Event Recap
OK everyone, here is a recap of upcoming events:
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Monday, April 16, 2007 Study Session at Cyndi’s house at 5pm. Handouts available for previous study sessions, this weeks sessions and Cyndi is cooking the food…so bring your Rolaids!
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Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Members Meeting at Memories Restaurant in Etowah at 5pm. Discussion of Beltaine Rite and website additions. Non Members can call or email to make arrangements to meet members at 6pm.
- Sunday, April 22, 2007 members will meet at Webb Store in Reliance at 9am for our Earth Day Activities. We will do a litter pick up along Lost Creek Road and the campground on this day. A picnic lunch will be at Lost Creek Campground at 2pm. All members should contact Cyndi or Shannon to make arrangements to bring something. Details of this activity will be updated in the “Community Service” section.
- Monday, April 23, 2007 Study Session again at Cyndi’s house at 5pm. If you survived the food from the previous week…she will cook again for everyone!
- Saturday, April 28, 2007 (or Sunday April 29 if it rains) we will hold our Beltaine Rite. The location will be announced at the members meeting on the 18th and all members will be notified of any changes. The time will be announced after the meeting on the 18th.
- Monday, April 30, 2007 Study Session….once more….at Cyndi’s. If any members are still alive from eating her food the previous 2 Mondays….she will surprise you once more with a fine feast!
*If any changes occur in this schedule….they will be made here and all members will be notified by email and phone, so check back regularly to make sure nothing has changed.
Study Session Update
Yay for Peanut Butter Sundae’s and Hot Fudge Cakes!
There was more to the study session than eating ice cream at Talk Of The Town. Review of expectations of a protogrove, our goals in presenting ourselves to the community, reviewing the Study Guide and finding out that nagging is something a certain member WANTS me to do! LOL A brief discussion of Beltaine in preparation for our member meeting next Tuesday and a group sigh of relief that the 4 public EVENTS required do not HAVE to be rituals! Be prepared however, because before long….MOST all will be public.
The next Study Session will be Monday April 16, 2007 and most likely will be at Cyndi’s house (supper will be provided) and it all begins at 5pm. If you plan to be there, please call in advance so I can prepare for your wonderful presence!
*thanks Chris for all of your hard work this weekend. I will make you some cornbread as a reward!
Member Meeting
A meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 with protogrove members. This will be at 5pm at Memories Restaurant in Etowah. This meeting is for members only to discuss the Beltaine Rite and Articles for the website. Dinner will be on Cyndi (YAY), well not literally ON Cyndi, but she is paying for it. If anyone not a member of the protogrove is interested in meeting with members or getting information about the group, please contact us prior to this date and we will make arrangements to meet after the Planning Meeting. This meeting will NOT take the place of our study group for that week. We will announce the next study session after tonight.
Beltaine
BELTAINE (May 1) - ‘Bel’s fire’ pronounced BEL-tain-yuh. The festival was known by other names in other Celtic countries. Beltaine in Ireland, Bealtunn in Scotland, Shenn do Boaldyn on the Isle of Mann, and Galan Mae in Wales This is one of the fire festivals celebrated. Spring is here and celebrations are given for the return of the Sun. This is the beginning of the Summer half of the year. The Celtic festival of Beltaine is the time when the cattle were put out for summer grazing on the higher slopes. The sacred fire brought protection, good fortune and fertility to the people. It was hard work planting the fields and once done, it was a time to come together and celebrate the sun. It is a day representing fertility and the joys of life. Dances and games often find their way into this holiday’s celebrations. (Generally, there would be a lot of births nine months later!)
There are numerous folk customs that take place at this time of year. In 1895 a public Beltaine festival was held on Arran. The men made a need-fire (tein-eigen) and kept it burning Beltaine eve. Local people drove their herds through the fire. This was believed to provide good luck for the cattle and protect them from disease. In Scotland, every fire in the household was extinguished, and the great fires were lit from the need-fire which was kindled by 3 times 3 men using wood from the nine sacred trees. When the wood burst into flames, it proclaimed the triumph of the light over the dark half of the year. The Beltaine fires and Celtic went on all over the Highlands. Some traditions kept the fires going for three days. The dew of Beltaine at dawn was considered sacred and to be sprinkled with this dew would ensure health, happiness and often beauty. One tradition involved making a rope of the cow’s tails and running it through the dew laden grass to ensure a good milk supply.
Along with the Beltaine fires, a cake called ‘bannock‘ was made. This cake was made and kneaded by hand, with no part touching metal. This is one traditional food served at Beltaine.
The fair maid who, the first of May,
Goes to the fields at break of day
& washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever after handsome be.
- English folk rhyme
Oatcake Bannocks
Servings: 8
6 oz Oatmeal (preferably fine)
2 oz Flour
1 t Salt
10 fl Warm water
Mix flour and salt together. Slowly add warm water. Roll out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into triangles. Cook on a pan or griddle until golden on both sides. Dry out in a cool oven (150 C / 300 F) until crisp.
These cakes are eaten buttered, with a glass of milk, for supper, but are also good with oily fish such as herring or mackerel. (They are also terrific with wine and cheese.)
Oatmeal Bannocks
batch of 10 oakcake bannocks
1 1/4 cup scottish oats
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
Optional: contents of 4 herbal tea bags (Sleepytime, Ginsing Plus, Chamomile)
3/4 cup butter (real butter!)
1 egg
Mix everything together into a glop. Spoon a glop at a time onto a pile of rolled oats, mix with oats until pattable. Pat into 10 2 1/2 in. cakes, bake 15 min.
Irish Buttermilk Bannock
4 cups all purpose or bread flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raisins
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Stir flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and raisins together. Separately, fork-blend eggs and buttermilk, then add to dry ingredients. Stir until sticky batter is formed. Scrape batter onto well floured surface and knead lightly. Shape batter into ball, then place in round non-stick casserole that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Mark a cross in the center, using a sharp knife. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree oven for about 1 1/4 hours.
Wait 10-15 minutes before attempting to remove bread from casserole, then cool on wire rack. If desired, cut loaf into Serves 6.
EARTH DAY!
On April 22, 2007 we are planning a litter pick up in the Lost Creek area of the Cherokee National Forest. This is Earth Day and we plan to make this an all day activity.
The Forest Service will provide the trash bags needed. In addition, the full bags can be left at Lost Creek Campground and the Forest Service will pick them up the next morning.
We will begin on FS Road 103 (from the river road) to FS Road 23. This will include a clean up at Lost Creek Campground. We will meet at Webb Store on the Hiwassee River at 9am. A picnic will be provided at Lost Creek Campground at 2pm (please get with Cyndi or Shannon to find out what to bring).
Remember your gloves, something ro drink along the way, snacks for the kids. The weather is still unpredictable in the mountains so wear pants and bring a jacket, just in case.
Current Community Service Plans
One of our main Community Service activities will be frequent litter pick up in the Cherokee National Forest, volunteering on River Clean-up Days and doing trail maintenance as well.
In addition, we will meet with the Keep McMinn Beautiful Committee and participate in the “Adopt A Highway” program. We are currently looking at the section of highway leaving town on 411hwy and going east. (Mecca Pike Road). I chose this area as it is the gateway to the National Forest and receives more traffic at certain times of the year.
Specific activities will be announced in this section, with dates and times.
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