Merry Meet and Merry Beltaine Everyone!

For the past six years I have spent Beltaine driving south from MA to MD in preparedness for the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.  Along the way, I also find myself coming upon the delicate strength of Spring as it manifests itself along the way.  I drive through PA so that I can enjoy the beautiful softness of the greens and lavenders of the countryside which whizzes past the window of the car, keeping to the speed limit of course!  Through all the windy, rainy days of April, the tender buds and leaflets of spring hang on and persevere to bring forth the wonderous shade and aromas that we all look for in summer.

Beltaine is now for me a six day celebration.  It starts with my travels down to MD and then finishes with my participation in the Festival and celebration of Spring with fiber and joy of seeing the youngsters travelling through the show - human and animal alike.  My favourite part of the festival is seeing the looks on the faces of the children when they first pet an alpaca or feel the softness of the new horns on the cashmere goat kids.

In many ways, every child is like those buds and leaves.  Today, every child faces an onslaught from the media, school and families to be perfect and to prepare for what is coming. It is my wish this Beltaine that every person meeting a child for the first time will do so with a loving smile that can be used as a building block for that child's own delicate strength.

Blessed Be.