I’m delighted to be one of the 17 tellers in a live retelling of an epic Irish myth by the Seattle Storytellers Guild. I’ll be contributing storytelling with my wire-strung harp! If you’re in the Seattle area, consider joining us for this amazing event — a great way to continue celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!
Illustration by Boris Artzybasheff
THE WONDER SMITH AND HIS SON: An Epic Irish Myth
The Seattle Storytellers Guild Invites You To A Live Retelling
Of This Wonderful Irish Myth collected by Ella Young
Told by 17 storytellers and musicians playing flute, harp, guitar, penny whistle, psaltery, handpan and fiddle!
Saturday, March 19, 2016 from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The George Community Ctr, 2212 NE 125th St, Seattle, WA 98125
Suggested Donation:
$5 – members, $8 – non-members, $12 – families
***Congratulations to Stacy, Jude, Sharleen, Natalia, and Susan — winners of this year’s Storytelling Festival ticket Giveaway ***
Vashon Wilderness Program Storytelling Festival Poster
It’s that time of year again when the Vashon Wilderness Program holds its annual Storytelling Festival. Forest Halls, with its mission to keep magic alive in our world, is proud to help sponsor this fun-filled, family-friendly event.
When: Sunday, January 31, 2016. Event starts at 1:30, with Storytelling beginning at 2PM. Where: At the Open Space for Arts And Community, Vashon, WA. Tickets: Advance – $40/family, $20/individual. Door: $45/family, $25/individual
As I’ve mentioned in a previous post and elsewhere in this blog, storytelling is part of our nature, and indeed can be thought of as an expression of nature herself. This year VWP is delighted to have the following storytellers take the stage:
Roger Fernandes, a Coast Salish storyteller who entranced Vashon islanders a year or so ago with his rich, resonant, heartful and generous tales. I am eager to experience him!
Bonny Moss, a VWP parent and teller. The first story I ever heard from her — a rollicking Coyote tale — remains woven into my storymind. The wild and wondrous is her playground!
Ted Packard, a VWP instructor skilled in bringing young and old along a trail of mischief, deep-rooted wise ways, and the truly unexpected.wonders of our world.
The Vashon Wilderness Program has given out over $100,000 in scholarships to help children connect to nature, and the Storytelling Festival has been essential in helping support VWP’s commitment to never turn a child away due to lack of funds. In addition to the storytelling, this year’s event will feature a Dessert Auction, a Sensory Forest with nature crafts and games, complimentary food and drink, and — as always — an opportunity to connect with family, friends, and nature-rooted community. Please read more about the event here. You can expect some serious fun and magic at this year’s Storytelling Festival!
Giveaway Details.
I will be giving away $120 worth of tickets in a drawing on my blog. That $120 translates to either 3 family tickets, 6 individual tickets, or a combination each! I’m also giving away a copy of my book, Because of the Red Fox, to one of you who can’t come to the Storytelling Festival. Drawing closes at 11:59pm on Thursday, January 28, with the winners being chosen and notified on Friday, January 29. Only one prize per family. Winners’ names will be added to the event’s Will Call list.
To enter the Giveaway please read my post Discover the Earth of Your Story, consider how you’ve told stories today, and how, today, the world has lived a story into you, and leave a comment there or here (I’ll be checking both places). Please specify if you’d like to win a Family ticket, an Individual ticket, or a book.
For more chances to win, leave a separate comment below each time you do the following. Again, note in at least one comment whether you’d like to win a Family ticket, Individual ticket, or a book:
Sign up for the Vashon Wilderness Program’s newsletter and receive their free booklet “10 Awesome Practices to Make Nature a Natural Part of Your Family Life.” Tell me which of the 10 Practices you’re excited to introduce to your family or into your own life.
On Wed. Jan. 27, at 10am PST, Voice Of Vashon/KVSH 101.9 FM will interview VWP’s Executive Director, Stacey Hinden and with Storytelling Festival teller, Ted Packard. Listen to this live streaming interview with Stacey and Ted about story, nature connection and children, and hear Ted tell a story. Share something in your comment that you learned, or found exciting or fun from the interview.
And here are even more chances to win!
Sign up for Forest Hall’s ezine. Are you already on my mailing list? Then please share something you enjoy about my ezine or blog.
Read my article When an Island Tells a Story and respond to the questions about Geographical Story either there or here. (I’ll be checking both places)
Follow Forest Halls on Twitter and tweet this Giveaway with hashtags #foresthalls #familymagicgiveaway . (Please list your Twitter ID in the comment so we can find you)
Post about this Giveaway on your Facebook page
Again, sign ups for the Giveaway end at 11:59PM PST on Thursday, January 28, 2016. I’ll draw the winners on Friday, January 29. There will be only one prize per family. Good luck, everyone, and thanks for entering!
Final note: Even if you don’t win, come to the event anyway. I guarantee you a fun and nourishing time!
First, I just want to express my gratitude to you for reading my writings, showing up at my gigs, and enjoying my art in the various ways that you all do. I feel absolutely blessed to be able to do what I love in this world — which is a number of things! Some of you have received newsletters from me or read my blog for years now. I thank you for sticking by me as my creative fire shifted this way and that in its expressions. I’ve finally given up trying to choose the “one thing that I do”. If you’re with me this far, then I trust that you are enjoying something that I offer — and maybe you experience the unity of it better than I sometimes do!
Here on this shortest day, I invite you to take some time to sit by your own creative fire. Just imagine your unique way of being in this universe as a warming fire. What are the qualities of your fire? How do you feel within your body and emotions as you sit by this fire? If you imagine the year since last winter solstice, how has the vigor, shape, and feel of your fire changed through the year? Allow yourself to rest in your imagination and dream space with this, and to be curious and playful!
How does your creative fire shine as we reach the shortest day of the year? How has your creative fire guided you through 2015, and what treasures has its daring and dancing ways revealed for you? Take a moment imagine yourself as a child, crouched over a basket of wrapped gifts. How many are there? Unwrap them slowly, one by one. What are they? What do they look/smell/feel like? And how do they make you feel? What are these gifts of you — your magical nature — that you now unwrap and admire? How have they shape-shifted, deepened, grown more fancy, or … [fill in the blank] since last year?
If you wish, please share below about with what you’ve been on fire, creatively speaking, and how your sense of your self and your right way in the world has rooted further as a result. I’d love to hear your story!
Last but not least, I hope you can join me for this event!
Red Cedar – photo by Jane Valencia
Women’s Nature Ways: A Mid-Winter Retreat
facilitated by Stacey Hinden and Jane Valencia. Feb. 5-7, 2016, on Bainbridge Island.
Learn powerful tools and practices to listen to the profound bodymind wisdom within you, and to attune to the timeless, generous spirit of Red Cedar. Please visit our website to learn more about our retreat, and how to join a circle of women ready to explore the mystery and wisdom woven both within us and with nature. Early registration discount through December 21st. Enrollment ends January 4. We look forward to journeying with you!
