Well, when you have me for eye-candy...*humble shrug and smile*

We really should get crackin' on that 3Cranes wall-calendar. XD

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*sigh* I hate it when LJ neglects to automatically log me in.
Like I'm supposed to think of those things...jeesh...

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Ha. There's no one else who could fill that role: our best eye-candy is clearly _crow365__, hands down.

And yeah, we should get such a wall calendar, given that we can put them up on the CafePress site for free. . .

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Wow, the most SLG has ever managed is 70. How smoothly do things go when you reach that size?

- Rob the curious liturgist

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Actually, pretty well. We were somewhat expecting high numbers (though not quite that high), and so were prepared with enough waters and some extra vessels to carry the waters in.

The distributing of Waters was (predictably) the real "difficult" part of the rite, but with three vessels and enough cups, and people being willing to sing a very lively version of "Pour the Waters" with good, upbeat drumming, we managed to distribute the Waters pretty efficiently.

We also had an interesting "layout" for the rite, where the Folk were not distributed in a circle, but were actually distributed among benches and picnic tables that were in the middle of the ritual area. Because the space was arranged for grilling and not for ritual (our original site, which was better for ritual, was still under construction, and so we were moved by the park), the tables were bolted down in places that made creating a circle very difficult. So we had sort of a mass of people sitting among the benches and tables through the rite.

Our water distribution was more like distributing drinks at a party than doing our normal ritual.

And for Beltaine, that was quite appropriate. :)

This was a new high for us, breaking our previous high of 73 from last Autumnal Equinox.

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We also had an interesting "layout" for the rite, where the Folk were not distributed in a circle, but were actually distributed among benches and picnic tables that were in the middle of the ritual area. Because the space was arranged for grilling and not for ritual (our original site, which was better for ritual, was still under construction, and so we were moved by the park), the tables were bolted down in places that made creating a circle very difficult. So we had sort of a mass of people sitting among the benches and tables through the rite.

I actually liked the layout. It was nice having a place to sit and tables to place things on, and I felt more a part of the group with all of us clustered together than I might have in a large circle. It reminded me a bit of morning meetings at PSG. Overall, the site lent itself to the celebration.

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We were discussing the seating afterwards and noted that the circle, had we gotten 78 people into it, would probably have been gigantic and would have lead to issues with projection and such.

It's one of those accidental solutions that comes up in ritual where you think, "Hey, that's not such a bad idea, even if it wasn't planned!"

Actually, even passing the Waters around was easier for that many people, from a purely logistical standpoint.

I also liked how people had someplace to bang their hands to make rhythm, if they felt moved to do so.

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Thank you to Three Cranes Grove for a wonderful Beltane celebration. I had a great time. The ritual was meaningful to me on a personal level, and the people and drum/chant circle were very hospitable. (The M&M chant may have been the best part.)

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I'm very glad that you had a good time, and thank you for coming: our rituals thrive on the energy of the participants far more than on the energy of the sacrificers.

I think that chant will go in our next edition of The Fire on Our Hearth

Call: I want my M and M's!

Response: Jim wants his M and M's!

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Was Leeloo counted in the attendance? By the way, I had a great time. :)

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She was: We keep a tally of dogs, too (though we keep it in our book instead of along with the amount we submit), so Leeloo makes 79.

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Had a great time as always!

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I'm glad you did, and glad you could come up!

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Wow, 78! Our numbers have really fallen for High Days since we left Summerlands. We get 40-50 now, instead of 70-100. But our weekly Saturday rituals went up from 10-15 to 25-30. That was because we moved indoors with cooling, and so could have our rituals later in the morning at 11am. Now that we've left the Black Rose Caffe, though, and will be outdoors again at 8am, I expect our numbers will drop back down to the 10-15 range again. Sigh.

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I always thought that it was land that brought the people in, but I'm seeing that it's really not that at all. It's planning, work, and giving folk what they really want. The fact is, a Grove, even without land to call its own, can really bring ADF's Vision alive through that hard work and dedication.

I honestly didn't think that we could manage to bring together two rituals in under a year where more than 70 people participated. But we did it! And our normal numbers are creeping up beyond 30 at each rite now.

That knowledge sets the bar even higher, seeking more excellence in ritual, deeper insights in our Work, and more support for the community. Doing well doesn't mean you can rest on what you have: it means you have to build more.

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Yeah. In Tucson, no one wants to get up early. (grin)

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Sad I couldn't make it. my family was in town and didn't leave till around nine. I thought about making them go, but they're nice enough not to make me go to church with them, so i figured one good turn ...

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No worries. You were missed, though.

And yeah, I wouldn't drag my parents, either :)

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It was a wonderful day! And all the good energy really helped me to feel better, as I have a wicked case of bronchitis! :)

Edited at 2008-04-28 02:08 pm (UTC)

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Glad we could help you get over it! Good to see you there, too!

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Me too and you too! :)

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wow.

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It was a really, really good rite. :)

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