A week or so ago I had learned of a magickal caterpillar on Sylvia Linstead's blog, the Indigo Vat. Imagine my surprise when I was taking photos of a vintage lamp for Etsy only to notice this coast's version of the little visitor: a white-marked tussock moth caterpillar. He seemed to be carrying an extra bit of fluff in his antenna - you know there's always plenty of fluff around here! The prominent little tufts, or tussocks, actually are defensive weaponry - they are toxic and can cause a rash in humans! Wild little trickster faeries.
Father's day came and went with plenty of tears. I feel like I'm breaking open and perhaps I'll be left a more real, less cynical and reserved, more overtly spiritual person. In our wolf-dog's usual wake of destruction (at a year and a half, she's still just a huge puppy), she unearthed a notebook with papers that included an email from Papa dated 5/23/97. It was one of those things I put in a safe place but had no idea where that was. It was the sweetest letter he ever wrote me. It felt like the sign I'd been waiting for, praying for, that he really is here with me. And my wolfie messenger is so dear for delivering it.
Later this week I'm going camping with Mad, my oldest and bestest friend, at the firefly gathering. We've known each other for around 27 years. She's coming all the way from Illinois to see me and make things ok. And our girls' getaway of choice is this gathering... she's an archaeologist, so our interests intersect in learning primitive living skills (including for me, dyeing the Appalachian colour palette) and communing. I haven't been camping in years and my hub insisted I needed gear that I wouldn't have thought - like fold-up chairs, a hatchet, a lantern and a ginormous cooler. I was envisioning glamping with quilts and candles and bunting, and so these utilitarian provisions in their Coleman shades of dark blue and grey didn't seem quite aesthetically pleasing or old-school enough for me ... but he says I'll thank him.. So you can look forward to lots of photos of hippies and tools and plant friends and bonfires and shamanic dancing and glow tubes, and hopefully more faeries!
