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2012

January 15th: New Year's Beach Ritual to Yemaya
Our tenth annual beach offering to the Goddess Yemaya, a ritual usually held in warmer climes, which this year fell on one of the coldest days of the winter for us. Deb led the rit and still took off her boots and got her feet wet. 5 attended this year, offering melon boats with flowers and joss paper to the goddess and to the ocean and the Jersey Shore. We fed the seagulls, then retired to a warm diner for food and conversation. Photos to come.

2011

December 22nd: Winter Solstice Sunrise on the Beach
Our traditional sunrise ritual on the beach to welcome the sun back after the shortest day. "Fa-nat-ic - noun: Inordinately and unreasonably enthusiastic person - synonyms.: enthusiast, extremist, zealot".
The weather was warm and balmy for 18 barmy Druids and Pagans out on the beach at dawn to greet the returning sun today on the Solstice. The sun eventually rose over the sea and clouds. Brighter days are ahead! Happy Yule! Photos to come!

December 18th: GOG's Yule: A Yule in American Mythick Oireland
"A celebration of our collectively created Irish fantasy land, honoring the Gods that populate that land. (We will focus on the Newgrange myth with Dagda, Boann, and Oengus, but the rest can all be goofiness and blarney and "cheer-ta-la-cheer-pataytoes!")
GOG's Yule included a mummer's play, a postmodern retelling the story of how Oengus Mac Og tricked the Dagda out of the "OldeGrange Pub" and turned it into the "NüGrange Grill and Bar." The play was hysterical (Annie was An Dagda; Laura, Oengus; Kerry, Boann, Tricia, Lugh. Script was by Annie.). The ritual was lively and fun. Annie was Druid-in-Charge. 27 attended.
Our omen, from the Druid's Tarot: K... of Pentacles (3-legged horse), Achtan (Temperance), and 7 of Wands (movement, finishing things): "There are things that are not yet finished this year, but we have the will and strength to finish them in the new year; we need to finish this ritual." Much gratitude to the 9 who attended the planning meeting and made props for the play, and thank you to all those who brought stuff to our huge post-ritual feast (thank you Bob for kitchen-witching!). And thanks to those who participated in GOG's Win-A-Cthulhu-For-Yulhu Raffle; we raised $147 for the grove!
Out of 27 people, 19 took ritual parts in GOG's "Celebration of American Mythick Oireland: our collective imaginary landscape of turf and limestone, populated by myth, legend, and pots of gold at the end of rainbows!" Photos to come!

November 26th: GOG's 7th (relatively) Functional Stress-free Thanksgiving Dinner
"Sort of like a church supper-- except without the church." 20 attended. Good food, good conversation, games, and fellowship. Many thanks to Tricia, Bob, and Patty for hosting!

********* WE DID IT! *********
We've had another anonymous donation to the fund for Rose's Wheelchair Ramp. This donation is for $267, the remainder of the $900!!!! Many thanks to everyone who donated artwork to the raffles, participated in the raffles at Lughnasadh and Samhain, and/or bought ponchos, and a special thanks to our 3 anonymous donors.

November 12th: GOG's Feast of Manannan at the Jersey Shore
12 attended GOG's Feast of Manannan at the Jersey Shore. We made offerings of beer, grain, oatmeal, whiskey, and our grove's sacred well water into the ocean to Manannan Mac Lir, the grove's patron and gatekeeper, to thank him for gatekeeping at our rituals and keeping an eye on us. Our omen contained all the parts of a desiccated pumpkin that made a whole pumpkin and an uneaten cob of corn: autumn is almost over, all the pieces are there, and we have sustenance for the winter. Photos to come!

November 5t - 6th: GOG's 22nd Samhain Ritual & Vigil
39 attended GOG's Samhain rite. Norma was Druid-in-Charge, and Norma and Alex performed the main invocation to our ancestors and our own past and future. Tricia, Patty, Kerry, and Nora made a sparkly colorful web to depict our journey through time on, and Marc created an amazing clockwork web altar table. 43 attended the vigil, and 13 stayed until dawn to take down the backyard altars and close the gates. Alex flew in from Colorado to Kitchen Witch and perform part of the main invocation.
The vigil included a Kali Pooja, a rosary to Mary in her many forms, a Dia de Muertos altar, a pumpkin parade around the block with a gigantic pumpkin, traditional Mexican paper cutting, divination, turkish coffee and lots of great food, a bonefire vigil until dawn, and a reading of our grove's Book of Ancestors. Many people had ritual parts, read pages from the Ancestor's Book, marched and sang in the parade, and kept the festivities going all night. 9 attended the planning meeting to put this all together!
Our omen (from the Halloween Tarot - 9 of bats, 5 of pumpkins, 6 of bats): there are obstacles behind us; the little kid looks lost, but the guy who is leading him is smiling and seems to know where he's going; there are obstacles in front of us, but we have big invisible allies to help and sustain us and lead us.
Many thanks to all who created or donated the beautiful items for GOG's Samhain raffle. We raised $158 dollars for Rose's Ramp Fund. We also sold 6 ponchos, so our total contribution is $218. And we have an "a-nonny-mouse" donation of an additional $100, bringing the grove's charitable contribution to $318. A HUGE thank you to all who participated, bought tickets, or contributed! LOTS OF PHOTOS!!

September 24th: GOG's Autumn Equinox Ritual!
A ritual to Yama, Hindu / Vedic Ruler of the Departed, Lord of the Dead.
13 attended GOG's Autumn Equinox Ritual to Yama, Vedic/Hindu lord of death and judgment. This was a beautiful ritual, more solemn than most GOG rites. Marc organized the rite and invoked / channeled Yama; Jen was Druid-in-Charge. The rite centered around an indoor Yajna fire, which was scryed for omens: "When the flame is at its lowest, that is just before it flares up"; "Foxes-- serious and playful: take life seriously, but don't forget to play"; "Sometimes you're looking at the fire, sometimes only its reflection"; "a skull in the flames, but it's not scary"; "You can teach people and be taught, but no one can tell you what life is like." Nearly all the attendees took a part in this ritual. 7 people attended the planning meeting the week before. Norma was our kitchen witch. Photos!

August 14th: GOG's Lughnasadh Rite
16 participated in GOG's Lughnasadh (despite constant thunderstorms). Nora led our ritual to Gnomes, Brownies, Dwarves, and other helpful fey. We honored the bringing home of the harvest as well as other tasks, and honored those who delight in helping.
Our omen, scent-scryed in herbs: "savory and then sweet; you work and keep working, things constantly change, it gets sweeter; it gets better and then it's not and then it gets better again and the one constant is change."
Thanks to all who participated in GOG's Lughnasadh raffle to benefit Rose's Ramp Fund to help build a wheelchair ramp for Rose! And thanks to all who bought ponchos for Rose's Ramp Fund at the Pagan Picnic and GOG's Lughnasadh and elsewhere and elsewhen. (We're still selling those awesome ponchos -- all proceeds go to the Ramp Fund!) Photos!

August 6th: Hands of Change Annual Pagan Picnic
GOG members designed the picnic program, created a labyrinth, did facepainting, did end-of-day cleanup, and were on picnic staff - 9 GOG members in attendance. (Red Oak Grove performed the main rite.) Thanks to all who bought ponchos to benefit Rose's Ramp Fund.

July 9th: GOG's ADF Dedicants Group- (Final Meeting for this round)
Oath Rite and feast. 6 attended.

June 25th: GOG's Midsummer Night's Dream Walkaround Rite
15 took part in GOG's Midsummer Night's Dream walkaround ritual in New Brunswick. Karl did a mighty fine job as Druid-in-Charge, organizing and working out Shakespeare's script in the context of an ADF Druid ritual. 14 people either took ritual parts, or parts in the play-within-a-play (Pyramus and Thisbe, as heckled by Oberon, Titania, and Puck). Norma, Blue, and Jen were three scary fairies. We had some glorious rhymed and metered invocations (Nora's Fire-Well-Tree was breathtaking off-the-cuff invoking!) We made a pretty parade through the city in our fairy finery.
Our omens, scryed in flower petals: joyous chaos, dancing figures, a dancer balancing on a ball, lots of dragonflies, flowers made of petals. "Dance and balance in joyful chaos." Or, as Puck interpreted: "Smiling Dragonfly Balls," (which is now her new magickal name.)
A big thank you to all who brought cans and food to GOG's summer food drive!
Photos!

June 21st: GOG's Summer Solstice Rest Stop Rite
We had 12 at the Summer Solstice evening Rest Stop Rite on Jersey's west coast. Even got to see a few folks we haven't seen in a while! The sun set by itself on a fairly cloudless horizon and then cast its rays to tint the sky and river as we offered praise of bubbles, candy, and ritual. Photos!

May 21st: GOG's Dedicants Group
Spiritual practice, critiique of the program. 5 attended.

May 7th: GOG's Beltane MayFaire
23 attended GOG's crazy, funny Beltane MayFaire! Our omens: "This is my family, I found it all on my own..." "Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind." "Absence makes the heart grow fonder... or forgetful." "Always let your conscience be your guide." "T-T-F-N: ta ta for now!"
Jen was Druid-in-Charge, channeling Mary Poppins and never breaking character. The songs were fun, the invocations delightful, and it was a wonderful rite. The day went as usual: headwreaths, hobby horse, maypole, and lots of great food.
Many thanks to the 9 who helped plan the rite, and for Patty, Tricia, and Bob for hosting! And Bob and Ed for kitchen-witching. Photos!

May 1st: Beltane Dawn in Princeton
We had 18 GOGers out at dawn on May Day morning on the Princeton Battlegrounds to sing and dance our hobby horse, Happy Snappy, and watch Millstone Morris, Handsome Molly, and Stony Brook Morris dance. And we sounded really, really good! Norma led the singing, Jenniforensic was in the horse, Ed was the teaser. 11 attended the vigil the previous night. Photos!

April 27th: 17th Annual Pagan Panel Discussion-- Rutgers University Pagan Students Association
26 attended. There were 6 panelists representing ADF Druidry, NeoConstructivism, Discordianism, Alexandrian-Gardnerian Wicca, shamanism, and Shakti Wicca.

April 23rd: Beltane MayFaire Planning Meeting!
9 attended to help plan the rite and the day!

April 13th: Glamourbombing Workshop-- Rutgers University Pagan Students Association
What is Glamourbombing? One definition: Any act dedicated to increasing the level of ambient Magick in the mundane world. What does that actually mean? 11 attended. Norma explained.

April 9th: New GOG ADF Dedicants Group (Meeting Nine)
The holiday of Spring Equinox, Gods and Goddesses. 6 attended. Meditations. Lots of viewpoints. Lots of ideas about Gods and Goddesses. Very good discussion.

March 27th: Spring Ritual Day and Evening with Portal of the Porcupine
23 attended GOG's Spring Rite to Manannan Mac Lir at Portal of the Porcupine. We had a quite a few new people. Tiffany was an excellent Druid-in-Charge. Kerry invoked Manannan as Muse with the story of Cormac and the Silver Branch, David invoked Manannan as Gatekeeper and opened the gates, and Ed did the main invocation. We had two ex-navy at the rite (and even a drunken sailor to find something to do with). Many people added water to the grove well-- from the Ganges to local taps-- and we blessed the well. David made fisherman's knot bracelets for people to take home. Our omens, from the suit of cups, pulled from 7 different tarot decks: Ace of Bottles (PoMo deck) "We had a snowzilla of a winter, uncork the bottle, it's time to celebrate"; Ace of Cups (Minchiati deck) "New beginnings, new things to learn, wisdom is the thing that crowns you"; Knave of Holy Water (Vampire Tarot) "Learning doesn't stop with death, adventures and celebrations." Many of us stayed to enjoy POP's Ritual at twilight, and stayed late to talk around the fire.
Photos!

March 20th: Spring Equinox Beach Ritual to Manannan Mac Lir
Our traditional trip to Point Pleasant Beach for a brief ADF ritual and to collect the waters of 9 waves and make offerings to our grove patron and gatekeeper. Afterward, arcade games and the Atlantis Diner. 19 attended. Thanks to all who got their feet wet either invoking or going in the water! Photos!

February 26th: GOG ADF Dedicants Group (Meeting Eight)
The holiday of Imbolc, Nature Spirits and Spirits of Place. Also discussed numerology, blurring of lines and concepts, strathspey dances. 5 attended. This is a good group, and we've had some excellent discussions.
Get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies! Here are some "FAQs" about the program from the Ár nDraíocht Féin web site: http://www.adf.org/training/dp-faq.html Eight grove members have formally completed the program to date.

February 23rd: Druidry 101-- Rutgers Pagan Students Association
Wel talked briefly about ancient Druids and the romantic idea of Druids, and then about modern NeoPagan ADF Druidry and what happens in a GOG ADF Druid ritual. Lecturers: Norma Hoffman and Ed Chapman. 8 attended.

February 12
Imbolc Ritual in honor of the Celtic Deity Brigid as Goddess of Fire and as Flame Itself.
"I am the flame. I am the spark of the forge. I am the warmth of the home. I am the heart of the poet. I am the bite that wards. I am the flame."
A beautiful, powerful Imbolc ritual! Tiffany led the planning and design and invoked Brigid as Flame Itself. Ed was the Druid in Charge. 14 attended the planning meeting and helped with preparation. 25 attended the ritual, and many took parts. The fire and candles were hypnotic, the invocations fiery (some were scary). Tiff's invocation and Jen's singing built a lot of energy. Kerry had two solo songs. Our willows had fire extinguishers. Norma was kitchen witch. (Those two things are not related.)
Our omens, as scryed in the fire by Tricia, Nora, and Patty: "A hearth fire with a house around it, a single person behind. People, pillars of support. Flowers, branches, shoots, leaves. Hearth fire, family, community. Spring growth, growth in family, growth in hearth, growth in flame."
We offered our newly made Brigid dolly to the fire, made butter, passed out brats from Brigid's mantle, and made Brigid's crosses. Brigid through Tiffany lit and blessed candles from a candle lit from a candle lit from Brigid's fire in Kildare. And thank you to all for the spread of terrific food! (Photos!)

February 9th: Victorian Love Spells-- Rutgers Pagan Students Association
Gingerbread cookies, mirrors, and Cupid's darts - a look at the strange and enduring human obsession with love spells, with an emphasis on the elaborate popular spells of the Victorian era. Lecturer: Norma Hoffman, Senior Druid, Grove of the Other Gods, ADF. A lot of fun. 11 attended.

January 22nd: GOG ADF Dedicants Group (Meeting Seven)
We discussed the holiday of Yule, the Yule ritual, and how we honor Ancestors. 5 attended. This is a good group, and we had some excellent discussions.
Get involved in studying and discussing our Druidry, our rituals, and our various philosophies! Here are some "FAQs" about the program from the Ár nDraíocht Féin web site: http://www.adf.org/training/dp-faq.html Eight grove members have formally completed the program to date.

January 2nd: Yemaya New Year's Ritual on the Beach
Our ninth annual beach offering to the Goddess Yemaya, led by Deb, started with a workshop beforehand in New Brunswick to make melon boats with flowers and joss paper, and other offerings. Then we headed to the beach to offer them to the ocean. Afterwards, we fed the birds and went to the arcade and the diner. The ocean was calm, and the melon boats floated out to sea. Happy hungry seagulls. Happy hungry pagans at the diner. Good conversations. 8 attended. Photos!

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