Sunday, April 23, 2006

Building New Nests at Beltane

I wrote an update on our move to some special Pagan friends just the other day. Part of that letter is quoted here.


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....I'm exactly where you were a few weeks ago: packing boxes and herding cats and looking forward to new adventures.

These last few weeks have been handling details galore (all goes well) and saying goodbye to friends. If I have any more of these emotionally and calorie rich meals, I may explode.

On Sunday, we hold a "Meet the Neighbor's Party" for R & M, the new Owners. I'm inviting all the neighbors I especially like, so it's a nice "Thank you and goodbye" party for us, as well. Many desserts will be had. R&M, the new owners, are orignally from India and both are strict vegans, so I'm hunting and gathering at Whole Foods and various Indian Bakeries for tasty treats they can enjoy. I find that I like Indian Bakeries, a lot.

I like these two young people, as well. Both are well educated professionals and each has a good sense of humor. They met in collage in Madras and they have been woking in the U.S. for a while now and they love it here; they clearly have a foot both worlds. They will be good neighbors for our friends, here.

I'm glad to see that She loves my squirrels and the bird garden, and He clearly adores her. The house likes them, too, so we leave our well loved haven in good hands. No doubt a stray cat will come to find them in good time. I haven't warned them about that. Bast will send what she will, when she will.

Gradually, the house and the land around it pass out of the hands of Freya, Bridget, Bast and the Greenman and into the hand of Ganesh, Durga, Parvati and other beings I have no names for. It's an very interesting experience.

No doubt these two will encounter our california land spirits in her own way. I can feel a hush out here now; it's as if the garden and the trees are waiting. I think the varied energies and memories that guard and love in this place will want to get to know this young couple first before they reveal themselves. R&M both liked my outdoor meditation deck, so they may experience the energies of this place sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, I weed when it isn't raining, keep the bird feeders full and walk around our home saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The moving truck comes on Friday and takes our cars and all furniture with it. We've rented a large SUV and we plan to leave on Friday and drive all night to our new home. We'll have the cats in carriers, and the dog on his bed. For us there will be a thermos of strong coffee in the front seat and radio tuned to NPR. For their own safety, the cats are stuck in those carriers till we get there. Each will be in a large cat carrier with their blanket, food and water along with a small pan of cat sand; they will be comfortable, if annoyed. Becuase we have the animals with us, we plan to do this run in one, long, smelly haul; that's 14 - 17 hours, give or take traffic, rain and winding roads, so please keep a good thought for us, if you can.

The owners of our new place in the mountains (Oh my gods, I finally live in a forest) wrote to us today and told us that the cherry and magnolia trees are in bloom and that a family of hawks has been looking for a new home of their own on our property. The movers deliver our stuff on May 1st. So at Beltane, both the hawk family and our family will be building a new home.

Years ago we moved in our California home quite literally on Samhain Eve and we leave now as the wheel turns toward the light. So many lessons learned during that time. So many good friends made and battles waged (hopefully, for the good) and work done and events held for causes we believe in. Now we go from a darkly beautiful quest through the labrynth and we come out the other side, into the light. Our time in this home has been filled with friendship, learning, introspection, leadership and labors (various) and I would not change it becuase we've gotten where we needed and wanted to be. Some jewels you only find by going down deep. I don't regret any of our days here, but we've been paying attention to the signs and we need to move on. Now we walk out of the mountain and into a a glorious green space; it's a place we well mean to enjoy. Something change occured for us last summer when we were in Greece and Italy; something of the spirt there entered into our souls and reminded us that life is about more than work; even work that worth doing. This next phase feels like it will be a creative, expressive and very vital period and our future will contain more fun, more travel and (bliss) more time just to be still and listen. In other words, it feels like a fine flowering for us both. I can't express how much I look forward to to that.

I've built the temple. Now, it's time to dance.

Happy Spring to you and yours,

Love, Sia

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