's clothing comes through Sienna. We have hardly bought a pair of pants for our girl and she is very well dressed. Here is Sienna, healthy and with hair, and her two girls:



That is from her website about her illness at http://savesienna.org/

Sienna's leukemia is very difficult, not that leukemia ever isn't. She can't find a match for a bone marrow transplant because she half Greek and half Apache. So she is currently University of Minnesota Medical Center receiving chemo and a cord blood transfusion. It has been hard and unforgiving. She maintains a journal about her treatments at the site for such things, Caringbridge. Here is her journal: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sienna1

This is what she just posted from Minnesota:

---

"Hello,
Sorry it has been awhile, but this last 10 days or so has been really hard. I feel good for a second and then bam. I will not go in to detail but everything you all do everyday-- eat, drink, shower, talk, sleep, brush your teeth, sit up, I pretty much cannot do . The chemo was harsh but the radiation was equally bad. The injections suck too....excuse me. The computer makes me puke. Well everything lately so I try not move much. I am less than a week away from transplant and that seems very far. I super miss being home around you all.! I am balding again [for the last time]! Also on a feed bag, bummer . I was hoping to wait till I had something great to say but this is just the way it is. I am alive and will keep fighting . This is the hardest thing I have ever done, so if I make through... I will be the strongest ,best me ever. I just want you all to know all your letters and well wishes are not in vain....they really do help. As the summer rolls on do not forget to be thankful...even for the rain, traffic or bugs, you just never know. I am thankful to still be here with a chance . I turn my phone of most days, I need my energy and cannot speak because of mouth issues.
I love you all....
Sienna"

---

Please do follow her advice. What ever your personal experience in life, it could and will be worse. So be grateful for right here and right now.

I wrote most of this from the sky chair on my deck. Today we did some reorganizing our there. Moved around the cafe table and switched sides for our hanging chair. After dinner tonight, Leah and I took our wine glasses out there with Ellawyn and watched the rain fall. The golden light of sunset mixed with the clouds to make those amazing "after the storm has passed" twilight shadows that are so exquisite. Ell played in the puddles and said "I am happy in my heart!", and "This is great. I love it!"

It was.

Post 3 things you've done in your lifetime that you don't think anybody else on your friends list has done. See if anybody else responds with "I've done that." If they have, you need to add another. Have your friends cut & paste this into their journal to see what unique things they've done in their life.

---

Considering my diverse experiences in life, this was remarkably hard for me to come up with stuff, but then I tagged robin_greenwood that I too had worked with raptors and to be fair, I had to do the meme. I have cheated though, and all of mine are from Rainbow Gatherings, which I don't believe any of my regular readers have been to. Gatherings are impossible to describe but I might try next week in honor of the 35th National Gathering of the Rainbow Tribes happening right now in Wyoming. Suffice it to say for now, that they are GIANT multi-cultural hippie encampments in the woods. Experiences at Gatherings can be so surreal that around our house, Jared, jokes about us starting out stories with.."So there was this one time..at a Rainbow Gathering..."

1. Found a spring source for a whole set of camps without close water. To celebrate and announce our finding to our Rainbow Kitchen, Milliways, me and my girlfriend, (who is now my lovely wife) stripped nude and covered ourselves with mud and walked through the kitchen. This wouldn't be so unusual if there were other folks who had done Rainbow Gatherings on my list.

2. Another one from the Rainbow Trail. I helped carry in a piano....into the woods of northwestern PA. Several miles. To set up a Jazz Lounge in a big military tent.

3. As long as I am on a roll...listened to two concert whistlers produce Mozart with only their mouths and breath....while they were wearing pith helmets, covered in Christmas lights...oh...several miles into the woods at a Rainbow Gathering.

Last night the Wildwose Clan had decided to settle in to watch August Rush, the 2007 movie with Robin Williams and Freddie Highmore.

In the midst of the movie, a huge storm front came crashing over our mountain, thundering and shaking the house, until I glanced out the window to see that particular kind of light that I knew would be just right for a rainbow...



( Click through for more pictures and some thoughts on music and art... )

Nine years ago to the day. Its been fun.



The family of Leah Marie Lyle and David Shane Odom would like to cordially invite you back in time to June 20, 2000, for...

( a little trip down memory lane... )

In which the weather was HOT, the cows were out, the thunder did crash, The Greenmen were wilting, yet still...The Faeries had fun!

Not sure about the rest of the mortals, but I had some nice moments...

Oh, and did I mention it was HOT?

"How hot was it?"

So hot, even the babies were naked....



( Click here to come melt with me... )

I have been meaning to post about the Greenbelt Green Man Festival, which happened on May 10-11 for...well, a couple of weeks. So finally, I have gotten our garden in and it's time to post before the Maryland Faerie Festival, our next show, comes around.

The theme for the festival was, of course, the Green Man as a symbol for Environmentalism, and the color was, of course, Green, and it was...



( Follow the little green man and click to see more... )

Well I finally have time to post about this year's Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival!. The experience was, as it often is, delightful. The entry is coming a two weeks after the event, as we have been very busy with back to back festivals and gardens. So this is for Spoutwood, and another show post will follow.

This was the festival's 17th Year, and our personal 8th. There were changes in store for us, several of our "Fairy Goddess Daughters" were in attendance and all of them growing, some into young ladies, and much celebration ensued.



Everything is better with a cute baby around, so click below if you want to see more, but be warned, this is one of the most picture heavy posts I have done and its loaded!...

Seriously, this is ALOT of Pictures!

( You have been warned, click here to see more )

Here is a little tour of one tiny slice of the fun that is the Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival! We had a blast, and I will post more about it all next week.