Night of the Green Man

A deluge. Thunder, lightening...and our StoryBook Club met on this most perfect May evening to discuss the legend of The Green Man.

He is a legendary pagan deity who personifies Life and Death. Growth and Decay. He is honored most especially at spring time, during Beltane (May Day) along with the May Queen (who personifies Mother Earth)...after all....Mother Earth needed someone to bring forth spring with!

You may have just recently come into knowledge of him, or you may have known about him for many years, for the The Green Man is believed to have begun as a pre-Christian entity, the spirit of nature personified as a man.

Most often associated with the Celts, his visage of a man peering out between leaves, entangled with vines, has often become a fertility symbol associated with pagan rites of growth and the cycle of life.

I, personally, had always associated him with life, nature, growth, earth, trees, sex, but there is his other powerful attribute, that he is also the symbol of death and of endings. After all, does not nature reclaim it's own in the end? Are we not worn down by time, worms, fire, and rain like all of creation?

 

This is why many "Wicker Men" are built...for us to remember that we are transient beings...

here today....

gone tomorrow.

Good stuff to remember.

Of course, it seems that the Church tried to make The Green Man, a personification of evil...meaning...that nature itself is evil. It is not evil, how'ere, in our technological world, we are becoming less and less comfortable in the out of doors, preferring a life of indoor pursuits, and becoming afraid or scared of "the woods" and all the "wolves and evil creatures in it."

Carl Jung wrote in his theory of compensation- that an archetype will reappear in a new form to draw attention to imbalances in society at a particular time, when it is needed. The Green Man is rising in our culture now, to balance our awareness, and to show our lack of care towards nature.
OF COURSE, The Green Man is returning now, because there is so much danger in his realm.

The earth needs our help.

We met up at Squirrel Haven, and very much enjoyed the stimulating conversations that started with The Green Man, and drifted to many tales of earth, technology, the ozone layer, the cutting of the rain forests, to cell phone zombie attachments (which take us off The Green Man's path) to that of the earth's decimation...to yes, even The Hulk (being the green man that he is as well.) We felt that The Hulk, while NOT The Green Man, does indeed, personify ANGRY NATURE, with earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes and acts of Mother Earth who is trying to rid herself of a terrible parasite (i.e. Man).

Intelligent conversations were indulged in as well as good green food: Spinach Artichoke dip and Rosemary Bread rounds, Veggie Casserole with Quinoa, Sauteed Kale, Lemon Cilantro Rice and Black Beans, Kiwis,
along with delicious adult beverages of: Cabernet, Riesling, Cheladas, Tequila Lemonade with Mint, and Buttered Rum. Green was also shared and the conversations were hearty and we laughed and chatted more.

There really aren't a lot of movies that feature The Green Man, so we watched a clip of the movie "Hell Boy" wherein they featured "A Forest God", an Elemental who also personified Nature.

It is a heady responsibility that we have this day to take care of our Mother Earth. The Green Man is our reminder to keep in touch with her and to do our best to make sure we honor her needs and that we do not become greedy bastards and use her up, but instead that we also replant, reseed, and re-cultivate good back INTO the earth,  instead of just being takers.

Favorite quote of Merlyn's of the evening, as noted by Stephanie:
"Well, AGAIN, that brings us back to The Hulk." :)

Yah.
Angry Nature.

Let's not have an Angry Nature God.

Let us love and protect her and let the May Queen and The Green Man, live in love together peaceably.

 Let's have Green Man parties all our whole lives long!
(Here's a pic from several years ago when we were in Florida with friends! Loving the shirts and dresses!)

 
So, get outside!
Plant some flowers!

Celebrate The Green Man!!

There's Magick when you go Into the Woods~

This month's installment of our StoryBook Club took a turn and we strayed off the path of our regular meetings

Instead, we met up at Destiny Mall to go see the new film "Into the Woods" starring Meryl Streep, Tracey Ullman and Johnny Depp among many more of a star studded cast.

It was a great turnout of 15 Fairy Tale Fanatic Friends meeting up! (Why NO, we haven't "grown up", thank you!)

Our first daunting task to acquire was to figure out how to get the magical tickets with a long line around the block to the box office window.... and THEN to make it into the theatre in time for the show!
We were undaunted. And unfortunately, unwatered with liquor and we all forgot our flasks.
How'ere, we had magic on our side! Someone got a beam of light from heaven and we all side stepped the traditional route of the box office and bellied up to the bar of the Fandango machine. A couple of the members had Regal Cinema cards and we did some finagling on the machine and out of pocket reimbursements while others who had tickets went in and saved seats.

FIFTEEN SEATS. All together and IN TIME FOR THE SHOW! Pretty spectacular magick, that!

The story is an amalgamation of several stories: Rapunzel, The baker's wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Bean Stalk, as well as some references to some other fairy tales.

Into the Woods is a Musical Stage Show, first and foremost. This was a very different experience to put it on the big screen, but like Les Mis, they did a very fine job of it and some of the tunes were quite catchy.

"Hello, Little Girl" sung by the Wolf (Johnny Depp) was appropriately creepy and lusty and I loved his wolf howl at the end. It reminded me of the zoot suited wolf in old cartoon "Red Hot Riding Hood"!

 Come to find out...Johnny Depp DID pattern himself after this same wolf! He's even got the pocket chain.
He was eerily on the money for it and the wolf howl on the end was PERFECT.

Meryl Streep was AMAZING as the witch! As always, the witch...evil at first...then as we come to know her, we find she is misunderstood (as are most folks who seem mean)...with the inevitable image and parental issues.
And man, that girl can SING! Who knew??
The makeup jobs were great on her.

Lots of humor did abound in many places and we roared with laughter for the way over the top song "Agony" sung by the Princes!

Best Quote of the movie in my own personal opinion was by Prince Charming himself as he proceeded to continue to love 'em and leave 'em with his wooing of the Baker's Wife:

                                              "I was raised to be charming....not sincere." 

(WORD.  :) Hey, at least he admitted it. We've always knew that about that Prince. He rode off into the wild world, ever seeking, never happy.

How'ere, the "Other Prince" in Rapunzel was much more sincere...he was blinded by enchanted briars blocking his path.. (figuratively as well as emotionally and literally....)

But wait! Through yonder window breaks HOPE! Once he seeks out his true desire...and found his love by feelings, instead of by comely delight....his sight is regained from Rapunzel's sincerely lovely tears, he was a very grand protector and lover man for her and they BOTH did have a happily ever after and made their own magic! <3 He was rewarded with the sunset ride with the girl on his white horse!
Mayhaps it's best to not be so "charming" and be "the Other Kind" is what this story is telling us?

.Little Red Riding Hood finds new meaning in her sexuality and starts wearing the wolf cape from vanquished foes for her strength. (You go, girlfriend!) She gives new meaning to wearing "wolves' clothing" :)

And Jack from Beanstalk Fame learns the hard way that it's not kewl to steal.

After a delightful romp with a Giant and some real Grimm moments of original fairy tale endings with the obligatory bird eye peckings and occasional, well, DEATH....the story took us on some twists and turns away from the set up "happy ever after" and left us with a hodge-podge family worthy of many multiple marriages.

But in the end...
All Giants slain, "everyone who deserves to live, does" and All in all a delightful movie outing!

With a BONUS reel of a happy ending of 15 wonderful souls having ales and drinks and nibbles at a pub on a winter's evening at a long banquet table talking and laughing into the dark night.

The ending of my personal tale was the magical snow that found us on the way home!
There was none in the forecast....there were bare roads with no snow falling but only a few flakes.
Then we turned a corner and "BAM! Smack!" (as the Wicked Witch would say) there was SNOW all over the roads...yet no snow falling!
A TOTALLY weird, wonderful and an appropriate magickal ending.

Friends, Fun and Fairy Tales. This IS StoryBook Club!

Next month? "Jack Frost!" Just in time for Winter! So put on an extra log on the fire, curl up with some old folk tales and stay warm till next time!

Sincerely submitted by your faithful Storyteller....
Merlyn

Be careful or Jenny Greenteeth will get you...

Jenny Greenteeth & Peg Powler

Bizarre names for bizarre elementals. At our October StoryBook Club meeting, we did a little research on these two (sorta related) creature features for our monthly theme. 

A Celtic and Germanic cautionary tale....they are odd monstrous fae that are (most times) female, have long stringy green seaweed type hair, long clutch claws, big teeth, and live in stagnant bogs & ponds (or slow moving rivers). 

They lie and wait at the edge of the water line for naughty children (or adults) and when they are close enough, they snatch them by their legs and drag the unwary into the murky depths, drown them…and eat them. 

We deducted that most likely these stories fell into the “be careful, children, of the water” (not because of Jenny Greenteeth or Peg Powler, but because of the danger of drowning. But children love the water, so Jenny or Peg would more likely put the fear of God into a child, more so…and thus…the tales. 

There were a few other tales from round the globe, but these creatures were oddtastical, indeed! And hard to find much on them at all, tho’ we did find several references. 

We dined on green kale, coleslaw, breads, split pea soup, absinthe (the “green fairy”), absinthe cake, green mint meringue. And other green foods. 

We enjoyed the food, the gossip, and the tales of these concerning creatures.

Next month, in time for Thanksgiving, we will be visiting the tale of “Pocohantas.” 

Till then.....

Stay away from the creek or Jenny Greenteeth will get you...

StoryBook Club visits the Wee Folk

So there I was, gripping the coat tails o' a wee sprite of a man.

A Leprechaun!

Here's what I knows to be true about them sort:

*They's tricksy, indeed.

*Dinna take yer eyes off 'im, mate, or else they disappear as will yer wishes.

*Dinna let them go afore he gives ye yer 3 wishes by rights.

*Dinna believe them when they says ye can has a 4th wish. That extra greedy one will make the first 3 disappear for'ere!

*They canna be trusted. EVER.

*They loves music and dancin!

*They loves to drink, but you'll have fun trying to drink them under the table.



A few intrepid seekers o' the Blarney, met up at Squirrel Haven, to discuss the Leprechauns, on account it were the month o' March and all things Irish and Celtic.

We supped on  delicious Colcannon, Irish Cheeses,  horseradish and crackers (goodly pub food), homemade bread, magic brownies :) and Irish Coffees and Shamrock cookies for afters!

Here's a few wee folk, a pot o' gold and some Irish Coffee...

Shamrock Cookies

(By the way, Irish Coffee may be the "perfect" food. It has caffeine, alcohol, sugar and fat :)


For our Video Choices:

We were surprised at the political inappropriateness of the movie "Finian's Rainbow" (with Fred Astaire and Petula Clark) and were amazed and astounded and sort of sickened by the stereotypes they portrayed in it...so we chose a different one.

The movie for the discussion was "Darby O' Gill and the Little People"

(with a handsome and YOUNG Sean Connery) and we learned about Darby and King Brian o' the wee folk.

WOWSA.

I've always known that Sean Connery was a babe...but I wasn't around for this when he was younger.
That is one hot man. :)

For next month...
In hopes of SPRING and SUMMER and better weather...
and seeing as how our next meeting is close to Easter....

We will be studying Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby!

Zippety Do-Dah!

(hmmm....I feel a BBQ coming on... :)

Strolling in the Perambulator with Mary Poppins

"Come along, we don't have time to dawdle. Spit spot! Pick up your feet. You are not as finely turned out, as I'd like but no matter. We are off!"

Going for a walk with our Nanny, Mary Poppins has indeed been an eye opener. She's sort of a cross between a nice Mommy, a bitchy nun and Baba Yaga who may eat you if you aren't careful where you step.
So please DO be careful.

We've learned a lot at the leading of this character from the author P.L. Travers who published the first of her Mary Poppins series in 1934. I admit that my knowledge of this story came to me via Disney and the movie of the same name. It was both fascinating and a bit unsettling when I watched it as a child. I didn't know whether to trust Mary or fear her. She is so unpredictable! Kind, well, not really. Civil, yes. Calculating, aware of the Universe's secrets and very proud of her less than stellar looks. What? Mary Poppins was not a beautiful Julie Andrews???  NO. Mary Poppins, (while practically perfect in every way) was really quite plain. Yet it did not stop her from admiring her visage in every mirror she came across.
 
Mary Poppins tells us to Love Ourselves. As we ARE.
To always keep a weather eye on the horizon. To go with the flow of the Universe and be able to adapt to the changes in the circumstances or the changing of the wind. She also tells us to not take things so seriously. Even miracles. Did we have tea on the ceiling? Yes we did. Was it a miracle? "Absolutely not. You can have tea on the ceiling anytime you wish. Such an idea. Why, I never! Sit up straight and don't pinch your sister."

I had never actually read the novel and found it to be quite amusing! There were some elements in the writing that were familiar to me via the movie, but in actuality there was quite a lot of difference and P.L. Travers was distraught with the movie's depiction of her writing when if first came out. Most of us in StoryBook Club though preferred the movie to the book (which is saying a lot because we usually prefer the book version to a movie).

How'ere, I would say that there were several stories within the book that really took me back to the Magick of Childhood. I especially liked the story of Andrew the dog and the returning of the stars to the night sky. Both of these stories were new to me, and they really captured my childhood wonder and the miracle of imagination to me. I felt like I was six again as I read it!

There are LOTS of themes out there to try to decipher Mary Poppins:

*One idea is that she was a Witch and that P.L. Travers was Pagan and into Theosophy. I agree that there are symbols and traits that can back that up.

*There are also conjectures that Mary Poppins is a Christian theme with Mary symbolizing Mary the Mother of God and that the chimneys are the gateway to Spirituality and the rooftops are the upper levels of Spirit and that Andrew is an Angel. I can certainly appreciate those threads.

*There are other ideas that Mary is a Time Lord and her carpetbag is a Tardis.

*Another idea is that Mary is actually a teacher in Hogwarts. Ok so she was killed in the first Voldemort Uprising so you didn't see her in the J.K. Rowling notes...
I like all these ideas too!  But first let me finish this joint......(cough cough....ah).

That's better. It's just all too amazing to be true! But SO wonderful to think on! Wouldn't it be wondrous to be able to jump into a painting? Or ride up a bannister? How about gluing the stars back in the heavens when they fell? I'd personally love to have a conversation with Andrew....or better yet, my dog Monty! I'm sure he'd tell me lots of things.

And well, there it is. It's the fact that we do NOT know everything. And much like God (or Spirit or Fate or whatever you call it) trying to teach us things, we can only learn from experience and imagination.

Here are some things I've learned from Mary Poppins:

*We are supposed to be Good.

*Stand up straight (figuratively and literally).

*Take your medicine. (but appreciate and take in the Good that comes from it too, realizing growth can be sweet).

*Don't dillydally. Get to the Point.

*Be your Best and always try to do the Right Thing.

*Admire Yourself. You ARE beautiful.

*Pick up after yourself. Don't make a mess for Others.

*You are allowed to have Fun and get Dirty as long as you hurt no one.(Harm None, do what you will :)

*Remember to Appreciate everything around you.

*Always Sing! It makes you and everyone around you feel better and understand things.

*Feed the Birds. Be Kind to those less Fortunate than You.

*Love makes you feel Grand!

*Don't be Sad. Au Revoir is "till we meet again" and not really Goodbye. (even if it means the Next Life)

But before we go, we should eat something and have a Nosh up. :)
And so we did!  We met at Korinna and Robs' house on 17 Cherry Tree Lane and it was splendid!

There was Tea (of course) and Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy, Homemade Rolls, Scones, Pies, Jammy Dodgers, Honey Butter and crumpets and good clean lively fun and some swearing.

*I did not hear any swearing Michael. The Nerve of you to say so."

And so now we push on to Next Month's Theme in time for Winter Solstice, Yule and Christmas!

We are walking VERY quietly in the Woods and trying to find GNOMES.
 I HIGHLY recommend that this is the FIRST book you should read:

"Gnomes" by Wil Huygen, Rien Poortvliet

There will be a test. :)

Till then, may we wish you a loverly cuppa and some English Allsorts.

Happy Thanksgiving from StoryBook Club who is very thankful for our group ....
and to Mary Poppins for keeping ALL our secrets in her pocket!

Life IS what you make it.

. 

StoryBook Club meets Rumplestiltskin

Rumplestiltskin. Well, that IS quite a name. Not one that would be easily guessed! It's a throw back to the German Rumpelstilzchen with literally means "little rattle stilt" which is a pole. A rumpelstilz was also the name of a type of goblin that made noises by rattling posts or rapping on planks. A mischievous spirit or poltergeist.

This complicated story is also a throw back to the way society was structured.

Themes included:
Status, Hierarchy (King/Peasantry) 

Greed (Gold and items of worth were traded as currency)

Women as objects of little worth (slaves/objects to be bargained for/baby producers) Hell, the female main character didn't even have a NAME. She was always referred to as "The Miller's Daughter" or "The Queen" (i.e "The King's wife")

Power (Miller over his daughter/King over the girl/Rumplestiltskin over the girl/Queen over Rumplestiltskin)

Value and Worth (girl of little value till King hears she can spin straw into gold/ Gold is of equal worth as the things the girl cherishes: her mothers' necklace and ring/her child)

The Power of a Name (reputation "King"/ evil unnamed is more powerful than evil that has a name- i.e. "He who shall not be named" is more of a threat because when something has a name you can have power over it. This is like Voldemort (eeek! I spelled it!) and also in Homer's "The Odyssey" when Odysseus tells the Cyclops "my name is Nobody" which protects him later on).

Alchemy (straw into gold/ girl into Queen/ Rumplestiltskin into 2)


Oh so much to talk about in this story!!

The female in this story was a survivor as most women had to be without a dowry back then. She did what she could with what she had. It's what women still do to this day. She was traded for power, she gave up her family to appease her King, gave up her mother's inheritance for her lover, gave up her virginity to satisfy the marriage deal for survival. She even had to agree to give up her children to be raised in a suspect manner in order to live. How'ere, thankfully, the truth (altho' treacherously hidden) in this Grimm story DOTH WIN OUT in the end!
She gets to keep her own child and her new identity by her own cunning.
And THAT my dears...is MAGICK.

WORD.

We met at Rob & Korinna's house and they made us all feel quite comfy!

We also had a lot of fun playing with a Mad Lib that Christine helped us all put together. We played a round the room guessing game of the possible names for Rumplestiltskin which was also a lot of fun! Such good folks that come together and chat about many things...from mundane to scientific. And bonus? We can swear :)

And of course....

The FOOD!! It was a "GOLDEN Night!" in honor of Rumplestiltskin's Power!

Golden Hummus and crusty golden bruschetta bread, Golden Onion Soup with Saffron, Golden Straw (whole wheat pasta and cheese sauce/with fresh parsley), Golden Eggs, and Golden Pound Cake with Pineapple and Whip Cream. To drink there was some fabulous white wine and also Galliano- a wonderful herbal anise liqueur! As ALWAYS...the menu came together and was just fabulous! Especially delightful was Ed's Soup (a medieval recipe) and Rob's Hummus (will post recipe on the end of this note). The liqueur was 43% alcohol. No wonder I was tipsy with that after the wine! :)

We watched a couple of short videos about the subject matter: From Faery Tale Theatre the story of Rumplestiltskin with Shelly Duval and also from Once Upon a Time, the story "Skin Deep" with Mr. Gold.

It was indeed a Golden Night and we thank Rob and Korinna for hosting!

Next Month we shall visit an Animalistic tale!

Beauty & The Beast!

**********************************************************************

Lemony Chickpea Bruschetta

ACTIVE: 30 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 30 MIN PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING
SERVINGS: 8
HEALTHY
VEGETARIAN 

 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight and drained
1 small carrot
1 celery rib
1 small onion, halved
1 small fennel bulb, halved
5 garlic cloves
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 preserved lemon—pulp discarded and peel finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
In a saucepan, cover the chickpeas with water. Add the carrot, celery, onion, fennel, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 1 hour. Let the chickpeas cool in the liquid to room temperature, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the vegetables and herbs.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the chickpeas. In a food processor, puree the remaining chickpeas with the reserved 3/4 cup of cooking liquid and the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the puree into a large bowl, stir in the parsley, preserved lemon peel, lemon juice and the reserved 1/2 cup of chickpeas and serve.
NOTES One Serving 241 cal, 11 gm fat, 1.2 gm sat fat, 28 gm carb, 8 gm fiber. SERVE WITH Ciabatta toasts.
FROM HEALTHY ITALIAN HORS D’OEUVRES