Rose Jam, Tents and Dancing with Trees

I’ve been meaning to plant my seeds from my adventure in the cave days- and wondering what to nurture them with.   I thought maybe magic coconut milk, but then I heard there might be a potting shed on Owl Island and some specialists in my kind of seed. So I’ve put them safely in my pocket and I am wondering if someone on that island can give me some advice on the best way to grow them.

Oh wow, you should see Owl Island.   I have to pinch myself to believe I am really here at last.  So much has happened to me since the visit to the dining room and library.  I told Dido and two of the passengers who had hitched a ride on her with me the whole story.  I am sure they want to put duct tape on me now.

Turned out that the lady with the mysterious brief case was Isabella Maranderella a witch of darkness. I’ve been wondering who she might be in league with. Isabella gave me an absolute whipping when we had our kite fight and  insisted that this meant I owed her some coconut facials.

I was happy to help her out but her competitiveness became wearing over the days in the lead up to Owl Island disembarking.  She had to win at everything.   Everyone was steering clear of me whilst Isabella was in my company. I think maybe they knew to avoid her type.

I had to ditch her somehow on some other innocent passenger perhaps – well it just wasn’t in my heart to do that, but I did finally manage to send her off to the Meadow Room hinting that maybe she could have a lovely rest there and look up Descartes an interesting bunny.

As I stand here waiting to go to the Festival of the Charming of the plough I am not in anyway scared of the warriors, no I am just relieved to know that Isabella is sorting herself out in the Meadow Room instead of forcing me into more competitions.

I have been armed with the most ornately carved owl. It’s tiny and tied around my neck, and was given to me by the shell of prophecy to help me on this island.
“Conflicted relationships are not problems . . . but opportunities for creative expression.”
“The owl’s task is not judge or moralise on the correctness of her enemies behaviour but to respond with creativity and intelligence.” (The Way of the Owl p.24).

I am missing Speck though, he’s staying behind on this particular trip – my tiny (sometimes wooden) owl advisor said he had to keep watch over the ship with some of the other stowaways…

I am giggling to myself. The laughter around me is falling like soft petals. It lands, cascades and lands again. It is sweet because there is also a tinge of sadness in everyone’s hearts at present.

Do you know I am sure I can hear those two cheeky angels giggling during the Charming of the Plough.   I think I can glimpse them in the crowd, their garlands safely intact around their heads. The crowd is just too big to be sure.

Do you know its the first time I’d seen some of the passengers of the SS Vulcania as many of them like to spend a lot of time painting, writing, cooking, and planning dragon hunting expeditions in their cabins- I do see some in the library and that is a good place to chat. It was fantastic to see them so full of joy. Some have had heard news, bought by the SS Vulcania pigeons, about terrible fires and floods that may have claimed their relatives or friends, and they are even considering hopping off the boat for a few days to make their way home for more news.   E has assured them that the ship’s pigeons can  go back and fetch news and they are free to make up their own minds as to what to do.   The Eagles can also be sent with emergency supplies for those in the bushfires. The whole ship did a whip around and filled a magic black hat with lots of gifts, including toys and jewels and charm bags.

I’m waving at Elizabeth- she’s a woman on a mission that one,  I do wonder if she’ll find that tree she is looking for, and all those  scrolls.

I can hear a few other pilgrims to this festival engaged in some prayers. They are walking a labryinth made of stones and rose petals. It seems any one of us can make our way there.  It is a poignant sight as I am sure some of them are praying their friends and family are alive, or at peace wherever they are.

First I have to drop off my coconut rice and biscuits on the wondrous table of potluck food.  It doesn’t seem right to have coconut rice aromas weaving around the rose, the stones, the prayers and tears. But now I see the rose jam on the table, rose jam wow that must be so interesting tasting…

I am off to walk the circle of stones, on the way to the prayer circle and notice that the rose petals are all colours, apricot, plum, ochre, creamy and in the middle of the prayer circle is a tent.  It has been put up by those who enter the circle first.

I move to the circle, and a young boy places an ochre dot of earth on my head, then a young girl puts rose water on my cheeks. The rose water feels like tears for all those suffering the world.

I begin my way to the tent in the centre.

I concentrate on going to the centre, but cannot help but look back. The young boy and girl have left and have been replaced by a wolf and a raven. I cannot see the rest of the Festival. Where am I?

I look forward and there is the tent and on either side of it are two large kauri pines. The girl and boy are in the centre near the tent and have begun to dance around one of the trees.

I can hear the most amazing songs…. and these continue all the way until I reach the entrance of the tent. Oh what wondrous songs. I will remember them for many, many days.   For now they settle into me, soothe me, as they have those who have walked before me.

(c) Words and Images all rights reserved June Perkins
(c) Descartes to Travels with Rilla
(c) Elizabeth to Rosy her creator

For more of this adventure head to Unity’s Cabin