Big Dreams

So as followers here or on Facebook may know, I have launched an Etsy store, and I have dreams of having it become so much more- a sustainable way of life, a brick and mortar store and community center, and a way to teach my son the Craft. Boline is the culmination of many years of cultivating myriad interconnected interests and crafting it into a way of life.

What interests? Magick, the land and its plants, rocks, and animals, and healing modalities. I have always been interested in nature, and became a self-identified Witch waaaay back in 1989 (I am dating myself here!). I studied with so many different groups- Gnostics, Masons, the OTO and ceremonialists of many stripes, and Witches, always Witches- all kinds of Witches (we are actually quite a diverse group, you know).

I have been talking to animals, plants, and nature spirits since early childhood (much to my parents' chagrin- I would release animals from suffering, such as live traps in our neighbors garden. I would take all our carrots and celery and place them in front of where I knew the rabbits lived. I would beat the crap out of neighbor boys who stomped on ant piles and smeared lightening bugs on their jeans to make them glow. And if you deigned to abuse a larger animal like a dog or cat and I saw you- woe unto you.). I knew earth spirits and talked to animals and they would tell me their secrets. I am just getting familiar with Columbus and its spirits, but they are already talking to me.

I have been interested in spell work, conjure, whatever you want to call it for decades as well. I have been making spells and building altars long before I knew that they were called that- and when I learned that there were others doing this "odd behavior" and that they had knowledge than me to make them more effective, you could bet that I went to learn from them! I have had so many teachers since I learned Witchcraft had a name.

And healing- I have been interested in all kinds of healing for quite some time- and in particular natural forms of healing such as herbalism and energy work. I became a Reiki master a few years back, and my patron has bestowed on me a form of energy healing that works differently than Reiki and is quite powerful. I used to work on Cora Anderson and another of my elder teachers often- they would allow me to experiment with this new gift and benefit from it. Lilth wants me to heal in her name in myroad ways, that is quite clear from her communications to me.

She urged me towards herb school and I learned a lot there. I would like to return to a school nearby, as there is always an elder who can impart wisdom! And now that I am in a different part of the world from where I learned (I trained in California)- there are be local plants that I need to meet.

As the world become more and more crazy and contentious, I yearn for sustainability and connection- connection to a tribe, connection to the land. That is happening as I build my homestead. My neighbor and I share a yard (we are in one of the ubiquitous duplexes in Clintonville) and we have plan together to remove decorative plants to make way for food and medicine, build raised beds, and raise bees (well, OK that's just me- she's allergic to bees- but she is fine with them being placed in the back yard for me to work with).

I have a large front porch, a huge box in the front (shrubs are being removed for other plants), a small patch of a front yard (where I will build a widdershins herb spiral for flying ointment herbs), a place upstairs for more window boxes, and places on the side yard and back for raised beds. I am planting an elder tree. I started a worm composter. I have medicinal mushrooms in the basement (where I have a workbench and storage ready for my medicine making!).

Last night, I dreamt of medicine making all night long. I made herb infused oils, tinctures, and balms. I boiled syrups and dried teas. I am yearning to start this new life. Of course building such a dream takes time. Plants need time to grow, and I need to time to connect to this land. But I also need money.

The move across the country and setting up a new home was expensive and we used student loans and tax returns to make that happen. We are not wealthy (at least not in money) and are asking our community to help us get started. We need beekeeping equipment, plants, containers, soil testing and possible amelioration, and supplies. We left so much behind in Califormia that could have been useful, but we could not afford to move it all. And so now I turn to you, my friends whom I know and whom I do not know personally to help me make our dream come true.

Below you see a "Chip In" widget. I have set a modest sum of $2000 that will get us the basics of what we need for now. If we are able to get a start on this growing season with what we need, it should sustain us through the winter and allow me to make medicines, toiletries, and remedies for Columbus (we plan to sell at the farmer's market) and worldwide (through Etsy).

If you have a few dollars (or more) to spare, my family and I would be most grateful. Once things are grown and made, I plan on sending tokens of appreciation to those that give as well. Thanks fpr reading my story from the bottom of my heart, whether you give or not!