Keeper of Seasons Hall met to celebrate its fifteenth Winternights November 10, 2012. While for the most part the weather to date had been warm and dry, the morning we met at the Pueblo Montaño trailhead was cold, overcast, and windy. Intermittent drops of rain fell as we made our way to our destination on the bank of the Rio Grande, the same site we had used last year. Perhaps because of the weather, we saw less wildlife than in previous visits, though we did see a few ducks and crows, and at least once we heard the sound of cranes flying overhead. Continue reading
Tag Archives: bosque
Winternights 2011 report
Keeper of Seasons Hall met to celebrate its fourteenth Winternights November 6, 2011. Though the drought gripping New Mexico had continued, there had been enough precipitation that the Bosque was once again open (in fact, it had rained for a few hours the previous morning), so we met at the Pueblo Montaño trailhead and hiked for a time until we reached our destination on the bank of the Rio Grande. The site was one we had not used for many years, but it offered a spectacular view of the river; during our time there, we were made aware of the presence of ducks, cranes, ravens, and crows. Continue reading
Winternights 2010 report
On November 7, 2010 Keeper of Seasons Hall celebrated Winternights on the bank of the Rio Grande in the Bosque. The day of the celebration was unusually warm, even with the mild onset of winter that has become a regular feature of Albuquerque for the past few years; the sun shone brightly, and the temperature approached (though did not quite reach) 70 degrees Fahrenheit. We met at the Montaño trailhead, chatted for a time, and headed to our site, an area the Hall has used a number of times now. Though we did not see as many cranes or geese as in previous years, we saw quite a few ducks and many times heard the raucous cries of crows and ravens in the trees.
Midsummer 2009 report
On June 27, 2009 Keeper of Seasons Hall met in the Bosque near the Montaño trailhead to hold the year’s Midsummer Blót. Though this summer had been cooler and wetter than usual thus far, it was still warm enough that we decided, as in previous years, to meet early in the day to avoid the worst of the heat. The unusual amount of rain in the weeks leading up to the blót meant that the plant life of the Bosque was much greener and more lush than last year, and in addition to the usual bird life (including cranes flying overhead), we encountered large numbers of toads, frogs, lizards, insects, and small mammals on our way to the blót site. Continue reading
Winternights 2008 report
Keeper of Seasons Hall held its eleventh Winternights blót on November 1, 2008 in the Bosque near the Montaño trailhead.
Much like last year’s Winternights celebration, the days leading up to the event were fairly mild; it was only at night that the temperatures dropped below freezing. The day of the blót itself was warm and sunny. Many of the trees had changed their color, but few had lost many leaves yet. Though we had originally planned on using the same place in which we’d held our Midsummer celebration this year, we ultimately ended up in a different area. We at first had difficulty finding the location, and we spent some time rambling through the Bosque looking for landmarks. Continue reading
Midsummer 2008 report
With the solstice falling near a weekend, Keeper of Seasons Hall met on June 21 to hold its 2008 Midsummer’s Blót. As in the previous year, we met early in the day to avoid the worst of the season’s heat. Though summer storms had been visiting the area recently, we had nothing more severe than cooling winds during the ceremony; the day was clear and bright. Erich and Celeste had earlier scouted the Bosque for a new location for this year’s blót, a well-shaded site on the banks of the Rio Grande that offered a spectacular view of the river and its surroundings. In this holy place Erich led the blót, announcing our purpose in gathering and hailing the powers of the season; afterwards, each person present made personal hails, and the remainder of the mead was poured into the river in offering. Continue reading
Winternights 2007
On October 28, 2007, Keeper of Seasons Hall met near the Rio Grande to hold its tenth Winternights celebration.
Despite a few nights that dipped briefly below freezing, much of Albuquerque’s summer warmth had continued well into the following season; the day of the blót was warm, clear, and sunny. Many of the trees of the Bosque had changed color, and a few had lost their leaves, but there were still some smaller trees to be found that stubbornly held on to their greenery. The skies were frequently traveled by crows, ravens, geese, and cranes as members of the Hall made their way to a spot scouted previously for this blót. Continue reading
Disting 1999
At 5:30PM this February 12th the members of Keeper of Seasons Hall, joined by a great little heathen visitor in the form of Grundair’s son, once again sought out a spot on the bank of the Rio Grande river. The setting sun shone gold on the flowing water and the air was sweet with the smell of the river. The weather was unseasonably warm, bu it made the Blot all the more comfortable. After finding a spot, perhaps a bit too close to the main path, we began the blot for Disting. Continue reading
Midsummer’s Blót 1998
Midsummer’s Blót was held June 20th on a sweltering New Mexico afternoon. Sunna’s gold rays struck heavily on our walk to the site. We were, as usual, along the banks of the Rio Grande, which, despite a period of very dry weather, were lush with native grasses. We walked along the worn path seeking a site we have used many a time. A site where the trees shelter a shady spot of clearing with a well placed groove leading to the bank and a strip of tree-shrouded grass large enough to stand on comfortably at the very edge of the river. After passing the site inexplicably and coming back around from another path to the strip of grassy bank, we set up for the blót. Continue reading
Ostara 1998
Ostara was held on Wodan’s Day, March 25th, in our usual strip of land next to the Rio Grande. With spring’s might manifesting all around us and the temperature rising to upwards of 75 degrees Fahrenheit, it was an absolutely beautiful day. Our site was incredible. We were walking down the worn track of the main path to find a site when Barhelm called attention to a site I we had almost passed. He saw a raven by a small clearing through the trees. That being reason enough for me, I agreed that it would be our site. Continue reading