Winternights 2019 report

On October 27, 2019 Keeper of Seasons Hall met to celebrate its twenty-second Winternights. As in previous years, we met at the Pueblo Montaño trailhead in the afternoon, early enough to conclude our business before the sun set. It was chilly and a little windy, but a number of families were in the area because of a nearby harvest festival. Though we did not see many of them, we heard a number of crows, ravens, cranes, and ducks as we made our way to the river. As has become our custom, we used a sort of sumble format so everyone could hail as needed or as they considered appropriate. For Keeper of Seasons Hall, Winternights is a celebration of the disir as well as a recognition of the end of summer. Additionally, the past few years have seen significant changes for the Hall as a whole as well as the personal lives of our members. We hailed the powers of the season, wights who delivered in time of need, gods and goddesses of victory and fertility, female ancestors and heroes, and our own deeds (accomplished as well as planned). We also hailed one another and the Hall repeatedly, recognizing members unable to attend and acknowledging difficult times past and those likely to come. After everyone's personal hails, I spoke the Keeper of Seasons Hall hail for 2019, formally marking the twenty-second anniversary of the founding of the Hall. Keeper of Seasons Hall elects its Ritari during Witnernights, and I asked that if someone else felt the calling, they serve in the office. Brad put himself forward as a candidate and was approved by those present, and I officially concluded nine years as Ritari for Keeper of Seasons Hall. At the conclusion of our business, I poured the rest of the mead in libation, making offering to the wights of the river and the surrounding area. We made our way back to the trailhead and from there went to share food and company for a few hours. #Alfar, #Ancestors, #Blot, #Bosque, #Disir, #KoSH, #RioGrande, #Ritari, #Sumble, #Winternights