The Green Lane (to Nowhere)

So, It's A New Year ....

2012-01-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

It has become my habit, at the beginning of a new year, to develop goals and set targets for myself. Not resolutions. Goals. There's a difference.

The difference between goals and resolutions may be slight, but here it is:

Goal: the end toward which effort [and energy] are directed.

Resolution: something that is resolved or firmness of resolve; a formal expression of will or intent.

You may have discovered, as I did, that you can have gobs of firmness of resolve, but if you don't develop a goal, declare targets/deadlines and expend effort and energy to reach them, you won't get to the place you need to be to accomplish your resolution. Semantically nit-picky, I suppose, but my reason for developing goals instead of making resolutions.

Every year, I have one primary goal. In 2011, my primary goal was completing the revision of my novel, Ding Dong Bell. In 2012, my primary goal is completing the revision of my novel, Ding Dong Bell. Huh?

Yes, that's right, in 2011 I failed to achieve my primary goal. That's because I didn't follow through by developing that goal and breaking it down into smaller targets/deadlines that would allow me to reach my primary goal -- completing the revision of my novel -- by achieving smaller targets/deadlines along the way that built upon one another and would eventually culminate in the achievement of my primary goal. Because I handled the revision of my book like a resolution -- making a formal expression of intent -- without developing a workable plan to accomplish it, I didn't get it done.

This year, I have a workable plan.

In my own defense, it wasn't for lack of trying. Unfortunately, I allowed myself to become entangled in situation in which, on the advice of others, I began rewriting the opening of my book before I had finished revising the first draft. You can read about that here, where I apologize to my book for not having confidence in my own intuition/judgement. This turned into a revolving door that never allowed me to get out of the beginning of the book.

But to be fair to myself, every year I also set a number of other writing goals: write at least two short stories, submit at lease two stories and poems for publication, present at least two public readings, apply for one grant, enter two contests. I did all these things and was successful with most. I can't complain.

I've done the same for 2012.

This may not seem like much, but I have other things to keep in mind as well:

One, as the Director of the Written Remains Writers Guild, there are the Guild's annual goals to accomplish. You can read them here on the Written Remains Blog. Fortunately, many of the Guild's goals coincide with my own and make it easier for me to achieve mine.

Two, my visual art work, which has been set aside for so long, but now demands its rightful place in my creative life. That's a long story, that I'll tell another time. At any rate, I'm in the process of creating enough pieces of collage and mixed media work to support a solo show in 2013.

Third, my Healing Touch (working with the human energy field) certification. I'm studying for my Level 3 certification now and working toward Professional certification, which I hope will, sometime soon, enable me to to be my own boss.

Oh yeah, at the present time, I also work at a demanding full time job.

It's already mid-January. If I'm going to get all this stuff done, I better get busy!

2nd Annual Wriitten Remains Writers Guild MiniWriMo

2011-10-14T22:06:00.001-04:00

From November 1 - 30, 2011, I'll be leading the 2nd Annual Written Remains MiniWriMo (mini writing month). The WR MiniWriMo is sponsored by the Written Remains Writers Guild.

The WR MiniWriMo is a mini writing month where participants accept the challenge to write no less than One Page A Day -- 250 words -- Every Day for 30 Days.

Think It's Easy? Give It A Try!

Writers can choose a variety of projects to work on: short stories, novel chapters, daily page practice, journaling or blog posts.

Participants share progress and strategies, as well as their trials and triumphs on our WR MiniWriMo Facebook Group.

Prep in October. Inspiration in November. Local Writing Meet Ups.

For more information on the WR MiniWriMo and to sign up, visit the Written Remains Writers Guild website at: http://www.writtenremains.org/.

My Artwork at the Newark Arts Alliance "Works on Paper" Exhibition

2011-09-13T15:00:00.001-04:00

The Ancestor by JM Reinbold

One of my collage pieces, The Ancestor, has been selected for the Newark Arts Alliance "Works on Paper" exhibition, a juried show of works from a variety of artists.

The exhibition opens Tuesday, September 13 and runs through Saturday, October 15, 2011.

The opening reception for "Works on Paper" is Friday, September 16, 2011 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Newark Arts Alliance
276 East Main Street
Suite 102
Newark, DE 19711

Visit the Newark Arts Alliance website.

Image: The Ancester copyright 2011 JM Reinbold

I Love Midsomer!

2011-08-13T14:55:00.003-04:00

My favorite place in England is the fictional county of Midsomer. Come along on the tour of these murderously delightful villages. John Nettles, aka Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby, is our guide.

Midsome Murders, the fantasically popluar Britcrime series developed from the original stories of Caroline Graham, has most, if not all, of the elements I love in English village murder stories. In my next post, Not Your Gran's Cup of Tea, I explore the dark side of English Village murder mysteries and their not-so-cozy essential components.

Weekend Writing Challenge -- Wish me Luck!

2011-07-22T11:34:00.003-04:00

How Many Pages Did You Write Today?, the on-line writing support group I belong to on Facebook is holding a Weekend Writing Challenge that begins today, Friday, July 22nd and ends at midnight on Sunday, July 24th.

(The weekend challenge is a public event, so if you'd like to join me and do some WRITING here is a link to the event invitation.)

For this challenge, each writer sets her/his own goal and announces it to the group sometime during the day today before 5 p.m.

My Challenge Announcement: My goal for the weekend challenge is to revise (mostly) 26 pages (two chapters) and write some new text needed for those chapters from Act I of my WIP.

Tonight I will be planning some of the new material and working with my scene cards.

I will be updating this post (as well as the group) with my progress.

Wish me luck!

Today I Apologized To My Book

2011-07-08T16:11:00.002-04:00

The decision to apologize to my book, DDB, a mystery novel-in-progress, came after lunching with a writer friend who told me about an experience she had with her own novel-in-progress.

My friend attended a writers' conference to which she submitted three chapters of her novel for review. During the course of the conference, she was advised to cut these chapters from her book. When my friend pointed out that she had received an award for these chapters, she was told that winning an award didn't mean anything. As you can imagine this didn't go over well, and why should it have. The advice was given without knowing anything about rest of her book.

At a writers' workshop that I attended, I was given similar advice -- cut the first three chapters of my novel. This advice, from the workshop instructor, was also given without knowing anything about the rest of my book. I certianly didn't dispute that the chapters could be improved. I all ready knew that. However, I did dispute the idea of eliminating them, as all were emotionally powerful and necessary to the story, as well as the plot. I was then told, that if I kept these chapters in the book, they could not be at the beginning and I should write a new beginning to the book.

So, I wrote a new beginning for my book. I have said on various occasions that this advice was both the best and the worst. In some ways it was beneficial; in other ways it wasn't. In the long run, it cost me a lot of time during which I could have been moving forward with the revision. And, because I knew, on some level, that these chapters were where they needed to be, writing the new opening put me at odds with my story.

After writing the new opening, I went on submitting my novel-in-progress to various workshops, grant and award-giving competitions, as well as continuing to submit it chapter by chapter to my critique groups. All of which has generated box loads of commentary. So much so, I had trouble keeping track of it all.

I'm sure you are familiar with the saying: "Too many cooks spoil the broth." Well, it is also possible for "too many writers to spoil a book."

What I am getting at here is this: There is a time to expose your book to the opinions of other writers/readers. That time is when the book is DONE. That time is when you have written the book YOU want to write; a book that pleases YOU, that interests YOU and keeps YOU entertained. That time is when you have written a book that YOU would want to read if you found it on a shelf in a bookstore. That time is when you have written the best book YOU are capable of writing. When you have done that, then open your doors to the masses.

If you have too many writers tossing ingredients into your book, each "seasoning" it to her/his own taste, while you are still writing or even working on the first revision of the draft, you are creating a recipe for disaster because you are now no longer writing your own book. And, you may also find yourself becoming deaf to the wisdom of the story itself. You may find yourself looking on your work with growing distaste, and worse, distrusting your own ability as a writer.

A writer friend told me recently that the best advice she ever received regarding her writing was: "Don't listen to anyone." Meaning, I assume, don't listen to anyone while you are writing your book.

Understand, I am not advocating the rejection of all comment on a work-in-progress. I intend to continue submitting chapters of my novel to my critque groups. I trust my critique partners. They will see my book through to its conclusion and they will read it as a whole after having read it in parts. But I am suggesting a way to handle critique comments on a work-in-progress:

1. Only make changes to the manuscript that are obvious and that feel right to you when they are pointed out.

2. Make minor changes to setting, character, dialogue, etc. only if these changes enhance or clarify the story/plot. Do not make any changes that significantly change the story you envision.

3. Other than that, read through the critiques and file them for future reference to revisit when your story is complete.

I have been indiscriminate with my book, and that is why I am going to apologize.

So today, DDB, I apologize to you.

And, I promise to limit the number of writers/readers who see you before you are complete.

I promise to stop "shopping" you around to all and sundry workshops, conferences and contests before you are ready.

I promise to stop trying to make you into what others think you should be.

I promise to listen to your voice because I know you will reveal the wisdom of the story to me.

I promise to trust my abilities as a writer and my ability to write this story.

I promise.

Two Labyrinth Inspired Art Workshops in July and August!

2011-06-28T15:43:00.001-04:00

My friend Carol Maurer, Labyrinth Coordinator at the Delaware Art Museum, and I will be presenting these workshops at the Labyrinth at First & Central, 1101 N. Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.

July 13: Collage Card Workshop – 6 – 9 p.m. presented by Carol Maurer using the process of SoulCollage® as described in Seena B. Frost’s published works about SoulCollage®.” For more information about the SoulCollage® process please visit the SoulCollage® website at http://www.soulcollage.com. One or more cards may be created.

August 17: Prayer Beads Workshop – 6 – 9 p.m. presented by Joanne Reinbold and Carol Maurer. Creating prayer beads for inspiration, dedication, affirmation and prayers. Several beading projects will be presented and created!

Fee: $20.00 per workshop (includes all materials)

For more information or to register contact Carol Maurer at spiritedplay@hotmail.com or 610.574.1900 or mail check (payable to Carol Maurer) to 409 Briarcreek Dr., Hockessin, DE 19707.

Get Out & Write! Community Free Write This Saturday, June 25, 2011

2011-06-22T15:04:00.000-04:00

This Saturday, June 25, 2011, my Guild, the Written Remains Writers Guild is hosting a Get Out & Write! Community Free Write from 1 - 3 p.m. in the Community Room of the Kirkwood Library (6000 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808.

A free write is an informal gathering of writers who meet to practice their writing.

Free writing can help you discover new story ideas, dissolve writer's block, turn off your inner critic, and most importantly, free writing is fun and a great way to fellowship with other writers!

I facilitated our March freewrite, and, in one of our exercises we explored the color red through all the senses and through a variety of unusual pairings: a red song, a red dream, a red illness, and more. The participating writers found these prompts stretched their imaginations in different and unique directions.

At our April freewrite, facilitator Ramona Long, helped us work through three prompts involving childhood games. As a great surprise for everyone, at the end of the exercise each writer discovered that s/he had just created the three main elements for a short story!

In May, our group met during the Memorial Day weekend and we worked on a number of "remembrance" prompts, one of which was "poppies." Facilitator, Ramona Long published some of our writing from the "poppies" prompt on her blog. Click here to read our work.

Free writes are open to anyone interested in writing. Writers of all skill levels are welcome. Please bring a notebook, pen/pencil or laptop, whatever you are most comfortable writing with. There is no charge. No RSVP is required. Just come with a desire to write.

Coming up in September! Mark your calendars now! I, and two other Written Remains Guild members, will be presenting a special, first time Get Out & Write! Community Free Write at the New Castle Public Library on Saturday, September 24, 2011 from 1 - 3 p.m. Cool prompts, a story creation exercise, a free write game and more!

A Blessed Solstice Day to One and All!

2011-06-21T12:30:00.005-04:00

A Blessed Summer Solstice Day to one and all! And while you celebrate the glory of the Sun, enjoy "The Spirit of Avalon" a photographic and musical tour of the ancient Isle of Avalon by artist, photographer and musician Peter Vines.

The Lady's call is strong today. How I wish I was there!

Celebrating the Solstice in Circles

2011-06-20T12:59:00.004-04:00

A Blessed Solstice to All!

I'll be celebrating the Summer Solstice at the Delaware Art Museum's

Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk tomorrow, June 21st, at 6 p.m.

By sun, by star, by stone

Tread out the circles of the Grail ...

(from Mara Freeman's blogpost "Solstice at the Source" 6/20/2011)

Update 6.22. 2011: 50+ people walked the labyrinth to welcome in the Summer! This is largest number of people at any walk to date! Labyrinth coordinator and faciltator, Carol Maurer provided bubble water and walkers filled the air above the labyrith with celebratory bubbles as they walked or when they reached the center.

Ceramic Finger Labyrinth Workshop

2011-05-20T14:22:00.003-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I am the Coordinator for the Labyrinth at First & Central. We host labyrinths walks every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Our overall labyrinth theme this year is "Awakening" and we also have a monthly theme based on the year theme. In May our theme is "Awakening to Creativity."

In support of our Creativity theme, we are inviting members and friends of our Labyrinth Community to create labyrinth-inspired art. From May through August, the Labyrinth at First & Central will sposor labyrinth-inspired art workshops and then in September we will host a mini-gallery of labyrinth-inspired art, both for viewing and for sale.

For our first labyrinth-inspired art event, the Labyrinth at First & Central is sponsoring a very special "Ceramic Finger Labyrinth Workshop" on two Tuesdays, May 31 and June 14, 2011 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. facilitated by Jenny Davies-Reazor and Carol Maurer.

Join us as we play with clay and spiral inward. On May 31st we will learn about the history, uses and types of labyrinths and then create our very own personal labyrinth. Then on June 14th, return to the center and pick up your glazed and fired labyrinth, experience a labyrinth walk and enjoy a pot-luck meal with new friends!

Date: Tuesdays, May 31 and June 14, 2011

Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Cost: $65.00 (includes materials)

For more information or to register contact Carol Maurer at spiritedplay@hotmail.com, or call 610-574-1900 or mail check (payable to Carol Maurer) to 409 Briarcreek Drive, Hockessin, DE 19707.

*Class is limited to 15 participants -- register today!

About the Instructors:

Jenny Davies-Reazor is a local artist who works mainly in clay. Her work ranges from sculptural tiles to ceramic and mixed media shrines. She currently teaches workshops and childen's classes in the Newark/Wilmington area. Check out her website here: http://www.jdaviesreazor.com/.

Carol Maurer is a labyrinth artist and builder. She is the coordinator of the Delaware Art Museum Labyrinth and a Wednesday host at the Labyrinth at First & Central. Check out her Labyrinth and Art Blog here: http://backyardpilgrim.blogspot.com/

Imbolc: The Eternal Flame

2011-02-01T09:49:00.000-05:00

May the Fiery Arrow, the healer of all things, pierce your heart!

Imbolc blessings for this day and every day!

The Solstice Tree

2011-01-09T13:52:00.002-05:00

For more than fifteen years I have decorated our Solstice/Yule Tree with carefully chosen, fortuitously found and gifted ornaments.

The tree itself is symbolic of the Great World Tree, whose branches, trunk and roots connect the three worlds -- Upper, Middle, Lower -- and of the Tree of Life under which all beings shelter.

The ornaments are also symbolic in a number of ways and with them I have tried to represent the beings and powers that inhabit our our natural, magical world.

Our Solstice Tree is decorated with icicles, snow and a figure of a sprightly Jack Frost, acknowleging and honoring the power of Winter.

However, a primitive bronze ornament is prominently placed to reveal the face of the Invincible Sun. A full moon, a blue moon, and many twinkling lights remind us of the starry heavens, and in a long, elegant spiral ornament, I imagine Arianrhod's Spiral Castle among the stars.

Further exploration reveals Taliesin's blue star that reminds us of the story of his birth and the unsurpassed power of his voice and words.

The Birds of Rhiannon fly around the tree, as well as the images of the many birds that regularly visit our gardens. The snowy owl ornament is a reminder of the owl I saw one snowy winter twilight as he sat for a few minutes on our fence. That was many years ago, and I was told that the snowy owl never came so far south. But the snowy owl was there on our fence and I have never forgotten him.

Wild and domestic animals roam these branches, a bear, deer, wolf, racoon, skunk, even a hedgehog, along with a cat, cow and some baby chicks.

Whale, dolphin, deep sea fish and golden shells remind us of the sea, lakes and streams and the beings who dwell within the depths. If you look closely, you can also find the Salmon of Wisdom leaping up after a hazelnut!

Butterflies, bees and other insects represent the insect world and remind us that we need to make the land safe again for pollinators, for without them we would have no crops, no flowers, no food. A golden snake is representative of the world of reptiles, the treasures of the Underworld, and is also a symbol of both the Goddess and druids.

Nestled deep within the branches of the Tree is a nest. In the nest are three golden eggs, symbols of new life waiting to be born when winter passes. Also symbolic of new life are the many golden nuts and cones that festoon the branches.

I am collecting golden "leaf" ornaments of the Nine Sacred Trees and so so far have three, plus mistletoe.

A rose and an pomegrante represent flowers and frutits and are Goddess symbols, too.

And you can't miss the bight red heart right in the center that is the HEART of the Tree!

This year, I received a horse ornament that reminds me of the special gifts of Horse -- energy, speed, and connection to the power of the Land and the Sun --and this little horse is also a memorial to the two horses, Joker and Kris Kringle, who were the companions of my childhood.

Our Solstice Tree reminds us everyday from Winter Solstice until Imbolc that Sun and warmth will return, of the care we need to give our Earth Mother and her many children, and also to keep in memory the ancient stories of our ancestors.

Our Solstice Tree is a prayer for the safety and well-being of the Great Tree, the Three Worlds and all that dwell therein.

The Origins of the Written Remains Mini WriMo

2010-10-24T13:40:00.006-04:00

My writers' guild, the Written Remains Writers Guild, is hosting a Mini WriMo in November. A mini WriMo is a mini writing month.

Why are we hosting a mini writing month during the same month when the infamous NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and NaNoLand madness is in full swing?

Sounds like a crazy idea, doesn't it? Yes, but maybe not so much. Here's why.

In November 2008, I participated in National Novel Writing Month. I wrote to victory with a 50,000 word literary crime / mystery novel. I'm a slow and precise writer, so it was hard. And while I'm glad I participated and "won" and there were a lot of things I liked about NaNoWriMo, there were also a lot of things I didn't like.

Let's start with what I liked about NaNoWriMo:

-- Intentionally dedicating time to focus on one's writing.

-- A community of writers all working together toward the same goal.

-- A centralized on-line location where participants "meet" and report progress.

-- The feeling of freedom when writing for quantity not quality.

-- The feeling of achievement as one's word count grows each day.

-- Daily / Weekly inspiration from the organizers and other writers.

-- Local "meet ups" for local NaNoWriMo participants.

Now, what I didn't like about NaNoWriMo:

-- The "kamikaze" approach of dedicating just thirty days to write a novel -- do or die.

-- The ridgid structure of NaNoWriMo (must be a new novel, no works-in-progress).

-- The results of writing for quantity rather than quality.

-- The high percentage of writers who become discouraged in the first week.

-- The rapidity with which a writer can become a "loser" through no fault of their own, i.e.
illness, emergencies, work and daily life events, etc. and never recover.

-- The feeling of deflation at the realization that large chunks of the novel are useless.

-- The amount of time required to revise and edit the rough draft of a NaNo novel.

While I survived my NaNoWriMo and "completed" a 50,000 word novel, I didn't really enjoy the experience. And that, perhaps, is what bothers me the most. It is also why I doubt that I will participate in NaNoWriMo again.

However, in August of 2010, I did participate in a Page-a-Day challenge hosted by the Jungle Red Writers on their blog Writing Well Is the Best Revenge.

The Written Remains MiniWriMo is a mashup of NaNoWriMo and the Page-A-Day challenge with a more flexible structure and less rigid "rules." I created MiniWriMo as a way for writers to not only dedicate time to focus on their work, but to develop a habit of working every day producing quality writing in a community of writers that offers a way for those writers to stick together even after November has passed. And, I hope it will be a little easier, as well as being more satisfying in the long run and more fun, too.

NaNoWriMo
1,667 words x 30 days = 50,010 words (month of November)

The Written Remains MiniWriMo
250 words x 30 days = 7, 500 words (month of November)
250 words x 365 days = 91,250 words (one year of a Page-A-Day)

There are a lot of people who don't finish NaNoWriMo. Year after year they try and don't finish. There are a lot of unfinished NaNo novels out there.

And, to be fair, there are a lot of people who do finish NaNoWriMo with 50,000 words. But they don't have a whole book or a cohesive storyline. Many of these novels are never revised or edited.

I love the idea of NaNoWriMo, but I want a better outcome. And I bet there are other writers out there that do, too. Will the Written Remains MiniWriMo give a better outcome? I hope so, but we won't know for sure until we try.

October Memories: All Souls' Night

2010-10-22T15:04:00.000-04:00

Let's set our feet upon the Green Lane to Nowhere and see where it leads us on All Souls' Night ...

A gorgeous song by one of my very favorite musicians, Loreena McKennitt.

October Memories: As Samhain Nears

2010-10-19T21:08:00.007-04:00

"The moon is full and white behind the shredding clouds. Along the ground, the mists run low and swift carrying the spirits of the ancestral dead. An old woman waits at the crossing of three ways. The night is alive with voices, murmuring, whispering, keening, singing ... and time stops. For them that desire now is the time of asking. Here at the threshold of the year, the season turns, the joints of the world crack. Old things die, new things rise, and in the swarming darkness an old god is reborn."

-- from Summer's End by JM Reinbold

In 1999 Dobhran created a webpage as a Samhain blessing for his OBOD friends. I loved this page so much I saved it, and it has now become one of my treasured October / Samhain / Calan Gaeaf memories. Over the years, I've lost track of Dobhran, but I'd like to share his Samhain Blessing .

Black Feathers in the Sky

2010-10-05T11:48:00.005-04:00

Follow the Green Lane to Nowhere deep into a haunted wood on a moonless night ... and this is what you'll find ...

Ed Harcourt's Black Feathers from the EP "Russian Roulette."

Love it ... love it.

Book Review: L.M. Browning's Oak Wise

2010-08-09T15:19:00.001-04:00

Review of L.M. Browning’s Oak Wise: Poetry Exploring an Ecological Faith by J.M. Reinbold

There is no denying that Oak Wise is beautifully written. L.M. Browning is unusually skilled in the poet’s art. However, there are other features of Oak Wise that I particularly appreciated as well. The first is the author’s Introduction to the book: “Ancient Ways in a Modern World.” This, along with the glossary are alone worth the price of the book and do an admirable job of orienting the non-pagan reader to the great journey that is to come.

For more than anything, Oak Wise is a journey, a journey away from formal religion and a return to the ancient spiritual ways of the Green World. In the reading of this book, I was reminded of two archetypal journeys: The mythic Hero’s Journey and the cyclical journey of the Tarot Fool or Innocent Seeker, who having passed through a series of “illuminations” returns to where he began, now as the Wise Fool or Initiated Seeker, having gained the knowledge that his journey is never ending and that he is now actively and consciously participating in the Eternal Return. Having made this perilous journey herself, L.M. Browning takes her readers by the hand and leads them through Oak Wise allowing them to acutely experience her excitement, sorrow, and joy as she overcomes obstacles and passes through trials that culminate in the revitalization of her soul and spirit.

As a bard and Otherworld journeyer, it is not surprising that the sections of Oak Wise that most appealed to me were “Walking Between the Worlds – A Shaman’s Story” and “The Duties of the Bard.” For these two, the shaman and the bard, sometimes one and the same person, are the collectors, keepers and carriers of ancient wisdom, and when that wisdom is lost to a people, they are the fearless souls who are sent to retrieve it. L.M. Browning was called. She answered that call and has proved to be both brave and able in her mission. Oak Wise is the proof of it.

Oak Wise is richly expressive of the universal need to return to the practices of Earth keeping and of Earth honoring; of reconnecting with the deep spirituality and wisdom of Green World and of listening for and relearning the secret speech of the Green Language, which once heard and understood is never forgotten; of opening our bodies, minds, souls to all that we’ve lost in our headlong rush into industrialism and in our flight from the life-giving land to the lifeless concrete. Oak Wise is gentle, yet unrelenting in its exhortation of us to return to the land and a more conscious, spiritually engaged way of life.

Some pagan readers might find Oak Wise, despite its title, not pagan enough. But therein lies another and deeper strength of this book. It is accessible to many readers from all walks of life and experience. Oak Wise expresses its wisdom in ways and verse that a reader unaccustomed to reading poetry or unfamiliar with Celtic Shamanism or Celtic Spirituality can easily apprehend. And that is the test of a true bard.

L. M. Browning's next book in this series, Ruminations at Twilight , will be released on August 29, 2010 from Little Red Tree Press.

-- Review by JM Reinbold

J.M. Reinbold is an author, editor and the director of the Written Remains Writers Guild. She is the author of Cernunnos, Ancient Celtic God and other works of fiction and non-fiction.

Written Remains Writers Guild Blog site

Why the Green Lane to Nowhere?

2010-06-16T12:34:00.007-04:00

Why is this blog called The Green Lane to Nowhere? I will begin answering that question today and will continue to add to this answer one sentence at a time ... until ... hmmm .... I suppose until I can't think of anything else to say about Green Lane!

16/6/2010: The name the Green Lane to Nowhere came from the title of a book: The Green Lane to Nowhere: the Life of An English Village by Byron Rogers. I saw that title and it was so intensely evocative for me that I just had to have it. The book itself is wonderful and I encourage anyone who is interested in English villages, rural England, or just enjoyable stories, to read it. Following is a short description of the book.

Byron Rogers moved to Blakesley, in Northamptonshire, long before fleeing the city for the country became everyone's dream. Over the years, his "Village Voice" column in London's "Daily Telegraph" observed his village's gradual evolution from a place where people lived from cradle to grave, into a dormitory haven for car-borne commuters. Now, in "The Green Lane to Nowhere," his touching, frequently hilarious chronicle can be enjoyed by a wider audience. Here is the Methodist chapel that became an auto showroom, the summer gala where the author bought his neighbor's shirts, his elevation to heady civic responsibility as Warden of the Paths, and the pathos of the village's oldest resident finally having to quit her ancestral home. It is an enchanting book that will appeal to anyone who has ever dreamed of leaving the metropolis behind. Byron Rogers is the author of "An Audience with an Elephant."

17/6/2010: In the book The Green Lane to Nowhere, I discovered that the Green Lane is actually a remant of an old Roman road that is "disconnected" from its destinations. There is a length of road, still intact, out in the middle of somewhere going nowhere and that is how it came to be named the Green Lane to Nowhere. The writer's imagination immediatley imbues such things with magical qualities. It is irresistable.

18/6/2010: The phrase "green lane to nowhere" also reminds me of rural pathways that disappear into the horizon, over a hill or meander through a forest, like the painting on the masthead of my blog. I'm not completely sure why this "disappearing" path is endlessly fascinating to me. It may be because the path seems endless. Perhaps it reminds me of the path taken by the tarot fool or seeker as s/he begins her journey of self-discovery. This path goes "nowhere," has no particular destination, carrying the seeker into the unknown. That is until the seeker finds herself/himself returned to the point of departure.

26/6/2010: The Green Lane to Nowhere reminds me of a world I fear is lost or that is on the brink of disappearing forever, a world that can now only be reached through memory, imagination and dreams.

Note: The picture on the "Green Lane" nameplate is a painting by Isaak Levitan (1860 - 1900) titled "Footpath in a Forest, Ferns"

The Earth Is What We All Have In Common ...

2010-04-20T10:13:00.005-04:00

If our home is lost, where will you go?

Honouring the Ancient Dead

2010-02-24T15:49:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to a BBC report about HAD: Honouring the Ancient Dead

HAD: Honouring the Ancient Dead

Honoring the Ancicent Dead ... to the Earth we return them ... into the spirals of time we commend them ... their songs shall become our songs ... for we listen and hear with our hearts and souls ... and bow to their passing.

Copyright 2010 JM Reinbold

**Photograph of sacred landscape from the HAD website.

The Sacred Circle

2010-02-24T10:22:00.005-05:00

Those of you who follow this blog have seen images I've used from the Sacred Circle tarot as illunstrations for some of my posts. You may have guessed by the frequency that I both write about and display images from Sacred Circle that it is my favorite deck.

I don't use tarot cards in the "conventional" way or, I suppose, in the way most people think of tarot cards being used, as a fortune telling device. Nor do I read cards for other people. It is not my intention to offend anyone when I say that I don't believe in using tarot cards for these purposes. I say this only for myself. I happen to believe that the power is in the person not in the cards. However, I do believe tarot cards, ones with which a person strongly resonates, can be a powerful tool for self exploration, increasing self awareness, and for developing one's inner sight,or the Sight as it is often called.

And with the development of one's Sight, the cards become a powerul conduit for the seeking of a personal omen or one's wyrd at Calan Gaeaf (Samhain), also called the hinge of the year.

I thought you might like to view this wonderful vid of some of the most arresting images from the Sacred Circle tarot.

** You can use the link to Sacred Circle on the main blog page to visit Anna Franklin's website and experience more of her wonderful work.

Celebrating Nos Gwyl Fair (Imbolc)

2010-02-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

Enjoy this lovely vid celebrating Nos Gwyl Fair (Imbolc)

Blessed Imbolc (Nos Gwyl Fair)

2010-01-31T12:59:00.005-05:00

Imbolc ...

from the belly of the Mother

Ice crack fertile earth

breathe ... birth

the Celestial Midwife sings

Her cauldron spills forth

new life

answers her Song

** The picture symbolizing the holy day of Imbolc is the "Star" card -- depicting Arianrhod's celestial Spiral Castle at the center of the labyrinth of stars -- from the gorgeous Sacred Circle Tarot by Anna Franklin and Paul Mason. You can use the link to Sacred Circle on the main blog page to visit Anna Franklin's website and experience more of her wonderful work.

Fireplaces I Have Known and Loved

2009-12-27T18:42:00.005-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've lived in a home with a real fireplace. I have a strong attraction to and love of fireplaces, so one would think that a fireplace would be at the top of my list in any house I lived in. A fireplace is a priority, but I don't always get what I want. So, my current home does not have a fireplace and I have been complaining about that for more than a few years.

I never thought I'd enjoy a digital fireplace. You know the ones that the cable service offers every year during the winter holidays or that you can purchase on DVD. But desperation will make a person try all kinds of things they swore they'd never do. So, here I am sitting at my laptop beside a digital fireplace complete with the snap, crackle and pop of the the real thing. I can adjust the height of the flames from a roaring to flickering. I am amazed that these digital flames are almost as mesmerizing as real ones. Of course, there isn't the wonderful smell of burning logs. Though for a moment, I thought I'd had an olfactory hallucination, because I swear I smelled the sweet, pungent odor of wood smoke.

Sitting beside my digital fireplace, sipping hot chocolate and listening to the original Winter Solstice album from Windham Hill caused me to recall fireplaces from my past that I have often longed for in the dark and cold of winter.

My parents had a lovely brick fireplace which they only built a fire in at Christmas. Still I have fond memories of it and the anticipation I felt when I saw my father bringing in the logs and kindling. I didn't willingly budge from my place on the floor in front of the hearth until the last embers had died away.

An old house in Arden that I frequented had an immense stone fireplace with an elborate mantlepiece in which a former occupant had carved phrases in Elvish script. We had some memorable nights by that hearth. The room was large enough for dancing and we passed many an evening folk dancing with the fire dancing along with us.

The fireplace memories I cherish most are from an old, old house where I lived for a time in the tiny village of Black Cat. There were fireplaces in every room, even in the basement. The fireplaces in the dining room, kitchen and basement were huge, almost tall enough to stand in. But I loved the fireplaces in the bedrooms the most. There is nothing like sitting in bed, drinking orange and clove tea, reading and watching the flames. That is also the house where I learned why people in the past wore wool stockings and nighcaps to bed. That was the draftiest house I ever lived in. In retrospect, those drafts felt like the life breath of the house and made me feel as if I were inside a living, breathing being.

There was a time when fireplaces were the heart of the home. The place where family and friends gathered not only for warmth, but for "intimate" fellowship. It's been said that the television has become our hearth. I truly hope that isn't so. I'll take a fireplace any day.

And, I'm hoping 2010 is the year I get a real fireplace!

Ring Out Solstice Bells!

2009-12-21T16:41:00.009-05:00

Winter Solstice 2009

The Solstice Sun rises

bright and strong

The battle between

the Holly and Oak kings

is won

On and on the wheel turns

minute by minute

the days

become long

Light is reborn!

On this Solstice Day I have vowed to embark on two "journeys." One, to re-read "The Dark Is Rising" story series by Susan Cooper, which I will begin today, and two, to begin preaparations to embark on a Hallowquest beginning on the Spring Equinox. As I journey through Susan's Cooper wonderful "Arthurian" series, I will share some of the story's highlights here. I will also share some of my preparations, adventures and insights as I prepare for and quest through Britain's inner landscape of Logres.

Solstice light and blessings to all!

** The picture symbolizing the Winter Solstice is the "Rebirth" card from the gorgeous Sacred Circle Tarot by Anna Franklin and Paul Mason. You can use the link to Sacred Circle on the main blog page to visit Anna Franklin's website and experience more of her wonderful work.

Celebrating Winter Solstice

2009-12-08T14:21:00.002-05:00

The December or winter solstice will occur at 17:47 (or 5.47 p.m.) Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on December 21, 2009.

Where will you celebrate Winter Solstice this year? I wish I could be at New Grange. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be deep in the earth, in total darkness? To lose track of time passing and then from a distance see a single bright spot appear, a bright spot which then becomes a golden sliver of light that moves slowly into the heart of the chamber, briefly illuminating the darkness and then retreating.

Watch this wonderful video, "Magical New Grange," for a bit of an idea of what it might feel like to experience the winter solstice deep in the heart of the Earth mother.

Green Gratitude

2009-11-24T15:36:00.009-05:00

I am grateful ...

    to the One ... for this Green World.

        to the Mother of All ... for this Green World.

            for our one and only home ...

                for holy Earth and sacred land ...

                    for green seas, green wind, green earth, and green fire ...

I am grateful ...

    for my life ... in this Green World.

        for all life ... in this Green World.

            for everything seen and unseen ...

                for Everything.

* Artist unknown

In This Season of Calan Gaeaf (Samhain / Halloween)

2009-10-30T16:03:00.015-04:00

In This Season of Calan Gaeaf

In this season,

let us cast ourselves into Ceridwen's cauldron,

sinking, turning,

spiraling down into the depths,

disassembling, recombining, transforming,

becoming All ... becoming Nothing

Like Taliesin,

We are cauldron-born,

We are cauldron-born.

*The picture of Ceridwen comes from the Greenwood Abbey

What You'll Find Here ...

2009-09-10T10:05:00.009-04:00

What will you find on the Green Lane? Well, let me tell you ...

"Portals" to secret places ...

Explorations into My Affalon and Avalonian Druidry ...

Peeks and peeps into my garden and the wild places I visit ...

Stories of my animal friends ...

English things and places that interest me ...

The Literary Larder ...

Writers and others whom I admire and from whom I draw inspiration ...

What I'm reading ...

Musings on books that I adore ...

How I write, what I write about and why ...

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What I'm reading: Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner