The News from Four Quarters

February 2, 2021

Snowfall
Orren Whiddon, Photos by Mike McConnell

One of our pleasures living here in the Allegheny Highlands is the magical change of the seasons
and how those changes bring out aspects of The Land that we live with every day,
but none-the-less remain invisible to us.

December 18, 2020

2021 Schedule at a Glance Available

We relase our year's schedule in advance of the Wheel of the Year to give folks a heads up for their year.

December 16, 2020

A Yule Message from Four Quarters

Solstice Sunrise through the Mother Stone, Yule 2019

If you have questions, please contact our Office at 814-784-3080.

The Wheel still turns. Harvest has ended and frost covers the land. The days are short, the nights long and cold. We yearn for the long, warm days of summer, for the green grass and the scent of flowers on the breeze; we yearn for the sun's return... and the laughter, fellowship, and comfort of our Communities of Spirit. But while the Pandemic still rages across the land, we must hold the safety and health of our Members, Guests and Community of Service as our highest priority and responsibility. As a primarily indoor event, we felt we could not responsibly host our traditional Yule celebration in a safe manner.

October 24, 2020

Roger Grandstaff, A Personal Memory

Roger Lloyd Grandstaff, "Papa Dragon"

by Orren Whiddon

Roger Lloyd Grandstaff, lovingly known as "Papa Dragon,"
joined the Ancestors the morning of Friday, October 23rd, 2020. He was 75. 

Roger was a tangible link to the early days of Four Quarters, having first come to The Land in the summer of 1997 with his wife Carolyn and daughter Laura to attend one of the very first music festivals. In those days we had but one building, no well, no drum circle and only the barest rudiments of roads. Camping could be quite rough. The first morning of that festival I unbelievingly savored the smell of fresh coffee through the woods, and following my nose came upon the Grandstaff family serving free coffee to every passerby, sweetened with their well-known smiles. Thus was born the Coffee Dragons and a now almost 25 year-long association of the Grandstaff family with Four Quarters.

     In the beginning Roger refused any kind of help with The Dragons, but I scrounged water barrels, bigger stoves and coffee pots as the crowds rapidly grew larger. As his participation in the church grew, so did "The Dragons," with new tents, then a deck, water; and in time full power and drains with the Upper Shower House. Out in the woods the only magic stronger than water mysteriously appearing from a spigot is that same water mysteriously disappearing down a drain!

October 16, 2020

Schutzenfest 2020

Members and Guests gathered on the firing line at Schutzenfest 2020.

By Kurt Griffith
Photography by Mike McConnell and Kurt Griffith

On October 10th we celebrated Schutzenfest, a German Fall Festival celebrating the Arts of Marksmanship celebrared in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. We shared a fun afternoon of firing off some rounds, yummy food, sacrificing a pumpkin, and a rather good – and noisy – time on a gorgeous day. This is our annual take on the classic German fall festival!

It was an informal day. Members and guests brought out their noisemakers. We set up a casual range in the field facing the Farmhouse, set targets ranging from offcial range targets to balloons, plastic bottles, and overripe tomatoes, and laid down the law on safety rules. Then we let fly on a sparkling Fall day, not too brisk, not too hot. More experienced shooters instructed novices on both safety and marksmanship with weapons from AR-15s, to hunting rifiles, WWII vintage weapons, to an adorable tiny purse pistol. Our crew served up a yummy spread of Fall treats, cheddarwiurst, strudel, cider, glazed meatballs and more. A grand – and noisy – time was had by all. Enjoy the photo essay!

September 11, 2020

Stones Rising 2020

A pause before another mighty pull to raise up another Stone.

By Kurt Griffith and Members of Four Quarters
Photography by Beth Thomas and Kurt Griffith

Stones Rising 2020 took place against a backdrop of pandemic and a crippled economy amidst the sweeping changes of the accelerating Age of Limits.

None the less: it was an excellent event, very smooth with minor mischief managed and logistics very competently executed. Ritual and ceremony were meaningful, relevant and moving—commendations to all the ceremony facilitators, staff and helpers. The amount of sleeve rolling up and stepping forward by all the attendees was wonderful to see! Two more Stones now stand in the Stone Circle, making a total of sixty-one Standing Stones, incliuding two smaller stones filling the gaps alongside the towering north axis Stone.