Therese and Tere after a Rite-of-Passage ceremony for a group of girls from Journeys
We participated in events and opportunities away from the Groves as well: offering a Family Camp and Spirit’h’Soul Quests at Ekone Ranch, participating in a “Becoming a Conscious Elder” series offered by Rite of Passage Journeys and once again joining our favorite women’s camps– Womens Summer Solstice and Womans Way LongDance. We are involved in the board and community at Ekone Ranch and participated in Charlene Ray’s Living and Dying Quest there as well. Therese offered a 2 day Compassionate Listening training at TACID in Tacoma, and spent 4 days with Tami Lynn Kent refreshing her skills in Holistic Pelvic Care.
In addition to all this…..we spent time with dear friends and family (including our beloved grandson), went camping together, and spent some days in silence and retreat to renew our connection with Great Spirit-Great Mystery. Its a beauty-way life and we are so grateful to be living the dream.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED US WITH YOUR LOVE, YOUR DONATIONS, YOUR PRAYERS and WELL-WISHES! May the time you spent here at the Groves continue to bless you in 100 beautiful ways!
Our B n’ B continues to thrive, drawing a steady stream of folks from all over the country ( and the world!) who stay with us for a night or two, a week or two. People find us through our Airbnb site, our Sacred Groves website or through the ephemeral web that ‘calls’ folks to our little sanctuary. From one guest: “You are both such lovely stewards of this little piece of Earth. Thank you for tending to it and others so well. Your care and reverence is palpable.” When folks leave notes like this, we are humbled – and we say: this Land is the REAL healing agent here! And we are so blessed to call this place Home. 
Did we mention the children yet? Our grandson Tavi and the twins Liam and Gigi who were born when their parents were living here at the Groves have been such a delight for us….these children enliven us with their laughter and their play and we’re always happy to welcome them (and their parents) for a visit. 
2014 has arrived in a flurry of ceremonies and family gatherings. We feel blessed to spend these holy-days and holidays with open-hearted women and men, sharing good food, prayers and songs. In the nick of time, we got our 2014 calendar laid out, continuing our juicy array of eclectic offerings. Below is an overview. Hope to see you this year for more heart-warming and spirit-enlivening connections!
The ceremonies, retreats and circles we host have also flourished in 2013. The addition of a monthly Women’s Red Tent and an Apprentice’s Circle (for women who would like to lead women’s groups themselves) have resulted in a once-monthly lively week-end gathering for many women. The sense of sisterhood has been deeply healing. We also continue to host gatherings that welcome both men and women: sweatlodges, Grief Retreat, Compassionate Listening, Season’s Change rituals, Spirit Quests and the Red Cedar Circle. In 2014 we will continue all of these.
Thérèse and Tere continue to offer their services and leadership to groups outside of the Groves as well: Thérèse is on the board of the Sacred Earth Foundation, is on the leadership team for the Women’s Summer Solstice event, and she and Tere are actively involved in Women’s Way Red Lodge and LongDance. It is a rich and interconnected life for sure!
Can you feel the season turning? The sunlight is coming through the trees at a different angle, the days are getting shorter. We’re feeling a bit of a lull after the frenzy of summer. After drenching rains last week, we have had some delicious late summer warmth, then right around time of Autumn Equinox, the temps cooled down and the rains began in earnest. Isn’t it funny how the weather spirits seem to know when the season turns?
The length of the daylight is about the same as the length of darkness during this time of Equinox and another new season begins later this month. As always at the time of seasons-change, we offer opportunities to honor and celebrate, to release the past and open ourselves to what-is-coming-in. We have been told that to rest and center at the beginning of each season puts us in alignment with the changes in nature, and things flow more smoothly as a result. This month we invite you to join us in the sweatlodge and/or to get your hands in the dirt at our Spring Workparty & Ritual. Whether you celebrate the onset of Spring here or in your own way, DO take the time to sync up your energy with nature!
February 2nd is an old pagan holy-day called Imbolc. In this culture, it is commonly called Groundhog Day. It is considered by some to be the start of early-spring, when the seeds in the ground begin stirring. Certainly the days are already growing a little longer than they were in the darkest corner of the year. Can you feel the energy stirring in your heart, body and soul? It is a good time to consider what seeds you want to plant for the upcoming seasons of light, and put some prayers on your personal altar, or join us in one of our ceremonies to send out those good intentions! Upcoming events include our week-end of monthly ceremonies on Feb 8-9-10 and our twice annual Grief Retreat on March 2-3. 
2013 has officially begun! Our New Years Sweatlodge was potent and transformative; we continue to treasure the opportunity to experience this ancient ceremony, a wonderful way to shed the old and start a new cycle. However….the nights are still long, the days are short and cold, energy low and sleepy. We’re gearing up for this new year in a slow way, taking another week for rest and renewal, to align with the energies of this new season, this new era post-2012. But we are getting the 2013 Calendar fleshed out at long last….and Tere and I look forward to seeing you sometime soon!