Noksowist, Bear Going Straight, was a Cheyenne, born in the Indian Territory, now western Oklahoma about 1847. His parents were Sleeping Wolf and Wah Nach. Spirituality seems to have been a driving force in his life. He is believed to have been one of maybe the youngest person to complete the sun […]

"Even after one thousand years of Christian influence and spiritual control, the wealth of ancient religious heritage sites found in this small stretch of countryside acts as a witness to the resilience of the Old Religion." Continue reading Pilgrimages: Searching for a Sanctuary in Norway’s Vestfold at The Wild Hunt.

Unitarian Universalists believe in the power of repair–that no one is beyond the chance to make things right. Come, let us engage in what it means to repair: in relationship with others, within ourselves, and for the world around us. When have you experienced repair in your life?

A repost from October 13, 2014 In 1992, I was arrested with some people that were breaking into cars in Pine Lake.  Seeing that I was on a leave of absence from my family’s first group home, they called my … Continue reading →

Governments participating in the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Jakarta must take coordinated actions to resolve the crisis in Myanmar, human rights groups said in an open letter to government leaders. The 149 organizations called on ASEAN members and dialogue partners, who are meeting in Indonesia September 5 – 7, to ban the Myanmar military’s access […]

This afternoon I fly to Atlanta for two days of classes with the Woodworkers Guild of Georgia. I plan to make two or three boxes in the two day demonstration class with nearly fifty woodworkers attending https://www.wwgofga.com/ I'm also taking a large checked bag with boxes to initiate a discussion of design. At ESSA we're installing a new Harvey dust collector to serve two table saws and a jointer. It has a low profile and will sit between saws allowing a clear line of site for monitoring safety of student work, and being the same height as the tops of the saws will not impede the movement of materials. It's also promised to be quieter for a classroom setting. I'm excited about the new addition. And our setting for this piece of equipm...

A Prayer for Work to Be Love Made Manifest Maker, Imaginer, Caretaker, Lover of Life, help us where we have lost our way, losing track of how to create workplaces rooted in love and nurturing joy in our communities. Turn us away from the need to carve off time for...

Hitler reviewing his Nazi troops on the way to Poland. The exact beginning of the greatest cataclysm in history—so far—is harder to pinpoint than you might imagine.   In the early 1930’s Japan and Italy were honing their war skills and adding to their empires with attacks on, respectively, Manchuria and Abyssinia (Ethiopia.)   The Germans and Italians on one side and to a lesser extent the Soviets on the other used the Spanish Civil War as a kind of laboratory for modern war.   In 1937 Japan opened up war with China . Throughout the late 1930’s Adolph Hitler continued to blatantly re-arm in pretty much open violation of the Versailles Treaty that ended World War I and used that gathering might to cower Britain and France into ...

Last Sunday, during the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, New Jersey’s morning worship service, my mind went to the beach. The Rev. Anya Sammler-Michael, senior co-minister, mentioned she finds rest at the shore. She vividly spoke about a bee who paid her a visit landing on her leg. Well, there was more to the sermon […] The post Finding that ‘go to’ place for easy grounding and centering appeared first on Nature's Sacred Journey.

Guest Correspondent Sue Lincoln covers the rise and history of Witchy and Pagan markets in the South including "burn in hell" protests or as one pastor put it, “We aren’t protesting... We’re preaching. Our goal is to glorify God.” Continue reading Witchy Markets are growing across the U.S. South despite “Burn in Hell” protests at The Wild Hunt.

“Play is the exuberant expression of our being. It is at the heart of our creativity, our sexuality, and our most carefree moments of devotion. It helps us live with absurdity, paradox, and mystery. It feeds our joy and wonder. It keeps our search for meaning down to earth.”-Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Do something … Continue reading exuberant

Last night I was trying to explain to Carol about the lingering effects of COVID burnout on the helping professions. She pointed out that many trends that were supposedly caused by COVID were simply existing trends that accelerated during lockdown. But I’m pretty sure that it actually was COVID that contributed to increased burnout in … Continue reading "The ongoing effects"

  Anglo members of the Socialist Party Left Wing and dissident state parties found the CLP on August 31, 1919. On August 31, 1919 at a rump meeting in Chicago of Left Wing members of the fractured Socialist Party, the Communist Labor Party (CLP), a predecessor to the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), was founded.   It was a year of great turmoil.   Long-time Socialist Party leader and presidential candidate Eugene V . Debs was in the Federal prison at Atlanta for giving a speech opposing World War I.   Many socialists and unionists were aflame with passion for the apparently successful Russian Revolution.   Attorney General A . Mitchell Palmer with the enthusiastic assistance of the young leader of the Bureau of Investigation, J . Edgar ...

A repost from September 28, 2014 In the Jewish tradition, the days following Rosh Hashanah are a progression toward Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  Atonement is more than simply offering an apology, it is actively working to make right … Continue reading →

                        I am so glad to be able to announce that I will be giving the Reverend Teshin Matthew Sweger Inka Shomei, the final authorization within the lineage I received from Roshi John Tarrant, at the culmination of a week long sesshin which will […]

Our correspondent in the UK, Liz Williams, unleashed the Hounds (again) while we weren't looking! Continue reading Release the Hounds: Tea room witchcraft, thin white horse and a ‘Pagan deity’ at The Wild Hunt.

“We’re gracious and we’re humble, and we play the game a certain way, whether we win or lose.” -Megan Rapinoe How have you learned to be a “good sport?”

Pub Theology Facilitated by:  Caitlin Eaton-Robb Date/Time:  Monthly on 2nd Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Location:  UCMH Courtyard (weather permitting) or Union Hall Cost:  $5 donation requested for building use, BYOB & snacks/dinner   We welcome atheists, agnostics, humanists, people of all faith traditions, and people who identify as “spiritual but not religious” to gather together to   [ … ] The post appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

“It was working men and women who made the 20th century the American century. It was the labor movement that helped secure so much of what we take for granted today.” — Barack Obama   No Sunday Service September 3 We wish all of our members and friends a safe and happy holiday weekend! Please mark   [ … ] The post Happy Labor Day! appeared first on Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson.

Today at the Clear Spring School, I assisted with the Kindergarten woodworking class. I helped to set up the project and guided our new teacher, Thomas, in preparing stock. I also delivered two books that I think will be helpful (in addition to Making Classic Toys that Teach, and the Guide to Woodworking with Kids). The books are From Truths to Tools by Jim Tolpin and George Walker, and Framing Square Math by my friend Joe Youcha. Both are important in developing a hand-centric means of teaching math. Framing Square Math could be used as a step by step classroom curriculum. And I hope it will be. Teachers tend to teach the ways we were taught, and if we observe the numbers of kids who are turned off by math, we might arrive at the  unde...

By Christian Coleman | It’s back-to-school season, and the US is still upset by its own sense of identity. James Baldwin knew all about it. In his “Talk to Teachers,” he said that if we changed the curriculum in all schools so that Black students learned more about themselves and their real contributions to US culture, we’d not only be liberating Black people; we’d be “liberating white people who know nothing about their own history.” The side-eye for FL, TX, and other states is warranted and righteous, because they’re still hell-bent on suppressing Black history or completely whitewashing it.

                              Joan Blondell--the whole package. She was the brassy blonde who had been there, done that, and lived to tell about it.   A wise cracking working girl with the biggest blue eyes ever , an electric smile, and a plump figure that turned heads and got attention.   She could scheme and connive with good humor.   Underneath the veneer of urban cynicism, though, you just knew she was capable of undying loyalty to lovers and friends alike.   That was the persona Joan Blondell brought to Warner Bros . in 1930 and which sustained a career that spanned 40 years. Rose Joan Blondell was born on August 30, 1906 in Brooklyn to a pair of vaudevillians , comedian Ed Blondell and Kathryn “ Katie ” Ca...

A repost of September 23, 2014 When there isn’t enough compassion being generated (either for ourselves as individuals or in the world in general), we become unbalanced; we suffer from it as we would from a lack of fresh air … Continue reading →

The assault of a Pagan owner of a metaphysical shop in Ohio on Sunday may have been motivated by hate for the LGBTQ+ and derision of Pagan practices. Continue reading Assault on Pagan shop owner a possible hate crime at The Wild Hunt.

It is the end of August, and we are thinking of all of you who have a new school year beginning, transitions at work or in your family, and those who are hoping for some clear, sunny days to enjoy some summer activities before the ... read more . The post Co-Ministers’ Colloquy – August 29th appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

September 3: Families attend the service together (Worship service: The Cycle of Transition: Ever Repeating Changes) September 10: Families attend the service together (Worship service: Lessons from the June 2023 UU General Assembly) September 17: Multigenerational Ingathering Water Communion Service – be sure to bring a small ... read more . The post Religious Education Calendar for September appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

We’d like to offer RE for each age every Sunday that’s not a multigenerational Sunday. The plan is to offer RE 2 or 3 Sundays a month with multigenerational worship services, plus or multi-age Children’s Chaples or Faithful Fundays other Sundays. That means even with ... read more . The post Plans for Our RE Program for 2023-2024; a new beginning! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

If you aren’t already, start talking to your elected officials about climate justice. As we mobilize to end the era of fossil fuels, the People vs. Fossil Fuels Elected Officials pledge is a great way to connect with city, ... read more . The post Green Sanctuary: Join us in Telling our Elected Officials to End Fossil Fuels! appeared first on Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady.

                                        I can’t stand your religious meetings. I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions. I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals. I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes, your […]

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” -John Muir Find some beauty today to feed your soul.

By Heidi Boghosian | A new bill designed to strengthen kids’ privacy online might have the opposite effect. The Kids Online Safety Act of 2022 (KOSA) could expose users to heightened surveillance and data collection while also leading to digital content censorship. Increases in surveillance and content cutbacks will affect not just kids but adults as well.

Tracking Hurricane Idalia threatening Florida and the South East this week. Idalia , the first tropical storm of the season, has been upgraded to a hurricane and should slam into the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm bringing high winds, possibly spawning tornadoes, and most devastatingly causing storm surges along a wide stretch of shore of up to 12 feet.   The storm will track northeast just inland in Georgia and the Carolinas weakening to a Category 1 and then back to a tropical storm before turning east into the Atlantic.   It will bring heavy rains, local flash flooding, and a storm surge along the East coast of up to 4 feet.   Idalia will be a major hurricane causing widespread damage and lengthy power outages...

A repost from September 22, 2014 The ancient myth of the Minotaur and Theseus in the Labyrinth has, apparently, several – if not many – versions.  The stories vary from each other in both minor (was it annually or every … Continue reading →

Foam near the bank downstream from the waterfall Scratchboard, 9″ x 6″

In this weeks Pagan Community Notes, The Hungry Ghost Festival and blue moon are soon upon us, we remember Vitomir Belaj, events, annoucnements and ospreys in Ireland. Continue reading Pagan Community Notes: Week of August 28, 2023 at The Wild Hunt.

In an opinion piece on the Washington Post website, Percy Bacon, Jr., talks about why he stopped going to a Christian church: “I couldn’t ignore how the word ‘Christian’ was becoming a synonym for rabidly pro-Trump White people who argued that his and their meanness and intolerance were somehow justified and in some ways required … Continue reading "Filling the church-shaped hole"

I have always found something magical about being in the ocean. Standing at the edge and playing in the waves, knowing that the water in front of me stretched out for an almost unfathomable distance and held boundless mysteries. -Michael Tino (CLF) Where do you love to play?

                                          Today, the 28th of August, is pretty busy in the Christian calendar. A lot of people are celebrating today as a feast for Augustine of Hippo, bishop and theologian. He was a lovely writer […]

Our next Justice Revival is just around the corner! We want you to join us Wednesday, September 6 from 5 to 8:30 pm in Emerson Hall. You’ll learn how you can get involved in groups like ACTION, the Community Resource Bank (CRB), Partners in Education (PIE) and Voting is Power (VIP), to name just a few. You’ll hear impactful stories from our social justice teams, and learn the “nuts and bolts” of making your team’s program happen. The Justice Revival will feature a keynote address by Rev. Randy Lewis and a closing with Tulsa author and poet Quraysh Ali Lansana […] The post All Souls Justice Revival appeared first on BeyondBelief.

Reposted from October 18, 2014 On the signature line of my work email, I have a quotation from the Persian poet and mystic Rumi:  “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field.I’ll meet you there.”  Recently, I … Continue reading →

Dr. Martin Luther King's ringing  I Have a Dream  speech was the highlight and climax of the 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington and helped change America, but the March itself was bigger than any one man. Like a lot of people back in ’63 I was glued to t he television for the beginning-to-end coverage provided by CBS News of the March for Jobs and Justice on August 28.   I was a 14 year old in Cheyenne , Wyoming at the time.   I was both thrilled and awestruck.   Listening to Dr. King’s I Have a Dream Speech literally changed my life. The March was the brain child of labor and Civil Rights leader A. Phillip Randolph. The march originally was the brainchild of an elder of both the labor and Civil Rights movements.   A...

By Charles Euchner | On August 28, the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, we celebrate the power of words. On this day, Martin Luther Dr. King, Jr. delivered his immortal “I Have a Dream” oration before 400,000 souls at the National Mall. Dr. King was joined by countless others whose words should be remembered for the ages. Fred Shuttlesworth charged the throng to “walk together, stand together, sing together, moan together, groan together.”

We were all, in some way, seeking the capital-T Truth - and if we thought we had found it, it made sense to want to share that with others. I hadn’t been sure of the Truth since I was a child, and, for me, that amorphous uncertainty was the point. Having someone, however well-intentioned, try to save me, or convince me - or even to convince themself that I was already saved - felt like the opposite of helping. Continue reading Here and Hereafter: a report from the Parliament of World Religions at The Wild Hunt.

                          Yesterday, the 26th of August marks a momentous day in US history. Not that you would necessarily know, given the scant attention he received in the press. It was on that day, yesterday, in 1920, that Bainbridge Colby, the then American Secretary […]

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson How did you learn how to play?

SERVICE PARTICIPANTS Patrick Webb, Guest Speaker Andrea Determan, Worship Associate Nylea Butler-Moore, Director of Music Elisa Enriquez, vocalist Patrick Webb, Renae Mitchell, Mike Begnaud, Galen Gisler, and Rick Bolton, AV techs WELCOME! New to our church community?  Sign our guestbook and let us know if you’d like to get more connected. If you would like …<p> How Unitarian Universalism Made Me a Better Atheist Read More »

Sometimes a trail is overgrown and you have to go through the weeds to reach your destination. Long pants and sleeves help, but, then, if it is a hot day, you pay for that tick protection. There are always choices, but there aren’t always good ones. Pick your poison. Or, you can do what I […]

The delegates caucus. Note —This first appeared during the 2020 Republican Convention.   The crickets are singing again. This verse erupted after stepping out my back door at 1:30 am on a close, muggy night.   I tried my best to keep from being over-exposed to the Trumpista hate fest, but it kept creeping in on newscasts and social media.   No wonder I was restless.   Surrealism anyone? "Mistah Chairman, I Rise to a point of order!"   The Convention of Crickets August 26, 2020   The Convention of Crickets nominates the Night. The Fireflies and Cicadas             concur. The Night accepts             and blankets all             whether they like it             —or not. Jiminy advises...

Back in the 1960s, a young John Hartford recorded a fragment of a song called “Self Made Man” (it was released in 2019 in a posthumous album). Then in 1971, Hartford made a nice arrangement for it and recorded the song on his album “Radio John.” It’s a witty satire of those rich men who … Continue reading "“Self Made Man”"

Here is the lesson. Without positive action, comparative mythology is (at best) a dry academic amusement and (at worst) an exercise in colonialist cultural appropriation. Rather than taking from Hinduism and calling it Heathenry, I suggest that we learn from a closely related tradition that has much to teach us. Continue reading Ásatrú and Hinduism: Art and Practice at The Wild Hunt.

Please join us on Sunday (27 August 2023) at 11:00 AM for “What Do Facts Have to Do with the Truth?” by Rev. Barbara Jarrell.  Members of the All Souls Choir will sing. We will be meeting in the sanctuary for this worship service.  Please join us in person at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, … Continue reading "All Ages Worship (27 August 2023)"

During the summer, our children and youth participate in various fun artistic and creative activities. On this Sunday, our children and youth will continue their exploration of the interdependent web by observing patterns in nature and creating art to reflect them.

Please join us on Sunday (27 August 2023) for our adult religious education class at 9:00 AM. Our adult religious education class is now a dual-platform class — meeting in person in the church social hall and also on Zoom. We will cover “The Colfax Massacre:  The Beginning of the End of Reconstruction.” We will … Continue reading "Online and In-Person Adult Religious Education — 27 August 2023"

Please join us next Tuesday (29 August 2023) at 12 noon for our weekly Zoom lunch. Our weekly Zoom lunch is going dual-platform — join us from home using Zoom or in person in the social hall. Bring your lunch and meet up with your All Souls friends, have lunch, and just catch up.

Playfulness is something that my spouse and I have been committed to for our entire relationship. Few days go by where we don’t make each other laugh or chuckle. Humor is one of the ways we use to deescalate and then we can have more meaningful conversations. Here is a joke of theirs I can … Continue reading deeper

This year one volunteer sunflower plant came up next to the patio, starting small. Now it has expanded into this multi-branched extravagantly flowering giant! Doing a little research, it seems to be a native wild sunflower, because of its branching habit and the size of its flowers, and its continuing blooms. It is still one […]

“In the university of life there is no graduation”—Imaoka Shin’ichirō (1881-1988)    —o0o— Click this link to download a pdf copy of the Order of Service —o0o— At some point in the autumn of 2023 (probably October),  I’ll be starting regular meetings of this group, perhaps weekly or bi-weekly . In the first instance, they will be held online through Zoom. However, should a local interest develop it would be possible to hold some meetings in-person at the Cambridge Unitarian Church .    If, in the meantime, you stumble across this and want to know more, please be in touch via the contact form on this page. —o0o— ORDER OF SERVICE A short moment of silence followed  by the lighting of a candle Opening words  ( ...

Taken with a Fuji X100V using Øyvind Nordhagen’s Kodak Ektar 100 Recipe   Just click on the photo to enlarge it.

A Women's Equality Day banner celebrating the centennial of the certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 2020. Alice Paul , the Feminist and Suffragist whose steely nerves and militancy did much to finally secure passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was born in Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey on January 11, 1885.   Her father was a wealthy and successful banker who raised his family at Paulsdale , a gentleman ’ s farm.   The family were devout Hicksite Quakers who lived simply, if comfortably and who valued social responsibility and gender equality.   Paul later credited her family and upbringing for the strength to dedicate her life to the cause of women’s equality.   She said that her mother tau...

Please join us on Saturday (26 August 2023) at 10:30 AM for our weekly meditation group with Larry Androes. This is a sitting Buddhist meditation including a brief introduction to mindfulness meditation, 20 minutes of sitting, and followed by a weekly teaching. Please note that this group is still meeting via Zoom.  You will need … Continue reading "Meditation with Larry Androes (26 August 2023)"

To be clear, the primary factor in that review was the frustration and anger I directed at myself because “I should be able to do all the things.” Well, guess what, chickens? Should is a four-letter word. Continue reading What’s the Story, Morning Glory? at The Wild Hunt.

August 25 marks six years since the Burmese military launched a deadly and inhumane assault against the Rohingya people. The injustice is still ongoing.

Taken with a Fuji X-T2 (with a SMC Pentax-M 1:1.7 50mm lens) using Mark G. Adams’ MGA Leica M10 Monochrom (V1) recipe Just click on the photo to enlarge it

The great showman P. T. Barnum knew the value of free publicity. He told many stories about himself to demonstrate that, and indeed his entire autobiography is an exercise in self-promotion and advertisement. In his book The Art of Getting Money, Barnum addressed this point with a statement that seems eeriely relevant in today’s political … Continue reading "Publicity"

Staff Writer Editor’s Note: On August 28, 1963, an estimated 1,500 Unitarian Universalists joined the 250,000 Americans who gathered in Washington, D.C., for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The Unitarian Universalist Association recognizes this seminal history with the following message, and UU World magazine shares its commitment.

“A child loves…play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard. ” -Benjamin Spock How has play helped you approach something difficult?

Donald Trump was entitled to challenge the election results through legal means. He was not entitled to overturn the election through illegal means. In doing so, he attacked the very foundation of our democracy. He must be held accountable.

The National Park Service celebrates its 207th birthday this week. It oversees a system   that now includes 201 National Parks and Historic Sites, 86 National Monuments, 31 National Memorials, 25 National Battlefields and Military Parks, plus scores of Nature Preserves and Reserves, Recreational Areas , Scenic Rivers , Sea Shores , Lakesides , Trails, Parkways, and Special Designations like the White House and National Mall.   There are now Park Service facilities in every state and within an hour’s travel of 90% of the population. National Parks are 50 years older than the Park Service dating to the creation of Yellowstone National Park but were haphazardly managed on sort of an ad hoc basis by the under-staffed and funded Departmen...

Reposted from Nov. 15, 2013 I believe strongly that each human being comes into this life with an inherent worth and dignity.  This worth and dignity express themselves in many varied ways from person to person. Some people (and I … Continue reading →

A Prayer for #FatLiberation - Week of August 28, 2023 Lover of Abundance, may we dream and create the world of our dreams where everyone is free, where we don’t flinch when a stranger’s gaze turns towards us, afraid of the judgments likely to roll from their hands and lips...

Even on sabbatical, my pile of books to read grows faster than I can actually read them. So many heavy hitters await, like Pauli Murray, Walter Benjamin, and the memoir Lost and Found, by Karen Schulz. I’m reading for fun, too: I reread Curtain (Agatha Christie)–what a finale–and have just finished The Sword of Summer, […]

We continue our coverage of the Parliament of World's Religions 2023 program by sharing speeches given by two Witches at the event. Continue reading Two Witches deliver speeches at the Parliament of Word’s Religions at The Wild Hunt.

The UUSC's CAPAS Podcast, launching September 5th, unveils the powerful stories of asylum-seekers and the communities supporting them on their journey to hope and new beginnings.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to my sister-in-law’s family lake house in Maine. Spending time in nature reminds me of play. We played in the water with pool noodles, played a word game, and an outside game that was kind of like outdoor bowling. And we got to witness nature with wonder, like … Continue reading outside

As it happens, today, the 24th of August, back in 1662, the English Parliament enacted an Act of Uniformity, enshrining the then current edition of the Book of Common Prayer as the only appropriate prayer manual within the churches of the kingdom. As a practical consequence the church became a bit less comprehensive than it […]

Elaine McArdle , Horizon S. A collection of photos of Unitarian Universalists from around the country who joined the call for civil rights.

Robert Nelson West The 1963 sermon Rev. Robert Nelson West presented to his congregation on an event “of profound significance in the history of our nation and in our own lives.”

Reposted from Nov. 14, 2013 I have heard that the world is made up of two kinds of people – those who see the glass as half-full, and those who see the glass as half-empty.  Those who see it as … Continue reading →

The Eruption of Vesuvius by Edward Turner, early 19th Century. On August 23, 79 AD, by traditional accounts Mount Vesuvius near the shores of the Bay of Naples erupted destroying of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum .  The destruction of the cities was known through an eyewitness account of the eruption from across the bay by then 17 year old Pliny the Younger, later a noted historian in his own right, in letters to the historian Tacitus .  The letters described the fate of his uncle, Pliny the Elder, commander of the Roman Navy on the bay, who attempted to rescue friends by boat but was trapped on land by unfavorable winds and died the next day, probably of inhaling the toxic fumes of the eruption.  The Elder was only one o...

Pagan Attendees at the share some of their experiences in the first part of our series covering the events at the Parliament of World's Religions. Continue reading “Wonderful & powerful:” Pagan voices at the Parliament of the World’s Religions at The Wild Hunt.

What happened to someone who attempted a coup against the Russian government, with Putin in charge: He and whoever else was on his plane were summarily killed. What happened to 19 people who attempted a coup against the people and government of the United States: They’re duly indicted after a grand jury investigation, allowed to […]

“Playing a game together actually builds up bonds and trust and cooperation. We actually build stronger social relationships as a result. ” -Jane McGonigal How has play helped you form relationships of trust and cooperation?

          As it happens, today, the 23rd of August, in 1335 is the anniversary of the death of Heilwige Bloemardinne, also known as Heilwijch Blomart. Born to wealth in Brussels Heilwige was a popular spiritual teacher and mystic. While throughout her lifetime she was protected, appears to have authored a book, […]

A simple jig allows making symmetrical shapes using the bandsaw. Some sanding is required. I’m making these for use as drawer pulls on a large jewelry box and for lift tabs for boxes in my new book Designing Boxes that will come out in the spring 2024, published by Taunton Press. Much of the fun of designing boxes starts with designing the jigs that make them possible. Following the bandsaw, the same jig can be used with a disc sander. Make, fix and create... assist others in learning likewise.

                                             Edgar Lee Masters as a young man. Edgar Lee Masters was the author of one of the greatest single volumes of American poetry ever— The Spoon River Anthology .   That book in which the denizens of a small 19th Century Illinois village graveyard tell their stories, is still a shock and an eye opener for anyone who bought into the Disney version of small town life as a kind of perfect idyll. Masters was born on August 23, 1868 in Kansas where his father had briefly established a law practice.   When that failed the family moved back to his grandparents farm near Petersburg in Menard County, Illinois.   In 1880 the family moved again to nearby Lewistown where the boy...

Reposted from Nov. 13, 2013 “The light constantly changes, and that alters the atmosphere and beauty of things every minute.” ~ Claude Monet . On this date in 1840, the French impressionist painter Claude Monet was born.  Monet’s paintings are … Continue reading →

The Before Columbus Foundation (BCF) was founded in 1976 “dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of contemporary American multicultural literature.” Their annual award, the American Book Award, is given by writers to other writers. Though not as well known as the National Book Award, winning this award puts you in august company. Previous recipients of … Continue reading "UU author wins award"

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, I took some more photos this morning of the renovation of First Parish in Cohasset’s 1721 Parish House. No more surprises today. The cladding that was removed yesterday — 5/4 pine milled to mimic stone — is associated with Colonial Revival, an architectural style of the mid- to late … Continue reading "More photos from the renovation of a 1721 house"

We’re completing the final stage of renovations on our historic buildings. The renovation began in 2021 with extensive repairs to the 1747 Meeting House. Now we’re working on repairing the crumbling facade of the Parish House, which was built in 1721 by Nehemiah Hobart, the first minister of First Parish. The Livingstone Company arrived today … Continue reading "Renovating a 1721 building, and what we found"

A grave found off the Cornish coast bring contentious reactions about the "warrior" woman buried there. Continue reading Warrior women of the Scillies proves contentious at The Wild Hunt.