Winter Solstice Gratitude

Michigan Winter is stunning when the snow is sparkling and the mornings rise with a pink glow. Autumn’s stunning colors swiftly gave its abundance upon the pumpkins and mums and then melted into the landscape revealing the standing tree bones. What have you harvested physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually this last fall and what are carrying into the long winter? How are you honoring the Bear energy of hybernation and contemplation? What might you bring to our next Community Purification Lodge on January 3?

NEWSWORTHY

Fall Party

The Earthwalkers Fall Party was held October 11th at the Tipi in Holly. Everyone had a great time at the gathering! Katie created another tasty signature drink, Spiced Apple Cider Sangria. We painted story stones to symbolize what we want to carry with us into the new season. Bernie was again our chief griller, serving delicious hamburgers, cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Everyone also contributed a dish to pass, rounding out the feast with an assortment of delicious offerings. After our wonderful meal, we gathered around the fire to vibe with the music, share stories and laugh together! It was a wonderful evening of socialization, and many have already asked for a repeat next year.

Autumn Olives

Autumn Olives is a deciduous shrub native to Asia, it was introduced to the US in 1830 as an ornamental plant to provide habitat and food for wildlife, and was widely planted by the Soil Conservation Service as erosion control near roads and on ridges. Once thought as the best way to control erosion and provide wildlife habitat, it is proven to be a major hassle. The plant’s positive attributes are quickly outweighed by its rapid and uncontrollable spread across forest edges, roadsides, meadows and grasslands.

Autumn Olive’s nitrogen-fixing root nodules allow it to grow in even the most unfavorable soils. It takes advantage of changing seasons, leafing out early before native plants and keeping its foliage deep into the fall. By getting a head start, autumn olive can easily shade out other species.

Once it takes root, it is a prolific seed producer, creating 200,000 seeds from a single tree each year. Birds will even interrupt their usual migratory cycle to wait for the berries to mature and spread their seeds throughout pastures, along roadsides and near fences.

Control efforts in the Spring before fruiting will help prevent the spread of seeds. Applying herbicides in the fall may be necessary to eradicate the plant from the general area of invasion. Over the years we’ve made progress in removing them from our Ceremonial Lands. This Fall we cut the trunks and applied herbicide to the stumps. We were able to clear a large area North of the Dance Arbor. We hope to go further with our Spring cleanup! Join us next spring for Autumn Olive Work Day in fellowship and caretaking of our beautiful ceremonial land.

Rites of Passage

On this path, we have Rites of Passage ceremonies that honor the natural turning points in our lives. Recently one of our elders celebrated her 81st year with a beautiful night long ceremony beneath a radiant full moon beside the warmth of a fire. This sacred event is also part of a 9 month journey she takes as she moves from the Big North Moon to the Big East Moon – a time of insight, reflection and renewal.

This ceremony is just one of the sacred ways we honor the many milestones that celebrate growth, change, transformation and the rhythm of the many stages of our life’s journey.