May 15, 2023

Beltaine 2023... A Photo Essay
By Orren P. Whiddon
Photos by Mike McConnell, Walter Bachteler and Kurt Griffith

Preparing for Fire Ceremony Friday Evening

    A fresh crop of young people with 29 in attendance under 16 years, from young teens to the newly borne. Children running under foot everywhere, keeping a jump or two ahead of their 'rents.
    $750 worth of cut flowers, plus what attendees kindly brought. So many we had to buy from two local florists. Flowers on The Maypole, flowery wreaths on our heads, flowers on the dining tables and covering the Altars in The Stone Circle.
    Perfect, crystalline blue sky weather, warm at night, green bursting everywhere.
    And our new lighting breathing magic into the night-time of The Stone Circle. The grown-ups gasped, the children squealed as the forest lit up during our Saturday night ceremonies.

    Please follow us along as we present this photo essay of Beltaine 2023... at Four Quarters.

An early start to the Friday night Fire Circle

Kids + sand = FUN!

And the beginning of Saturday's Red Hat Society's Tea Party. Go for the cookies first.

We couldn't squeeze it all under 40 feet of pavilion, glad there was no rain.
 

While Les Femmes prepare for the traditional Maypole Tease!

And so the Dance of The Ages continues. So it has ever been, so it will ever be!

The Union of Opposites!

Live music will make for a Hoppin' dance.

And dance we did!

A Handfasting in the Stone Circle, and then dinner and a bit of rest for what is to come in the evening.

Let the Altars shine!

Let the Stones shine!

Let the Forest shine!.

And the next morning, the cycle begins again!

Blessings!