Life and death at the Summer Solstice- A Druid's Web Log July 2017

Ellen Evert Hopman standing in frontof a burned oak tree among saplings — Photo by Wendy Farley

The time of Summer Solstice is supposed to be all about brightness and light but it’s been an odd season around here. First I visited the old oak tree that was burned down by an arsonist a few years back. It was once the largest White Oak on the east coast, something I found out ten years after I named the White Oak Druid Order. I called the Order that because the trees told me to.
I dreaded going back to the scene of destruction because I didn’t know if any vestiges of that amazing tree would be left. It was consoling to find baby oaks springing up all around her; but it will be centuries before any of them attains the majesty of their mother tree.
Then came the Gypsy Moths. This year we had a historic invasion of the critters, apparently they have a surge every six or seven years and then they overpopulate and die back. It began with a constant rustling sound under the leaves that was hard to identify. At first I thought it was a massive invasion of mice, but I couldn’t see any leaves moving. Next began a two week shower of leaf particles falling from the sky, a constant rain that was mixed with little brown pellets of caterpillar poo. Then the caterpillars themselves appeared, climbing on the house, the lawn furniture, the flower pots and anything else.
I learned that they climb the oak and birch trees every morning and drop back to the ground at night to avoid predators so I found myself in the yard every day at 6 AM, armed with a rock. I didn’t want to use pesticide so I set about bashing the critters which was disgustingly foul work that felt like murder. The swarms subsided suddenly, we had a week’s long spell of rain showers and apparently there is a natural fungus that does them in. Their desiccated carcasses are still hanging on the oaks and the birches, hopefully they will be food for other lives.
A few days ago I was invited to think about Samhain (Halloween) and to prepare a talk about communicating with the Spirits of the dead by using herbs. It feels supremely odd to be cooking up a presentation on how to protect yourself from evil spirits and ill-intentioned Fairies, and which herbs to use for death rituals, at the time when the Sun is at its height. But that is the way of nature. Death and change are always with us, even if we momentarily forget.

STILL FUND RAISING FOR A DRUID FILM!

We are hard at work fund raising for a film to be based on the Priestess of the Forest trilogy of Druid novels. We need everyone’s help so we can fly the actors to the east coast from LA, film a short and hopefully get the project out to a major producer. Folks can help by becoming a patron or by making a one-time donation.

The world of the film

We have a dynamic slate of talent attached thus far:

UPCOMING HERB CLASS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE!

Advanced case taking and Formula Making July 29/30

WORKSHOPS

July 29-30
Advanced Formula Making and Case Taking, Lee, NH
August 5-6
Celtic Tree Magic and Medicine, Freedom, NH
August 25-27
New England Women’s Herbal Conference
Newfound Lake, New Hampshire
WHC on Facebook
WHC on Twitter
WHC on Pinterest
October 14, 2017 – April 2018
Intro to Herbalism and Self Care~ A Six Month Intensive
Western Massachusetts School of Herbal Studies
Near Amherst, MA
Sunday, October 15th
Celebrate Samhain!
A talk about using herbs to communicate with the Spirits
10 am to 6 pm at the Courtyard Marriott
2200 Southwood Drive, Nashua, NH 03063

BOOK NEWS

An interview (video)
A recent podcast

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Until August 1 seniors can still buy a lifetime pass to US national parks for $10.00. After that it will go up to $80.00
Baba Yaga Houses – innovative solutions for housing our elders
I listened in horror as the Trump administration announced it will pull out of the Paris climate agreement. This means that the White House is basically in the grips of a cult, an unthinking ideology that is prepared to sacrifice every living thing on Earth, human, animal or plant, just to satisfy their political base (a minority of American voters) and the fossil fuel industry.There is no rational basis for this. There are more jobs in renewable energy than in dirty fuels. (see articles below)You can still send a message to the senate committee on environment and public works.Please check here to see if your own senators are on the committee and if so, please contact them,You can call the Republican chair of the committee John Barrasso at 202-224-6441 and the Democratic chair Tom Carper at 202-224-2441. Also please call your senators in any case, or send them an e:mail about this. Whether you are Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Druid, Atheist, or Pagan, there is no spirituality or ethics that endorses mass destruction of life.
Today’s energy jobs are in solar, not coal
Solar energy now employs more people than oil, coal and gas combined
Green energy jobs now surpass jobs in the fossil fuel industry
More…

HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS

And speaking of life and death issues, please call your senators, even if they are Democrats, and the DNC/RNC about the cruel and stupid Trumpcare health care bill. When you call your senators demand SINGLE PAYER NATIONAL HEALTH CARE just like every other civilized developed nation on Earth has. It’s the most cost effective way to cover every single American. Even Warren Buffett says so!
Below you will find the usual assortment of Archeology, Herb, Climate, Nature, Religion, and Ethics news. Please enjoy the offerings!
*Reminder* if you order books from me via this website you will get a signed copy with a personal note!