#Wildwood Advent

[wherekizzialives]

December 25th

It's Christmas Day and Wren is going for lunch at the Witch's cottage.

Wren woke on Christmas morning with the sense that there was something different about his nest and when he entered the living room, still bleary eyed and slightly achy from his gift making, he understood why. While he’d slept his hand-made decorations had been upgraded! The foil star on top of the yew sprig tree was now silver filigree, the holly berries and lunaria pods were beautiful red and…

[lailoken]

“The Green Sojourn

In many traditions, the procuring of magical plant material from the wild is a rite unto itself, which sometimes reaches its apotheosis in a plant pilgrimage. Rites of ritual harvesting are an essential component to Green Sorcery and the Arte of the Philtre. These mindful praxes are a necessity for harvesting from the wild, and are rendered here as The Protocols of the Green Sojourn.

The first of the Laws of the Green Sojourner is the Protocol of Purity, which demands cleanliness of body, mind, tools, and intent prior to stepping foot in the wild. Every foray into wilderness is Exile, and thereby the domain of Cain. This hallow'd act entails a magical separation from the common, profane world and an entry into Earth Self-hallow'd; it also speicifcally mirrors the perpetual stance of the sorcerer as opposer. Thus awareness of this state of separateness should be cultivated and held at one's centre.

Before sojourning, clarity of intent should be first be formulated. Let the Verdant Magician be well-educated and cunning of craft regarding the species being sought: let all brothers and sisters of Arte discern keenly the status of the plant: know if it be endangered or overharvested; an aggressive introduced species or a precious native one. Knowing the Land is essential. If unfamiliar with the environs, let the land first be scouted, noting impressions received from the Genii Loci , plant communities, and apparent human impact. The Magician's Design should be humbly spoken to the local sprites, followed by an honest read of the place: any work of Green Sorcery can be thwarted by offended Land Spirits. As much as one may desire to harvest from a vigorous patch of Nettles, the Arte will be profaned if ill omens go unheeded and the Tabu of the Wildwood is violated.

As much as the aforementioned considerations of Purity of Intent, cleansing of the Sorcerer's very corpus should commence prior to the Green Sojourn: the Protocol of Purity demands Immaculation , both of the body and the Tools of Arte. For the physium, let a ritual bath be undertaken, as well as a fast. Physically cleanse all regalia by fumigating with smouldering tree-resin or an incense compounded from the plants growing in the locale to be wandered. The Mind may be purified and attenuated by observing that most noble of virtues, Silence. Traditional herb-gathering methods prescribe certain taboos prior to gathering plants, such as avoidance of sexual activity or alcohol. Both of these prohibitions are of incalculable value, chiefly for the homeostasis of the Aethyric Body as a precondition for the Arte Magical, as well as a gesture of devotion and respect. In addition , supplication of one's Grand Famulus prior to The Work is well advised. Finally, the Protocol of Purity demands that the land , and thereby the plants taken from it, be pure. As a general rule, the further removed from the influence of mankind the better, but of course there are exceptions to this, as some Herbs prefer haunts close to the habitation of humans, or graveyards, or amid the ruinous settlements of men long dead. Avoid picking plants by heavily traffick'd roadsides; many Herbs will absorb some of the corrupt principles of these besmirched byways, shun as well ditches fouled by agricultural venoms. Paradoxically, it is plants virtuous in accumulating healthful minerals from the earth, such as Nettle, which also store poisons.

The second protocol, The Protocol of Presence, is a magical obligation of pure and total focus when gathering Herbs, in the Garden as in the Wild. When sojourning into Wasteland and Thicket , the Man of Arte must become as the Wild: elsewise one is an intruder. This requires consideration of the magical goal, namely the Herbs being sought, but also the locus in which they dwell: in this moment, the Sojourner enters Hallowed Ground, stepping into a mansion of many beings. The Sojourn can be interrupted or tainted by the presence of obnoxious and loud persons; avoid them at all costs.

Third is the Protocol of Hailing. Prior to harvesting the Herb, let the Green Sorcerer announce his intent in a respectful way to the individual. A greeting and prayer of request to the plant is largely a matter of the sorcerer's own choosing. There are numerous examples of this from varying magical traditions. From the ancient Graeco-Aegyptians we learn of a curious rite of herb-gathering . It begins with the purifying his body. He then sprinkles natron for purification and circumambulates the plant three times, fumigating the herb with pine resin. The wortcunner then burns the best Kyphi incense, prays, pours a libation of milk, and pulls up the plant while invoking the name “of the daimon to whom the herb is being dedicated and calling upon him to be more effective for the use for which it is being acquired.” The plant is then addressed with the solemn incantation:

You were once known by Kronos, you were conceived by Hera, you were maintained by Ammon, you were given birth by Isis, you were nour ished by Zeus the god of rain, you were given growth by Helios and the dew....As you have exalted Osiris , so exalt yourself and rise just as Helios rises each day. Your size is equal to the zenith of Helios, your roots come from the depths, but your powers are the heart of Hermes, your fibers are the bones of Mnevis, and your flowers are the eye of Horus, your seed is Pan's seed. I am washing you in resin as I also wash the gods even (as I do this) for my own health....I am Hermes, I am acquiring you with Good Fortune and with Good Daimon both at a propitious hour and on a propitious day that is effective for all things.

Following the incantation, the herbalist fills the hole vacated by the plant with seven seeds each of wheat and barley, mixed with honey, then with earth. In the Domain of English Wortcunning, Nigel Pennick reveals a simple, potent, and artful tree-hailing from praxes of East Anglian plant-wisdom, spoken prior to cutting an Aspen branch, which, as noted , can be adapted for any tree:

Karrinder!

Hail to thee, O Aspen tree.

Old lady, give me some of this wood,

And I will give thee some of mine,

When I grow into a tree.

Send your virtue into this branch,

That your strength will flow through it

For the good of all.

Ka!

There is much to be gain'd by tailoring each Hailing individually to suit the plant . Considerations of the character of the Genius, the nature of the magics for which the Herb is intended, and some form of gratitude are paramount.

The Fourth Protocol of the Green Sojourn is The Protocol of Appropriate Harvesting. A clean cut, made with a sharp knife, is far more respectful of the plant than simply tearing off a leaf or a branch. Indiscriminate ripping of parts creates jagged wounds, rendering an Ally susceptible to infections. To assure both hygiene and quality of plant material, clean the blade after each use with strong alcohol.

For cutting, the Tool of Our Arte is the working knife, sometimes called the Knife of the White Hilt, its handle inscribed with the sigils and talismans of the Green Sorcerer's famuli, having, in some traditions, a crescent blade. Better than any knife or sickle, however, is a good hand pruner, duly consecrated to The Work. Such tools are crafted by horticulturists with the health of the plant in mind, and fashioned to cause minimal damage, rather than subjecting an Herb or Tree to the clumsy cuts of a knife. Some traditional wortcunners recommend avoidance of iron blades for this purpose, as iron is thought to offend the plant.

This Tabu of old has some credence, especially as relates to smaller, dainty plants with delicate stems or blossoms such as Violet or Forget-Me-Not. For such worts, iron and steel are perhaps excessive in terms of their metallic potencies. However, the vast majority of horticultural hand-pruners are made with steel, so the possession of bronze, silver, or gold knives must needs arise by the sorcerer's own ingenium and the Good Favour of Tubalo-Cain. It should be remembered that stainless steel, in order to render it incorruptible, contains appreciable amounts of Nickel, Chromium, Vanadium, or Titanium.

Appropriate harvesting for trees is especially important. If taking bark in any significant quantity, attempt to locate a newly-fallen tree, perhaps felled by a recent storm. If such cannot be found, remove bark in small quantities from younger lateral branches. Girdling, that is to say, circumscribing the trunk with a cut, can kill a tree. Leaves from trees should be gather'd in early to late spring, as their Virtues change with the advent of Summer, and they begin producing Bitter Principles to ward off insects. When harvesting branches for wands, avoid cutting branches arising from the dominant trunk; instead, take branches from lateral leaders.

When all plant materials have been gather'd, let them be wrapp'd in silk and put into a bag specially encharmed for carrying freshly-gather'd Herbs. By no means allow the material gather'd to touch the ground, as its sorcerous Virtue escapes downward into the earth and renders the material unsuitable for use in our Arte.

The Fifth Protocol, that of Numbers, governs the amount of material taken. Never harvest an Herb if it is a single individual standing alone. Look for large, well-established populations, and gather variously-aged individuals. Leave the largest and most healthy plant; petitioning this individual directly for specific needs before proceeding to gather, being alert for ill signs.

In general, the following numbers apply to gathering plants in the Wild:

If harvesting an entire plant, a maximum of one tenth of the total individuals in one location.

If stem or root, one sixth of total individuals. When taking roots from perennials, strive for lateral root-branches and leave sufficient vertical and other lateral roots to ensure the plant's survival; cutting too close to a plant's crown can kill it.

If bark, harvest sparing material taken from divers, smaller branches or from trees downed by recent storms. Avoid taking bark from the main trunk of a tree.

If flowers or fruit, harvest from one fifth of total individuals present.

If seed, harvest from one-fifth of total individuals, scattering some of the seed harvested.”

—

Ars Philtron

by Daniel A. Schulke

[jere-me--oh-my]

It’s a heavy weight / to carry what’s at stake, / the pressure’s on. / In a quiet place, / where no one knows your name / and hope is gone. / Counting on the voice of a broken people, / castles fading and fallen steeples. / Who will you be? / Ready?

The Crown by Wildwood Kin

7/25

A randomiser advent aesthetic for @princess-haru-chan

[heavendeluxe]

>>> HALLOWEEN ADVENT YEAR 2

it’s that time of year again! after last year went so well, I’m offering up another round of seasonal adoptables!

this year there are 13 designs, with one being posted every three days - on the 31st, 2 regular designs and a special release will be revealed to cap off the month!

each adoptable comes with clean, hi-resolution artwork with a transparent background. the special release adoptable, Lanternlight Hound, comes with two forms, arranged on a reference sheet as well as separate transparent versions.

note - PYO designs (haunted doll and lake creature) are ‘pick your own’ species. you choose what species to make the character and I will draw it accordingly! PYO designs must be purchased at least 3 days in advance of posting, otherwise they will be replaced with designs of my choosing and be sold for the after-posting price of $30.

all payment is through paypal and must be made promptly. you can see my terms of service [here]. you can see last year’s adoptables [here].

if you’d like to purchase one you can either IM me on tumblr or email me at ghostwrassler@gmail.com ! check under the read more for availability first, please.

OCT 1 - Unlucky Sphinx OCT 4 - Winter Fog Werewolf SOLD OCT 7 - Angel of Night SOLD OCT 10 - Wildwood Gargoyle OCT 13 - Lake Creature (PYO) OCT 16 - Centaur Wraith SOLD OCT 19 - Fortune Machine OCT 22 - Haunted Doll (PYO) SOLD OCT 25 - Forest Summoner SOLD OCT 28 - Urban Necromancer SOLD OCT 31 - Dimension Hopper SOLD / Vampire Queen SOLD / Lanternlight Hound SOLD

thanks!!

[lilianpad-blog]

Things I Love: A super long list

Parchment Paper

Sunsets

Peach-Pink

Peach-Pink Clouds

Laughing till your mouth hurts

Smiling till your mouth hurts

Good books

Perfect Test Scores

Dad’s Jokes

Chicken soup

Fresh Bread

Forget-Me-Nots

Lillies

Arctic Wolves

Fairy tales

Musicals

Playing the Ukulele

Getting a Clarinet piece perfect

Origami Stars

Drawing eyes

Police Boxes

Knitting

Harry Potter

Percy Jackson

My Family

Adventures

Travel

Wearing Swishy Dresses

Acorns

Chesnuts

Walnuts

Scissors that glide

Wildwood Chronicles

Costumes

Going to Wellington

Sharp pencils

Inky pens

Awards

Ted and his Scarf

Neat doll’s houses

Fantails

Sitting by the fire

Roasted Marshmallows

Bonfires

Grandma and Grandad’s Farm

Warming your hands by the toaster

Toast

Seeing old friends

Tight hugs

Singing

Writing

Bunny tails

Finding pipi in the sand

Ivy

Kittens

Cold, fresh air

Cold, fresh air when you can see your breath

Finding friends in the supermarket

New friends

The smell of bacon frying

Pizza

Little cousins

Compliments

Dainty necklaces

New babies

Nice Photos

Italy

The luge

Queenstown

Lake Taupo

Spongy soft grass

Blue glass

Double rainbows

Marbles

Ribbons

Sewing

Completing a hairstyle

My red bag

Fine-tip pens

New notebooks

New book smell

Old book smell

Lavender

Making tea

Successfully made dinner

Pancakes

Waffles

Maple syrup

Lemon Muffins

Bird-banding

Cleaning bird boxes

Ninja teddy

Good jokes

Teacher puns that everyone groans at but secretly loves

Inside jokes

Doctor who

Minimalist posters

New shampoo bottles

Homemade lemonade

Climbing trees

Pulling up carrots

Running in the sprinkler

Daisy chains

The Beach

Bodyboarding 

Spotting for water skiers

Rollercoasters

Scarves

Beanies

Gloves

Slippers

Trampolines

Foam pits

Deep brown eyes

Chocolate

Caramels

Vanilla

Getting a haircut

Yorkshire Terriers

Going to Elly’s house

My books

My bookshelves

Feathers

Quills 

Ink bottles

My Desk

My Dwarf coin

Good Movies

Getting work done

CY

Giant eagles

Waterfalls

Small streams

Forests

The smell of crumble

The taste of crumble

Crumble

Frothy Milos

Blackcurrants

Blackcurrant flavoured things

Dried runner beans

Tiny books

Libraries

When the library has the book you wanted

Just-brushed hair

People you can be crazy with

Soft hands

Swings

Slides

Flying Foxes (both kinds)

High ropes

Worried chihuahuas

Baby seals

Hedgehogs

Baby Hedgehogs

Owls

Written letters

invitations

Wollen blankets

Happy Couples

Choirs

Playing piano

Inside grand pianos

Writing in code

Painting

Playing spies

Giant origami

Fortunetellers

Fresh biscuits

Milk and chocolate chip biscuits

Favourite clothes

Getting cards

Presents for no reason

Bookstores

Tiny shoes

Giant mirrors

Castles

Ruins

Old houses

Pony Rides 

Horse Treks

Fairs 

Fireworks

Sparklers

Disneyland

Disney movies

Re-watching Disney movies

Brown paper bags

Old bibles

Finding things you lost

Getting lost then being found

Birds nests

Speckled eggs

Duck egg blue

Art class banter

Herb gardens

Rosemary

Chips and dip

Grandma’s christmas stuffing

Grandma’s blackcurrant pie

Christmas trees

Christmas stockings

Christmas decorations

Christmas eve

Staying up for new years

Skiing

Mountains

The desert road

Bouncy castles

Lambs

Fish ponds

Photo albums

Comfy beds after a long day

Reading 

Autumn colours

Red leaves

Capes

Warm coats

Spas 

Bush walks

England

Old-fashioned lolly shops

Arrowtown

Cathedrals

The royals

Bubble wrap

Card games

Good music

Cobblestone streets

Snow

Frozen puddles

The sound of rain on the roof

Being warm in a storm

Hot water bottles

Weddings 

Parties

April fools

Tricking the teacher

Round stones

Bottle caps

Badges

Moss

Rides on Grandad’s truck

Rowan berries

Holidays

Weekends

New Stationary

Stationary

Hardcover books

Pretty bookmarks

Foxes

Esplanade train rides

WOW shows

Playing in an orchestra

Getting stuck in the mud

Flower Crowns

Leaf Crowns

Garden mazes

Roses

Tiny ferns

Link handwriting

Bunting

Mini outdoor candles

Jazz band

Spinning chairs

Reading armchairs

Blanket forts

Treehouses

Nutmeg the bunny

Coronations

Royal weddings

Birthdays

‘I was thinking of you’ gifts

Advent calendars

New diaries

Red curly hair

Fountains

Bow and arrows

Thatched cottages

Little villages

Unexpected book shopping

Homemade cordial

Sticky date pudding

My brothers

The ECU

Finding that someone likes the same thing as you

Lace 

Model villages

Giant goldfish

Watching waves

Aquariums

The chronicles of Narnia

Blossom trees in bloom

Freckles

4 leaf clovers

The weta cave

Flower fairies

Snapdragons

A midsummer night’s dream

Icy blue eyes

[rinabrunoblog]

Surprise, surprise! New patch for Knights Chronicle is out!

Only 10 days after a 1.7 Update, NetMarble surprised us with the new patch and new hero. Patch, itself, is not very big and brings us minor changes. Here is the list of changes:

New SSR Honorable Hero – Himari

New Event – Advent Rush

New weekly Events – Increased drop rate for Advent Dungeon Heroes, Stamina reduction for 3 Stars Advent Dungeons

New Packages

The thing that is important in this patch is a new Hero who will bring balance changes to the game.

Himari is a Wildwood Priestess from the Forest on the far East who lived in solitude and who was unaware of the problems of the outside world. She only had contact with a small group of worshippers who visited her shrine occasionally and she utterly devoted her life to the Goddess. Time in solitude and prayer made her powerful in the ways she would never imagine – Himari became the most powerful Healer in Garniel and now everyone is looking for her help.

Wildwood Priestess Himari is, without doubt, the best Support character in the game currently! She heals her allies at the start of every turn making them immune on Stun and Madness, and apply Resolve and Damage Immunity to allies who are near death. Recruiting her should be the first priority to anyone who plays Knights Chronicle actively!

Quality of this Hero made us change Knights Chronicle Tier List immediately and changes can be seen HERE

Everything you need to know about Himari you can find HERE

BlueMoonGame will continue to feature all news and updates in Knights Chronicle in the days to come. If you have any questions or suggestions be free to share your thoughts with us.

Good luck Heroes of Garniel and May the Lena be with you!

Surprise, surprise! New patch for Knights Chronicle is out! syndicated from https://lucystrickland.wordpress.com/

[naturecoaster]

Free* Fandango Movie Ticket & Mobile Locations for Hernando County Blood Donations Dec. 21 - Jan 3

This holiday season, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers asks the community to help patients in our local hospitals by giving blood. As a thank you, all registered donors Dec. 15 – Jan. 15 will receive a free* Fandango Movie Ticket** and t-shirt. Winter months are one of the most challenging times of the year for blood centers. Busy schedules and poor weather bring a decrease in blood donations while the need for blood is constant. LifeSouth is the primary provider of blood to Oak Hill Hospital, Advent Health Brooksville  Hospital and Advent Health Spring Hill Hospital. Please help during this time by donating blood, and enjoy a night at the theatre on LifeSouth. Visit a LifeSouth donor center or bloodmobile. To find a location near you visit lifesouth.org or call 888-795-2707. Donors must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo I.D. is required. The LifeSouth Community Blood Center  for Hernando County is located at 12395 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, FL 34613. Call 352-596-2002 Center Hours include Monday thru Friday ~ 9a.m. to 5p.m., Saturday ~ 8a.m. to 2p.m., and Sunday ~ 10a.m. to 4p.m.

Mobile Blood Donation Locations from December 21, 2018 - January 3, 2019 are below:

Friday, December 21 Walmart 13300 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Hernando Beach Fire Dept. 3451 Shoal Line Blvd. Spring Hill 7:30a.m. to 1:00p.m.   Winn-Dixie Market 1122 Main St. Bushnell 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Saturday, December 22 Marshalls Department Store 7143 Coastal Landing Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Best Buy / Tuesday Morning 1389 Wendy Ct. Brooksville 2:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.   Sunday, December 23 Rural King 2468 Commercial Way Spring Hill 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Monday, December 24 Sam’s Club 13360 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 10:00a.m. to 4:300p.m.   Walmart 1485 Commercial Way Spring Hill 10:00a.m. to 4:30p.m.   Tuesday, December 25 Merry Christmas LifeSouth is closed   Wednesday, December 26 Home Depot 4765 Commercial Way Spring Hill 10:00a.m. to 5:30p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Cricket / Planet Fitness 11170 Spring Hill Dr. Spring Hill 11:00a.m. to 7:00p.m.   Thursday, December 27 Hernando Government Center West 7455 Forest Oaks Blvd. Spring Hill 9:00a.m. to 4:30p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Friday, December 28 Walmart 13300 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Walmart 2163 W. CR 48 Bushnell 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Saturday, December 29 Marshalls Department Store 7143 Coastal Landing Brooksville 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Walmart 1485 Commercial Way Spring Hill 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Sunrise Plaza 31100 Cortez Blvd. Ridge Manor 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Sunday, December 30 Christian Church in the Wildwood 10051 Country Rd. Weeki Wachee 8:00a.m. to 1:00p.m.   St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church 5030 Mariner Blvd. Spring Hill 8:00a.m. to 2:30p.m.   Sam’s Club 13360 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 2:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.   Walmart 13300 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 2:30p.m. to 5:00p.m.   Monday, December 31 Walmart 1485 Commercial Way Spring Hill 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Tuesday, January 1 Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Walmart 13300 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Wednesday, January 2 Cricket / Planet Fitness 11170 Spring Hill Dr. Spring Hill 10:30a.m. to 6:30p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 11:00a.m. to 6:00p.m.   Bene’s Academy 7027 US Hwy 19 New Port Richey 12:00p.m. to 6:00p.m.    Thursday, January 3 Hernando County Sheriff’s Office 18900 Cortez Blvd. Brooksville 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.   YMCA of the Suncoast 1300 Mariner Blvd. Spring Hill 10:00a.m. to 5:00p.m.   Walmart 7305 Broad St. Brooksville 3:30p.m. to 6:00p.m.   *Fandango Promotional Code (“Code”) is good towards one movie ticket (up to $13 total ticket and convenience fee value) to see any movie at Fandango partner theaters in the U.S. Code is void if not redeemed by 8/31/19. Only valid for purchase of movie tickets made at www.fandango.com or via the Fandango app and cannot be redeemed directly at any Fandango partner theater box office. If lost or stolen, cannot be replaced. No cash value, except as required by law. Not valid with any other offer. One-time use only. Not for resale; void if sold or exchanged. If cost of movie ticket with Fandango’s convenience fee included is more than maximum value of the Code, then user must pay the difference. Fandango Loyalty Solutions, LLC is not a sponsor or co-sponsor of this program. The redemption of the Code is subject to Fandango’s Terms and Policies at www.fandango.com/terms-and-policies.  FANDANGO and the Fandango Logo are registered trademarks of Fandango Media, LLC. **While supplies last; Donors must be 17 or older (16 with written parental consent), weigh 110 lbs or more and show photo I.D. For more information, call toll-free 888-795-2707 or visit lifesouth.org. All donors receive a recognition item and cholesterol screening. Read the full article

[chefryancallahan]

Time to hang lights! I know it's #Advent but I want Jesus to know I'm excited for #Christmas #christmaslights (at Wildwood, Missouri) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrQyw3SAdUk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=x5czdn78hq8w

[wherekizzialives]

December 24th

It is Day 24 of Wren’s Advent Adventures and Wren, like so many of us on Christmas Eve, is still sorting out his gifts.

Wren’s Christmas Eve had been very busy. When he’d got home from the nativity rehearsal the previous day he’d gone straight back to his crafting but had only managed to finish four more gifts before he was too exhausted to stitch straight.  He’d put his alarm on for dawn and had worked solidly until the Witch called to take him to the Nativity at three o’clock, by which time he still had five…

[wherekizzialives]

December 23rd

Wildwood Advent Day 23 and Wren is helping with the Nativity play rehearsal.

When Wren finally checked the journal it had informed him he’d be helping the Sunday School children rehearse their nativity play, and was needed just before two o’clock. So he spent his morning, once he was properly awake, cross-stitching as fast as he could without making mistakes, which wasn’t as fast as he’d have liked. Still, when he left his snug nest to brave the cold flight to the…

[wherekizzialives]

December 22nd

It is Day 22 of Wren’s Advent Adventures and there is something Wren’s forgotten.

The torchlit procession through the Wood and the rite at the Lords and Maidens stone circle was, as always, balm to Wren’s soul.  This year, rather than sitting on someone’s shoulder and keeping his voice down, he perched on the top of the northernmost Lord stone and, when it was time to join in with The Song to Sing Up the Sun, sang with all his heart. Hare performed the fire leap over the yule…

[wherekizzialives]

December 21st

Wildwood Advent Day 21 and it’s finally the day of the much anticipated Yule Ball.

Wren had been a little worried that the aftermath of what he was privately referring to as “Wolf’s not so little moment” on Thursday might mar the festivities of the Yule Ball. Thankfully, Wolf seemed to have had the same thought.  Thus, on Saturday morning, just after Wren and the Witch had arrived at Isobel’s cottage – where they were meeting her and Owen before heading into the Village to…

[wherekizzialives]

December 20th

It is Day 20 of Wren’s Advent Adventures and he’s going to watch an Entertainment.

When Wren arrived at the Village School for the second time in two days, for the End of Term Entertainment, he’d expected to see a few Wildwooders in the hall. However, the only other person from the Wood was the Witch. Who was standing in the corner at the back, chatting to Jack.  ‘Hullo Wren,’ he said, wiggling his left shoulder in invitation, ‘I’ve talked the Witch into helping us hand out…

[wherekizzialives]

December 19th

It’s Wildwood Advent Day 19 and, unfortunately, there are feathers.

Wolf’s presence, Wren discovered the hard way, did not elicit good behaviour from the children. In fact Wolf was apparently having a second childhood in the space of one afternoon and the children were simply delighted to join in. Not that the day had started off that way. When he, Wolf and Hare had arrived, Isobel was sitting on the large green sofa that constituted the school library’s story…

[wherekizzialives]

December 18th

It is Day 18 of Wren’s Advent Adventures and he’s going to the pub.

The Green Man Pub was living up to its name. Every inch of it that wasn’t bar, table, or seat was covering in foliage, including the fantastical foliate mask that hung in pride of place over the huge fireplace in the main bar, a painted version of which hung on the pub sign outside. Many visitors commented on how amazingly realistic the fake foliage that appeared to be growing out of the placid,…

[wherekizzialives]

December 17th

It’s Wildwood Advent Day 17 and Goose is on the loose. Again.

Wren would not have said that he didn’t like Goose, for the simple reason that he hadn’t spent enough time in her presence to form an opinion one way or the other. However he had heard about her self-appointment as “Protector Of The Village” and how that resulted in the honking debacle of two years ago. So, when the journal informed him that Goose would be collecting him at nine thirty sharp,…