Winternights 2014 report

*This report was originally written by Sorn during his long tenure as Ritari. It has been reposted here in an effort to collect all our resources on our new site.

On November 23, 2014 Keeper of Seasons Hall met to celebrate its seventeenth Winternights. We met at the Pueblo Montaño trailhead in the afternoon to gain at least a little warmth during one of the colder weeks to date. Due to cold temperatures and frequent winds, we saw no other people in the area as we made our way to our destination on the bank of the Rio Grande, the same site we had used the previous three years. The weather also meant we saw less wildlife than in previous years. Aside from a few ravens and crows huddled together in the trees, we seemed to be alone in the Bosque.

Keeper of Seasons Hall observes Winternights as both a disablot and an acknowledgement of the changing of the seasons. Accordingly, as we worked our way through the rounds of sumble, we hailed goddesses and gods of harvest and hard work, powers of victory and fertility, female ancestors and heroes, and our own accomplishments in past seasons as well as those to come. Individuals who were present at last year’s Winternights boasted of the success in keeping their oaths from the previous year, and new oaths were made promising great work in seasons to come. Following everyone’s personal hails, I gave the Keeper of Seasons Hall hail for 2014, formally marking our seventeenth anniversary. Then, the remainder of the mead, juice, and water was poured in libation. I made personal offerings to the river and to local wights, and we made our way back to the trailhead, chatting with each other about our lives and the history of the Hall.

Because of the weather, we elected to forgo our usual post-offering potluck and instead meet at a local restaurant to share food and company. We stayed there for some time, sharing news of events in our lives and in Heathenry in general before we went our separate ways.

The Keeper of Seasons Hall Hail for 2014:

With the holding of this blot, our hall has stood to see seventeen winters. Though our hall continues to change, our hearts and spirits remain steadfast and true. Again those ravens who take flight in spring have sought our steads in these winter nights, and again the hall who takes its name from them seek one another in blessing and sacred work, raising high the horn and continuing to blot the holy powers, blithe and bold, with the will to live well. In the seasons to come, let us continue to work to make our hall fulfill its mission. And while we work, just as Odin seeks Munin’s return, may we be ever mindful that memory is foundation. May we wax in words and deeds in this seventeenth winter! Hail to you, my friends in this hall; in high esteem should all be held. From these words, may more worthy words follow and from these deeds, bold new deeds begin. Hail, Keeper of Seasons Hall!

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