APA OCT 2004 Newsletter Editress; Ginger Strivelli Well y'all....'tis the season. Beth and I attended the local "Earth Religions Awareness Week" ancestor's vigil event on Oct 27th. Let me summarize... Arrived (on time even after getting lost finding Joy (thanks to Sean's Directions) and finding Moss and Kayla (within the maze that is down town) who all I was picking up and bringing with. Ritual was lovely...invoked the recently dead, the beloved long dead, lit candles, said prayers. Alas we were interrupted by a gentleman we dubbed the 'drunk redneck' who had attitude problem and took issue to our " fuckin' weird shit" going on in his neighborhood. Finished lovely ritual, let ancestors out to play and bid them farewell…banished crap from the old year, asked for blessing in the new year...that sort of thing. Closed the circle. Chitchat with Drumming followed. (I requested "some fuckin' weird shit" but the drummer didn't know the tune) Leaving we were blocked by drunk red neck and friends...who we dubbed the 'restless natives.' I finally got fed up and called 911...a) because we'd taken the verbal abuse for close to an hour, and the threats were a bit much, and then the what I dubbed 'Mr. Van Dresden type diplomacy' others of our party were trying to calm the restless natives was proving to be fruitless. (Ye Gods! __I__ even tried a bit of this sweet diplomacy telling a lady very sweetly 'ya'll just need to calm down' but then she flew off into a rant about me calling her 'y'all' as she and her friends kept screaming FUCK and FUCKING at us..."ya'll" it seems was a off-limits term.) So the Mr. Van Dresden type diplomacy wasn't working AND was making me sick to my brass ones anyway...then B) hey I got to call the police...and ya know...be a damsel in distress being rescued by big uniformed men with guns and big sticks...So...ya know. Then after about an hour of the police trying to explain to the restless natives a) it was a public park, we had permission to be there, we had parked correctly, had done nothing wrong, weren't a cult and had on clean underwear and all... and b) they couldn't harass us just because they insisted on thinking we were 'devil worshippers doing weird shit in front of their kids, when they couldn't even pray in school." (I pointed out "we ain't in school!' sending Beth into a giggle fit.) Finally we were able to leave unharmed...though as the Priestess who led the event (Byron) and I discussed...some of our redneck ancestors were likely a bit disappointed in the lack of ' a can of whoop ass being opened' on the drunk redneck and the restless natives.... At least we didn't let them get away with it, and had the officials tell them they were wrong and we were right...not that it'll sink in.but they can't parade around bragging about how they victoriously drove the 'fucking evil people doing weird shit' out of there neighborhood.... So that is, as Martha would say 'a good thing.' However I got home so late I missed Lost! Good thing ABC replays it on Saturdays! Anyway...that is what y'all missed! Next time you'll come to events! (Speaking of which, thinking of holding our next APA YULE or May Day event at that park…due to the welcome and all.) We held our Earth Religions Awareness Week event the Costumed Brunch on Sunday the 31st. (Yes Sunday! DUMB malls moved trick or treating to Saturday.... But the after church crowd got to see us celebrating on the right day nonetheless!) Oct 31st IN COSTUME at Olive Garden Restaurant. There were 11 of us in all…we had to pull together two tables even. Luckily we (sort of) had a man in attendance to do that heavy lifting...though Raven had to be careful not to mess up his dress or make-up during this MANual labor. Sapphire was a successful Business Witch as I recall….Dawn was a business man...lol…so she let Raven carry her purse since it matched his costume better. Kayla was some sort of Ninja shadowy person….who giggled a lot at the rest of us… Byron and Kate were Witches…(what a stretch)…Joy J. was a something with red horns…hmm… Her Daughter in law-to-be Olivia was I think dressed as an innocent by-stander. Beth was a Gypsy, and I was the 'happily ever after princess' basically just an excuse to wear my tiara, ball gown, and mink stole. You can see the webpage of pictures www.angelfire.com/nb/appalachianpagan/APABasics/costumedbrunch2004 We entertained the waiters and other customers at Olive Garden for a couple of hours….and managed to not be attacked by any rednecks… or have to call the police...(darn it.) -------------------------------------------- FROM OUR BOOK OF SHADOWS: Cold and Flu season old Appalachian Granny Magic Remedy -Russian Tea Recipe (Lots of people 'cheat' and make it with equal parts instant tea mix and Tang.... but that won't treat a cold or flu the way the real thing will..... So here's Ginger's personal recipe.) One gallon water brewed with 4 'family size' tea bags (regular orange pekoe and black tea mix such as Lipton's) until very dark and strong. Dissolve in 1 and 1/2 cup of sugar Then add; 1 quart orange juice 1/2 a quart pineapple juice 1/2 cup lemon juice float in that; Half a small orange pegged with cloves 6 cinnamon sticks ---------------------- Protection Sachet Submitted By Beth Langley Put 3 pinches each of: Anise, frankincense, lavender, mugwort, and Rosemary in the center of a white cloth (load the herbs with "intent" as you mix.) tie into the center of the cloth using three knots. When tying each of the 3 knots say, "I bind thee to protect this ---house/car/ect.---and all within it!" ------------------------------------------
Our 2004 Costumed Brunch Page
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