Hello All My complaint about grasshoppers last week did answer one question for me, if anyone was reading the editor’s note. Usually when I get notes or comments, they are about the poems or articles. My telling my sister’s grasshopper suggestion though received a lot of comment. (My sister was around the third one to comment.) I have received suggestions including links to where to buy organic deterrents, suggestions of natural pests. (Admittedly I would love toads in the garden but this year has been a bit dry.) Jodi sent her grandmother’s remedy of boiling rhubarb leaves and spraying my plants with what is strained off from the pulp. I did receive one suggestion, which is guaranteed to make it so that I never worried about garden pests again, nuclear weaponry. Whisper was right though if I used it, I wouldn’t be worrying about garden pests anymore (or anything else for that matter.) Of course this doesn’t mean that a garden, if it actually survived as something other then a pool of melted glass, wouldn’t have pests in it. It just means I wouldn’t be worried about it. Come November, I will be taking a bit of time off. (Seems to be becoming a yearly thing doesn’t it?) This time off though will not be because of computer problems but because the newest member of our family will be making his or her appearance around that time. My husband looked positively smug when I told him. I will admit the hardest parts of this pregnancy, for me, is the decided lack of creativity I feel. (For my kids it is probably the swings.) I consider myself highly creative, but lately I feel like I am struggling to do any writing at all let alone anything else that requires creative energy. I also feel at times like my brain has turned to mush but that could be age starting to sneak up on me. I think that is it until next time, Sheila K. Watkins Editor: Whispers of a Stone Circle See last page of this newsletter for submission guidelines, forwarding guidelines, where you can subscribe to Whispers and copyright information. ~*~*~*~ Meeting By Sheila K. Watkins I know you But then I’ve always known you For all that we just met The wonder of souls touching Combining Being Whole once again ~*~*~*~ Cool Link(s) of the week: ReefQuest Expeditions: Explorations in Shark Evolution http://www.reefquest.com/evolution/glossopetrae.htm GeoExplorer - Geography Portal is your guide to Geography on the web. http://www.geoexplorer.co.uk/index.html ~*~*~*~ Book review: Deepening Witchcraft: Advancing Skills & Knowledge Title: Deepening Witchcraft: Advancing Skills & Knowledge Author: Grey Cat Publisher: ECW Press ISBN: 1-55022-495-6 Pages (incl. back matter): 359 Release Date: 2002 Price: $19.95 USA, $24.95 Canada Deepening Witchcraft is not a beginner’s book but for those who have been on their path for a while it does offer some excellent advice on how to do everything from organize a gathering and talking to the press to how little we actually know about our own religious history. One of the things I do like about Deepening Witchcraft is that it doesn’t cover the same old stuff you find in every other Wicca book. It is assumed you know doesil from widdershins and have already developed a relationship with deity. Wiccan philosophy is talked about as well as ethics, history and advanced magic. I admit I have already used Deepening Witchcraft as a source in a discussion I was having, to prove my point. Is it perfect. No. There are times when it can be more then a bit heavy reading. It is not meant to be read from cover to cover in one sitting, which I actually prefer in books I admit. (I like to read books from cover to cover once to get an overall view and then reread them if needed for deeper meaning.) For those trying to organize a public ritual for the first time or organize a gathering, I could see her chapters on both subjects being a valuable resource. For those who are considering teaching, you might want to read her chapter on that subject. I would recommend this book for those who have been on their path for a while. It is written from a Wiccan viewpoint although some aspect of it I could see being used by the Pagan community in general. For those just starting out, I would be a bit more leery about recommending it until they have a solid background on what they believe and what their path entitles. (Although if they want to buy it to read later on that is always an option.) ~*~*~*~ This was forwarded to me via another group. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **IMPORTANT** Merry Meet, If you attempted to access ePagan over the last few days, you no doubt encountered "software errors". We want to let you know about these errors and the cause. After much work, gnashing of teeth, and screaming, we found out that ePagan was the victim of a malicious attack by hacker/s. Only the auction script was targeted. This was a targeted, focused, and malicious act. ePagan was one of three sites hit. The same night, two other pagan auctions were targeted. One suffered only minor problems. One was destroyed. We have spoken with the owner of the destroyed site and she assures us that she will be rebuilding. We applaud her for doing so! These hackers have made a concentrated effort to hurt us as Pagans. They have attempted to destroy a site that has cost the owners time, energy and money to build and maintain. They attempted to destroy a site that is the livelihood of members of the pagan community, and a free gathering place for pagans, a site that provides free resources for YOU, the pagan community. If you feel so inclined, any protection magic you wish to work for ePagan will be greatly appreciated, as would some spare energy for your AuctionMistress (auctionslave) while we continue to battle these evil-doers. ****** Even as we were under attack, we had new users register! We will not be defeated or run off! We will not bow or break under this cyber-terrorism! ***** ePagan is a year and a half old, and we have many more goals to meet! We are here to stay! All records of the attack have been turned over to our hosting company who will pursue this through the proper authorities and legal channels. You may continue to experience some "software errors" while the security team completes their investigation. We will pass along any information that we are authorized by the security team to tell you. Thanks to each and every one of you for your support and loyalty! Blessings, WitchyWomyn AuctionMistress ~*~*~*~ Announcement(s): Quabala Class and Full Moon Merry Meet everyone, I would like to invite everyone to our coven's guest speaker for July 27th. Peyton, is a 31 year old Quabalaist that has been studying for 6 years. His sister, who is Wiccan, got him into Quabala. His sister has been into the occult for 8 years. Peyton lives in Keokuk, Iowa. Peyton will be taking us on an outlay of this class. He will be telling us: ** 3 types of Quabala that exists today. **The Golden Dawn Book **Quabala information through the tarot cards **10 passways of the Tree of Life **History **Pentagramatron **Hebrew Numerology **Mystical connections to the Quabala/Hebrew words **Friends and Spirits **Finger Magick (Psychic powers to the tree of Life) This will be one class out of many. It will just depend what everyone thinks of his first class. He is very excited about sharing his knowledge with us. July 27th, 2002 7-10pm Coven of the Blessed Lady covenstead Keokuk, Iowa 319-524-5529 for directions or email thunder1@interl.net or covenoftheblessedlady@yahoo.com There will be a Full Moon and Lammas following the class at 10:30. This will be a public open circle so please tell us if you would like to attend. Hope everyone would like to come and learn and meet new friends. Love & Light Gypsy **** IOWAN will be having an informal Lammas BBQ on Saturday the 27th of July, at Margo Frankel Woods on Highway 415. A ritual was not being planned as of the most recent update. From I-80/35, take the 2nd Ave. exit and go north. On the right-hand side of the road will be a small white sign with blue letters that spell "IOWAN". Enter the park there and go around to the shelter. The BBQ is at 5 pm, with drumming at 7 pm. For the BBQ, the meat is being provided, but please bring a side dish, and expect to serve 20-30 people. Also, it is advisable to bring your own place settings, cups and beverages. IOWAN events are drug and alcohol free. **** Picnic Date: Sunday, July 28, 2002 Time: 11:00AM CDT (GMT-05:00) Potluck Picnic... Bring some food, drink, and fun attitude... For those of you planning on attending the ICCR Picnic on Sunday here are directions on how to get there. PLEASE NOTE!!! Please check your email prior to leaving for the picnic - Ancilla and I talked last night and we are trying to change the site from Fox 2 to Wolf 2 as Wolf 2 is quite a bit larger and a bit closer to the parking lot. We should know by the end of today if we can move to the bigger site. So, please check to be sure! If you are coming from I-380 (either north or south) you will need to take exit 4, which is the North Liberty exit. You will be on County Road F-28, heading east towards North Liberty. You'll come to an intersection, which is next to an industrial park sort of area and intersects with Hwy. 965. Remain eastbound on F-28 (Penn Street) until you come to the stop sign at Penn and Front. Turn left (north) onto Front Street and follow it almost exactly three miles. The Field Campus entrance will be on your left. Once inside the park, you will follow a road back a couple of miles to the camping registration area. Fox site will be off to the left and Wolf to the right. There are signs pointing the way. Please watch out for the creatures as you drive in.there are plenty of bunnies around and almost as many deer. We got to watch a beautiful deer walk calmly across the road in front of us last night. Also, watch out for the nefarious pothole monsters...they really like to grab automobile tires! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For those coming from Iowa City/Coralville via Dubuque Street or North Liberty Road: Remain on Dubuque Street as you go through North Liberty. When you come to the angled intersection just past the North Liberty Flower Shop, turn right onto Front Street. The first 4-way stop you'll come to will be the intersection of Penn and Front where the directions above begin. Hope to see many of you there! Looking forward to it! It would be nice if you'd drop a note and give us a rough idea of who's planning on attending. (Helps with the food prep and such, y'know!) Don't forget insect repellant! I'm sure it would be all right if you wanted to bring drums and such as well, but no formal drumming circle is planned - this is all very casual and impromptu. Blessings, Kate ~*~*~*~ Writer's Biographies: Sheila K. Watkins knew from the time she was 15 that she wanted to be a writer but did not really start writing until she entered college where she worked on her college newspaper and also worked as the editor of the feature section for one semester. She was also introduced to the love of writing poetry at this time. Fortunately for all of us most of the poems have been lost to the world of men. After college she worked several jobs during the next few years but none included writing. It wasn’t until after both of her children had started school in 1998 that she went back to her love of putting words on a computer screen. Her first submission was accepted by publication by the IOWAN newsletter and it started her on the path of truly honing her work. In October of 2000, she founded and became editor of Whispers of a Stone Circle. ~*~*~*~ Submissions are always welcomed and can be made to: Zeliziw@netins.net In submitting materials writers are agreeing that if accepted I may post them in the newsletter and on the web page (whenever I finally get back to work on it.) Works submitted must be the writer’s own work and they must still retain the copyright OR it must be verifiably public domain. Works can have been published before but please nothing that has been around over and over again. Copyright remains in the author’s possession. The Author also realizes that they will not be paid. (If I had money I would be hosting this on something other then Yahoo.) If a submission is accepted, I will check for punctuation, capitalization and spelling in submitted articles. I will fix minor errors if they are present. I will NOT reword things (except for an occasional “an” for “a” and vice versa.) Poems are published as submitted. Forwarding information: If you chose to forward this newsletter, do so in its entirety, including copyright and contact information. People may subscribe to Whispers of A Stone Circle at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WhispersOfAStoneCircle/ All articles, poems, etc, except where noted are copyrighted by the writers and are used with permission. They are not to be republished without the express permission of the writers. Contact information may be obtained by contacting the editor of Whispers of A Stone Circle at Zeliziw@netins.net Copyright (c) 2002 Sheila K. Watson. All Rights Reserved