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Monsoon season in the Vegas valley closed out August with a wonderful thunderstorm during my pool party. The week leading up to it had been lovely and still enough for me to manage to get the pool looking nice and clean, always a challenge when a giant pine tree hangs over it. The pool party started with hot, still weather and a few puffy clouds in the sky, as neighbors and friends trickled in through the open side gate. I was super excited by the surprise appearance of friends from out of town I hadn't seen in years. The clouds kept gathering and turned gray and we were all looking at the sky thinking it might rain. We heard thunder roll, and we all responded with enthusiastic noises. I called out to Thor, "I made a fresh pot of coffee!" and plink! drop! Shining diamond blessings from the sky! It started raining! 

So of course I had to go in and get a cup of coffee and come back outside to make a toast to Thor. I got back in the pool with my cup and finished it as the rain increased. Being desert dwellers, we all love the rain.

Kveldulf Gundarsson aka Dr. Stephen Grundy aka Sigmundr Hawkonson has gone to stay with the ancestors. As reported on social media and on various news sites, he died suddenly a week ago.

In a public post, Kveldulf's wife Melodi has announced a worldwide public event, Lift Your Glass, for the evening of October 8th, 2021.  It's not an online meeting, there is nothing to join or post, one just raises a toast.

Hear me in October on online radio and at an outdoor in-person event, a booksigning for my new book Asatru: A Beginner's Guide to the Heathen Path. I'm not making a full book tour this year because of the pandemic, but I am venturing one state over to Phoenix, Arizona to hold an outdoor booksigning and storytelling at Fantasia Crystals on October 24 from 5pm-6:30pm. In case of rain the reading room will be available as a backup venue. Books will be available for purchase on the day, and also in advance at the shop.

I'm planning to tell the story of Freya's jewel, Brisingamen. There's a chapter in my unpublished novel Some Say Fire that recounts a version of that myth. The chapter contains a lot of gnosis, and my storytelling will be based on that chapter.

So last year I got to play the 14 foot “Das Madchen”–the harbinger of doom who appears in the darkest days of the year--at Parade of Spirits, Liberty Lands in Philadelphia. Formerly known as Krampuslauf, the parade has taken place every December since 2011. A teeny bit about Krampus: This furry, red-tongued, chain and/or switch-wielding character has been St. Nicholas’ companion in Alpine regions for millennia, and may even pre-date the jolly old elf. On December 5–Krampusnacht–Krampus brought Karma to the naughty before St. Nick made his appearance on his own day, the 6th.

May Day 2014 was the first ritual I attended after Loki started skinriding me almost every day. Because he could be present in my body at any time, I have to be sure that every ritual I go to is a Loki-friendly one put on by Loki-welcoming people. If Loki isn't welcome in main ritual space, and he's in here with me, then I can't enter main ritual space.

It would not make any sense for me to put a lot of time and effort into getting to a ritual if I can't be sure I'll be able to participate in it. Luckily, there was a ritual I could attend right in my local area. 

I’m new to Wicca/Paganism, and I’ve been going to some public events to try to meet people and learn more. The problem is people at the events all seem to know each other, and they barely notice me. Should I try something different, or give up?

First of all, it’s awesome that you’re putting yourself out there and trying to get to know people in your area. That’s a scary thing to do for many people, so give yourself props for taking the initiative.