Short Takes

As Sacred Harvest Festival went along I jotted down random thoughts about the festival and what was happening around me.

• SHF had as close to perfect weather as possible. Sunny, warm days, cool nights. Didin’t rain until the end.  Even then, it mostly rained at night.
•  Drumming was a bit off most of the festival. Cutting off at 10pm most nights meant people had less time to practice and get in synch. But I liked ending the drums early as it improved sleep.
• Attended a private BTW style ritual for the first time. Very fascinating and powerful and I was honored to be asked to take part. Those crazy BTW Wiccans, though, you all do a whole lotta kissing.
• Watching Tasha try to deal with holding the big green phallus to be auctioned each morning was guaranteed great fun.
• New food merchant was excellent. They even made me nachos for breakfast. Next year I’m packing less food and eating at the booth more often.
• I liked the lower number of attendees. More room to camp and it felt more like a family.
• Biggest surprise of the festival: the excellent cover of Codine by Max, Ellie, and Alana at the Talent Show. Think up a band name folks, you need to hit the Pagan festival circuit.
• Either people need to pack more mead or they need to allow mead vendors back at this festival. I vote for the mead vendor.
• The featured presenter, Crystal Blanton, worked her ass off. Not only did she do 2 workshops most days, she also met privately with groups to help them function better and resolve conflicts. This woman has some serious healing magic. We must get her back in the Twin Cities soon.
• Not a single tie dye in sight all festival, the switch to sarongs is complete.  Strike that – a man wearing tie dye was spotted on Day 9.
• Mike is the only man I’ve seen who can wear a full length, patterned women’s skirt and still look all male. Like an exotic hot warrior. Dude needs to be on a romance book cover. It’s worth it to come to SHF just see him walking around, cheerfully helping out the camp.
• Bacon was the food of choice this year. It seemed everyone was cooking bacon breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Bard of Tarpage even cooked me a bacon wrapped hot dog. I’m good with that. (I brought 4 pounds)
• Ryan (The Bard) is funny, yes, that’s true.  More importantly, he’s extremely kind-hearted.  (see above bacon comment)
• Never been a fan of the accordion until I heard Alvin strolling around camp playing it.
• I liked having registration at the info booth rather than at the gate. Much more convenient.
• The two best received Herald notices that I shouted out were “Judy has finally taken a shower” and “I just shaved my legs.” Both received standing ovations.
• Quote of the festival: Harmony Tribe President Izzy, at the morning meeting – “We’re not formal here, I don’t see anyone wearing a bra.”
• There were many long time attendees missing from the festival. Finances, turmoil. I’m not the most demonstrative person, but know I missed you and your absence made some moments melancholy.
• Brought a hair dryer this year. Although my neighbors probably won’t agree, it made my camping experience 100% better.
• Sunrise over lake Geneva is an awe inspiring event.
• On day 8, I laid in bed and tried to plot how we could stay at this festival forever. We all need to play the lottery.
• Hosted a symposia dinner one evening. 13 guests and it went until 2 am. We laughed so hard the entire evening that my stomach muscles hurt in the morning. Learned about the ‘wolf bite’ and that playing a drum can give you an unexpected orgasm. (Note to self: buy drum from Nels)
• The rituals were far more simple this year. Not so many props and fru-fru. I liked that so much more and there were no ‘train wreck’ moments.
• Another Quote Of The Festival: (The red tribe, green tribe ritual) “When the two naked guys were running towards one another to reunite the tribes, it looked like something out of National Geographic.”
• “Where’s JRob?” took the place of “Where’s Waldo” – except JRob wasn’t actually at the festival.
• The Gamalon was great, but bled into the Rangoli too long so I just went to bed.  I think I’m one of the very few ‘early to bed, early to rise’ Pagans that attend festivals.
• Massive group hug at the morning meeting.  I watch it, but I don’t understand it.  Doesn’t that make the people in the center want to fight their way out and run screaming?
• The merchant that got the most action was the lady braiding hair.  Very intricate braids.  Every lady (and a few men) want to look nice at festival, but that’s hard to do camping.  The hair styles helped.  She needs to come back.
• I hate potapotties.  Man o man do I hate them.  I swear the men put their hands on their heads and do helicopter dick while they are peeing at night.  THANK YOU to all who cleaned the portas.  I did it 3 times last year, I know how lovely and fun that job is.
• Campfires are the bomb.  Between that, Risk, and Monopoly, the Darrens in our camp were kept happy.
• Speaking of camp fires – I’m all for fire safety, but there were some seriously over eager people (not the fire safety team) camped near us that kept putting our fire and banked coals out.  Using the porta, running to the car for a moment, or going in the tent to change clothes should not result in a bucket of water poured over your fire.
• Drank Viking Blod for the first time.  Me like.
• Crystal’s bear hat.  Smiled every time I saw her in it.
• How do people wear such pretty/cute outfits while camping?  How do you keep from getting all dirty and ruining your stuff?  I need Stacy London and Clinton Kelly to help me pack next year.