Merry May!

We started the day before dawn by observing our annual pilgrimage to sign up the Sun with the Berkeley Morris Dancers at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park in Berkeley, followed by lavish buffet with crêpes, fresh strawberries, carmelized walnuts, blueberries, lemon curd, creamed spinach, bacon, sausage, whipped cream, fresh pumpkin bread, blueberry muffins, orange juice, coffee and teas, catered by Rob Byckoff. Mmm-mmm. Plus plenty of schmoozing and singing more May carols. Victoria tells more about our celebration, with photos. She took this photo of Corby and me just after sunrise.


I had a long, deep, loving phone conversation with my Holy Terrors coven sister Sophia Sparks. We don't get the chance to talk of visit often, but when we do our rapport is as smooth as ever and I always benefit from her wisdom.

Being told that a link to something I wrote about this Berkeley May Morn tradition was circulated with the invitation to the post-sunrise breakfast brightened my day even further. Later Green Egg announced the publication of their Beltaine issue containing something I wrote for GE way back in 1996.

I'm telling you all these things, dear reader, to keep my spirits up.

Blessed Beltane to all!

Conjuring Summer In

My Pagan friends have done a splendid job conjuring Summer in. What an utterly gorgeous May Day!

Corby and I danced the Maypole at Anne Hill's new place in Bodega Bay on Saturday. Great crowd, great weather, great music, beautiful brand new pole. But unfortunately Saturday night I was overcome with a mysterious illness. I spent Sunday just lying around, with aching intercostals, abs, hips (the bones) and head -- well, really, all of me -- reading the Sunday paper. So for only the second time in maybe 20 years I missed singing up the Sun with the Berkeley Morris Dancers at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park. The last time I missed I'd undergone a hysterectomy the day before so obviously wasn't up and about. Corby went anyway that time. Today he decided not to.

Early this morning Val and Tom Lux phoned, wondering why we weren't there, so I'm reassured that our pals really missed us. They were on their way to Vicki Solomon's house, our rendezvous place for breakfast in recent years.

Today, instead of marching for immigrants' rights, I scrambled to find health insurance. The costs are ridiculously high, and the parameters for an older woman like myself are even worse. Spent time at Kaiser Member Services and on the Web looking for something that will work for me and that I can afford. A discouraging process.

It reached 81º F. in lovely San Rafael today. After seemingly endless rains, Summer is icumen in.