fairymoon arrives on the hill, parking the car and gathering all the supplies nervous this will be the first full moon ritual for her to lead stepping out of the car the cold crisp air hits her in the face she can smell the fragrance of the apple orchard from upon the hill. as she carries all the supplies down the hill trying not to drop anything she searches for the perfect site in the orchard she sees the light from the full moon guiding her to a large clearing in the orchard. she smiles to herself as this clearing is the perfect spot. she puts down the supplies and shivers as the cold crisp fall air hits her thinking to herself it will be good when the group arrives to warm the site. she hears dropping noises from the orchard it startles her at first but then she realizes that it is some apples falling from the trees she starts to get to work...

she takes out the round large basket already filled with Indian corn, a gourd, dried sage and a small pumpkin. she gathers the fallen apples to clear the site puts the apples in the basket for this will be the offering basket and sets it aside another shiver goes down her back she puts on a black cape to go over her thin black ritual dress. feeling warmer she starts puts logs in the middle of the site and starts the fire feeling the warmth of the logs beginning to light, she goes back to work for the group will be here soon.

as she is setting up the alter she hears the crackling of the fire and feeling the warmth, she puts the candles on the alter with several different colors, she takes out the two large pillar candles on silver and one gold and puts them on the opposite corners of the alter. she also takes out a huge jug of wine and a large jug of apple cider (for she knows some in the group don't drink wine) she puts the jugs on the alter and pours some of the wine in a small dish she also takes out a smaller basket and fills it some apples and corn she takes the basket and the dish to an apple tree just outside the perimeter where she plans to cast the circle, and sets them down these are for her fairy friend who will come to watch the ritual.

she goes back to the alter and puts the large basket on the alter and arranges it just so she takes out her chalice and her smudge stick and a large bag of incense filled with cinnamon for (protection and love) jasmine (for spiritual love and raise vibrations) and also a verity of others. she lights the smudging stick and purifies her self out of the corner of her eye she sees a pair of eyes she looks again and realizes that gnome is sitting down by the basket she had placed out side the circle munching on an apple he gives her a look that express that she should continue she smiles and nods at him knowing that there will be many more she continues to go back to work.

she can hear some chatter coming from the hill and know the group is coming she feels the butterflies in her stomach she turns to look at the gnome he just shakes his head then she realizes that the energy will come with out her being perfect or without everything being just right. the silver light of the moon also reminds her that she is doing this for the goddess and god and not for herself as she see the group coming she continues to purify the site with the sage. she feels all the negative energy being cast away as she walks around the e circle she says: "on this night and at this hour i call all the ancient powers. i consecrate this circle of power to the ancient gods here may the manifest and bless their children."

she smudges the alter then puts the stick down in a red clay dish. she picks up the water and salt that is in another dish and holds it up high she can feel the power from the dish she walks around the circle and says: "in my hands i hold the essence of the gods to cleans and consecrate this circle that it may be used for positive acts only protect and bless your children."

she sprinkles the mixture around the circle than sets it down on the alter she lifts up her arms and says: "i now direct the energy of the universe to forever fill and bless this place, this alter is dedicated to the lord and lady of light may it serve us well. the circle is open may it never be broken."

she sees that the group is all here and there is no more chatter. before she opens the east she walks around the circle one more time to each direction she states: "hear me now with an open heart i invite all friendly sprits and fairies to come to the edge of our circle, this sacred space to witness participation our worship of the goddess and god come join us if you will you are welcome here to celebrate with us in honoring our great mother and father blessed be to all that come to honor the lord and lady."

she hears a wooden flute being played and knows that the spirits have come to look upon this ritual. she takes a deep breath and goes to the east lighting the cinnamon and jasmine incense she says "To the guardians of the East I do summon, stir and call you now to witness this ritual and guard this circle, the power of air let us feel your cool essence as you protect empower this circle "she feels the crisp air blowing on her face she walks back to the circle and takes her place among the group and waits...

...until another moves from his place in the circle. Red Deer glides in near silence, except for the faint ringing of bells, to the southern watchtower. There he stands silently for a moment, contemplating the cool night, the harvest moon, and the spirits he will summon. A reiku bowl with charcoal already glowing he places upon the point which marks the southern quadrant, the generously spreads crystalline benzoin over it. As the sweet smoke rises to meet the cool night air, Deer raises his arms and calls, "Guardians of the South, spirits of fire in all its aspects, I invite you to ward our circle this moon. As the harvest is upon us, we seek entrance to the shadows... place without place and time without time. We ask that you join in our revels, that you participate in our works and that you ward our Circle against all which would interfere.

For a brief moment, an almost sultry breeze stirs from that direction, and Deer knows that his invitation has been answered. He turns to retake his place within the circle of friends and waits for...

…Sunspider emerges from her place in the circle(happy to have found a sitter for her 4 flying monkeys) She places a large conch shell at the point of the western quarter, closes her eyes and breathes deeply. She raises her arms to the full moon, the energy warms her as it flows into her hands and through her body. Filled with the moonlight and smells from the orchard, she almost forgets that others are waiting for her to begin. Remembering, she opens her eyes and says "Spirits of the West, I call to you! Let the winds of Wisdom blow to us, Let the waters of Healing wash over us. Join us tonight and lend us your power in this circle of Fairy light!" She feels a wave of energy flow through her and knows that it is done. She returns to her place in the circle and waits for...

…Nymue' approaches the altar placing an ear of blue corn upon it. There are leaves still playing in her hair from a romp amidst the tree tops on her journey here. Red, gold and brown leaves painted by the Lady's hand with the turning of the wheel, matching and mingling with her own copper hair, painted with steaks of gold by the waning summer sun. This is the night of the Harvest Moon, a time to be mindful of the fruits of the Earth.

"Spirits of the North , Ancient Ones of the Earth, I ask you to attend this circle. Charge this circle by Your powers, Old Ones we greet thee!"

The faint hint of apples and oak permeates the air. An autumn breeze carries a crispness...reminders of seasons to come. Nymue' bows her head , then before returning to her place she's stops before each of her Brothers and Sisters gathered to place a gentle hug.

…Returning Nym's hug and plucking a particularly lovely red oak leaf from her friend's hair, Susan steps forward. She moves stealthily, almost feline, to the center of the circle. The firelight plays on the black velvet leggings and bright leotard she has donned, glints on the athame held at her belt with a silver cord. The autumn breeze softly ruffles her russet hair and carries a whiff of the vanilla and clove oils she has chosen for the night.

In the center of the circle, she stand with arms and legs apart, rooted in the earth. She takes three deep breaths, feeling the spirits of the animals in the woods around her.

"Great Horned Lord! You of the Wild Hunt! We ask you to be with us this night. It is your time, the time of the culling, of the harvest. The time when we can no longer be nourished by the green growing things, and must thus be nourished by the four-legged and winged brothers and sisters. We ask your blessings, as we enter Your season. May we nourish each other's spirits as you nourish our bodies. May we be mindful of those Spirits which give their lives that we might live to see spring. And may we be ever grateful.

"Mighty Cerrnunos, Valiant Warrior, Stealthy Herne, be with us tonight."

Susan raises the athame from her belt, holds it high, then plunges it into the earth. She can feel the power coursing through the blade, up the hilt, into her arms and down into her body.

And somewhere in the shadows, something half-stag, half-man, with ivy in his antlers and love in his eyes, moves.

Susan says a silent hello, feeling the wind kiss her cheek. Then she moves back to the circle and waits for...

...EarthChild steps forward, her dark hair blowing in the breeze. She inhales the scent of apples, and feels the caress of the crisp wind over her skin. As she approaches the altar, she carries a bottle of wine.

At the altar, EarthChild raises her face to the full moon and says, "Lady, Dark and Bright, join us this night as we celebrate the full moon. As the seasons turn, let us rejoice in the cycle. Now is the time of harvest, when we reap the fruits of Your Earth. Thank you for your bounty and care, for all the gifts you have given us. Please accept as my offering of thanks."

So saying, EarthChild opens the wine and pours a generous amount onto the Earth. The rest of the bottle she places on the altar. She steps back from the altar, arms out, and for a moment connects with the Divine. EarthChild looks around the circle at the people she has gotten to know, smiles and steps back as...

…Amara steps forward from her place in the crowd. Once she reaches the middle of the circle, she lifts her hands and looks up at the moon. Amara's thin yellow robe blows around her as an air spirit tells her that it is ok to talk and that the Lord and Lady will always listen to her. Being encouraged by the sprite, Amara speaks: "Dear Lord, Dear Lady please hear my cry. I am sad for the fear of losing the relationship I have with my lover. Please I pray help us get over the fighting and anger. I thank you very much for what you have done for me and I will forever be thankful." Amara then takes a small handful of the sunflower seeds, she had harvested earlier that week, out of the pouch she had hanging at her hip, Dug a hole in the ground and placed the seeds in the hole as an offering. Amara then steps back to wait for another the step forward...

…fairymoon not ready to make a petition, walks up to the alter with heavy heart. she takes out a light blue candle for peace and tranquility. a tear creeps slowly down her face. as she lights the candle she says "goddess of life you have blessed this woman in her life with the gift of your stories, the crone has come to soon in your infinite wisdom the circle of life must be completed by us all take Marion in to your bosom for she has served you well, she will be missed." fairymoon steps away the flood of tears has opened in her heart she solemnly takes her place in the circle…

…TygerMoon comes forward, skyclad for once, since her robes and all other personal affects are still in storage. Her Fox lurks in the shadows, his amber eyes glowing luminescent moonlight and love. He does not enter circle but stays hidden in the leaves. An attentive listener might hear foxish teeth crunching vigorously on an apple somewhere to the south.

She holds in her hands a large purplish shell which she found on the beach in her new home a few days ago. The moonlight glances off of her bare flanks and gilds her flame red hair as she moves forward, softly humming...

"For I am a daughter of the Goddess, the embodiment of she who made me For I am the fruits of the harvest, the keeper of tings wild and free..."

A breeze lifts the curls as she gently places the shell, full of silvery Florida sand and a smoking incense cone, before the altar. "thank you, lord and lady, for the bounty that was granted me on Mabon. I come to celebrate and give thanks for the job I have been handed and for the Fox who was first a friend and then a lover and may someday soon be a mate for life. thank you also for sparing us from the worst of the storm fury. Lastly, thank you for the strength to rebuild."

TygerMoon winks at all present, her flower braided hair flinging behind her, as her ample form dances in the flames. She invites others to come forth and celebrate with joy and freedom or to lay their sorrows at the fire...

…Sunspider leaves her place in the circle once more to approach the altar. She places a peacock feather among the other offerings and steps back to collect her thoughts. "Lord and Lady, oh Great One, I have passed the crossroads. I have let old ties go to be as they will and now I stand alone. I know I am on a new path, but I have no idea where it and You are leading me. I ask for help to clear these shadows, insight to see what I must do with this solitude, strength to continue to mother my children and myself. I seek an end to this loneliness that is clouding my life. I feel a part of myself is missing. Help me to feel complete in myself, so when love does come, I will have a whole person to offer and not the broken one I am right now." Sunspider brushes her dark hair away from her face, a single tear escapes and drops to the earth. She returns to her place in the circle, knowing she belongs here and has many friends...

…Cailean has been quiet in her space (very unusual for her). She steps forward now and moves to the altar. From her pocket she pulls two things, both precious to her...the first, a clear quartz crystal given to her decades ago by a beloved friend, the second a lemony candle made for her by another dear friend. She places these on the altar and lights the candle.

"Oh, Mother, it has been so hard lately. So many of my loved ones are in pain, both physical and emotional. And so I ask for them: give my mother peace of mind, Lady, that she can find contentment in this life without my father; give guidance to Rowan, whom I love dearly but know not how to help; give strength to Donna who has finally found work only to have her horse become deathly ill at the same time; give guidance to Judi and the strength to do the right thing. Lady, for my sister-in-law Lynn let the lumps be nothing more than cysts. Lady, for Michael, I give you thanks for being there and helping him thru the brain surgery and I ask that you stay with him thru the remainder of the treatment and healing process. Lady, let Leyna find the job that will bring her happiness and peace and contentment. For Demetrios, let him find his way -- use a 2x4 if necessary to push him in the right direction. And most of all Lady, when they call me for advice or comfort, put just the right words in my mouth, make my shoulders strong enough to take what they need to unload. I give thanks for the good things that have happened...the movie roles, the promotion at work, the new puppy."

Cailean closes her eyes, trying to hold back the tears which come so easily these days. Finally, she circles back to her place and waits for the next to come forward...

...EarthChild re-emerges from her spot in the circle. She looks around once more, and then steps to the altar. From her pocket she pulls three crystals. The first is a small, tumbled piece of rose quartz. "Lady, in this season of abundance, I ask for your aid to conceive a child. While I am ever grateful for my two beautiful children, I wish for one with the man who has become such a large and wonderful part of my life."

Earthchild looks over to her husband, who has stood in the shadows. With his smile and nod of approval, she places the stone on the altar.

Next she pulls out an orange piece of tumbled agate and a chunk of hematite. "Goddess, our lives have been in upset. So much has been uncertain. We hope to hear whether we can have the apartment we seek tonight. Our car is in desperate need of repair, and we need another to see us through. Please, help us to be where we should be. Help us find the car that will best suit our needs. I know that in the grand scheme, our requests are small. But, right now, to us; they matter. Please, if it is your will, help us to obtain the things that we are looking for."

So saying, she places the two stones on the altar. Before leaving, she places one last offer of thanks, and one last request.

"Gaia, my Lady, help see your people through the upcoming winter. Winter has always been a time of need for many, and I ask your blessing and aid to them that need it."

"And lest I forget, I have ever so much to be thankful for. I have a wonderful, loving family. I have my health, my friends, and plenty of food. I know it is so much more than many have. Goddess, thank you ever so much for all your blessing, both great and small."

At that, EarthChild bows her head and returns to her spot...

…Glancing around the oddly quiet circle, Susan steps toward the altar. From a small pouch tucked in her leotard, she produces some copal resin and a penny.

"Lady, Lord, I thank you for the blessings that have come my way since last Full Moon. Thank you for reuniting me with Leslie, and for the wonderful time I had at her wedding. Thank you for helping me find a way to be there, and for the spiritual connection I share with that wonderful woman, which I feel so renewed since seeing her that day. Thank you for Erik's new job, which he found only days after being laid off -- and thank you for the pay increase it brought. I think that this will help facilitate my goal of leaving my current job by Samhain. Thank you for my professors' praise and support, which I have never truly enjoyed until now. Thank you for the inspiration and the drive that keep me going in my studies. Please accept this resin as a token of my thanks."

Susan takes a small bit of charcoal and a shell from the pouch. She lights the charcoal and sprinkles the copal on it.

"I ask this night that you help me find the courage to bring to fruition what I began last Full Moon. Though I am ready to leave PDI, and have Erik's support, but it is still frightening to step out into the world again. Help me be resourceful and find ways to meet my needs -- for insurance, for enough money, for peace of mind. I do not ask these as gifts; rather, I ask that, should I be unable to see the gateways, that you unblind my eyes to the possibilities. I know that the step I am taking will be healing to my soul; help me find the courage to take it. As a symbol of my faith and courage, I lay this coin on the altar, so that I may put financial worries and troubles behind my mate and I, so that we can unbind ourselves from the drive for more, always more, and instead focus on what is important."

Susan lays the penny on the altar and is quiet for a moment.

Then she looks up at the sky with a wry grin.

"Oh, and PLEASE help me get through planning this handfasting... "

She listens to the wind for a moment, laughs softly at some private joke between herself and Spirit -- is it her imagination, or is there a Coyote howling nearby? -- and slips silently back to the circle to wait for...

…She steps up to the altar, her feet rustling through the red, yellow and orange Mabon leaves which have fallen these past few days. Her long red hair cascades over her shoulders, which are slightly stooped from the burdens she has carried this past month. Her eyes are tired, but there is a light behind them. She feels the slight chill of the night air, and goosebumps rise on the exposed flesh of her arms and legs. Her anklets tinkle gently with each step. In her right hand, she carries a blue beeswax candle in a holder which she places on the altar and lights with reverence.

"Oh Great Mother, I thank you for answering my petition with such abundance and generosity this month. Truly you have been with me, and you show me it will always be so when I open my heart to you. Rhiannon, your grace and fortitude has kept me going when I felt I would falter, always your white horse ahead of me, showing me the way, your birds singing bright melodies to lighten my heart. I now call upon you Brigid, at this harvest moon, for healing for many; for my father, please heal him in body, mind and soul, for Audrey, a little girl afflicted with rare disease, help her my Lady, and for all the people who come to me in pain, help me to help them heal themselves and make them be all that they can be in this lifetime. And I reach out to you Airmed, who grieved so the loss of her dear brother, Miach, in my memory of my only brother Tim, who passed into the Summerlands eight years ago this month. May we meet and reconcile in our next life, for truly I loved him and miss him desperately." Looking about nervously, afraid she has spoken too long, she bows her head in thanks, and steps back to her place. Truly she is deeply grateful, the Goddess has blessed her this month. She smiles to herself, remembering the amethyst earring which Loki claimed as an offering. She had forgotten to leave an offering to the Lady and Lord at her last circle, and Loki, in his infinite wisdom and humor, reminded her by snatching the earring from her on the first day she wore it. She reaches up to the remaining earring in her ear, and rubs the stone for healing and luck, and turns to...

…Fairymoon walks up to the alter and raises her arms up towards the moon." Thank you Morgan la Fay for all your wondrous gifts since the last full moon your abundance has been amazing. Thank you for my new fairy friends, Brigid thank you for your inspiration and the protection of my house and home and to my soul mother Aphrodite, I have missed our connection." Fairymoon wipes a tear away "all i could ask for is for my daughter and i to have better health and that may we move forward in the path we have begun with strength and courage" fairymoon leaves a box rapped in silver paper on the alter looks around smiles at her gnome friend, he smiles back she turns back to the circle gives her new sister a hug and smiles at all in the circle returns to place knowing sadly it will be over soon... ...

Fairymoon takes a few minutes after her petition, taking a couple of deep breaths the scent of the apples is over powering the spice fragrance of the incense also is pungent in her nose. a shiver runs down her back as the fall wind and cold temperature blow. The group remains oddly quite. her blond hair and satin ritual dress blow in the rising wind and the fire that was built is now just hot embers providing little light and heat. she looks upon the soap box deciding not to through it on the dying fire for it is a reminder to all that everyone should have the opportunity to stand up and be heard. the music of the fairy harps and flute float up to her ears she turns to see the fairies have come and danced with her and her friends in joyous light of the mother. she looks upon her fairy friends and says:

"Fairies and blessed creatures of the elements you are free to go from this holy place who have come her to join in the worship of the mother goddess, i bide you to go with the brightest blessings." The music starts to move away slowly from the circle. Fairymoon looks to the gnome who has been a constant on looker she smiles and bows and blows him a kiss, he return the bow sitting on his log he is staying until the end. As the unusually quit group takes hands to make a complete and unified circle fairymoon says:

"your sons and daughters wish to thank the lord and the lady for presiding over this ritual. May we walk within the light, forever" The group releases their hand all hold their hands high and take a moment to feel the energy. Fairymoon takes her wand and says: "Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again." she points her wand and moves in a clock wise motion around the circle slowly and says "may this ground remain holy, this circle is open but never broken." the whole group responds "Blessed Be!" the group begins to break apart Fairymoon hugs all her brother and sisters she goes to the alter and takes the jug of wine goes to were the gnome is sitting and pours the wine into the dish she had previously left out. the gnome hops off the log a little wobbly he goes to the dish scoops out some wine with his small wooden cup bows unsteadily and disappears into the night