Yule, December 2009

Yule is traditionally the biggest heathen celebration of the year so, as usual, the Ulfhethnar Kindred hosted a gathering full of good folk and great food.  As is the custom of this Holy Day, many guests were invited to enjoy the festivities with the kindred.

The festivities began in the early afternoon, with everyone socializing and snacking on the many appetizers set out for the occasion.  It was fun having so many good folk together for the Holy Day. 

In the evening, it was time for the feast.  As usual, there was more than plenty of food for all assembled.  Many of our guests contributed to the feast, and the kindred barbecued beef and pork roasts.  As usual, everything was delicious.

Once the feast was finished, it was time for the Blot.  This year we were honoring Odin.  To get everyone prepared, we held a discussion on Odin and Yule.  Jon led the discussion, and many of those present joined in with insightful comments.  Once the discussion was done, we all went outside to conduct the Blot.  Jim conducted the Blot and it was a very powerful rite.  Many great toasts were made, and the energy was felt throughout the circle.

Following the Blot, we all went back inside for more socializing and another round of food!  Many great deserts were layed out, and everyone ate and relaxed.  It was another great Yule, and we all felt strengthened in our bonds of camaraderie. 

Social Gathering, August 2009

In August, the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered up in the Sierras for a day of fun on the American River at a swimming hole known as Yankee Jim's.  It's a very scenic site, and the water was surprisingly warm.  We all had a a lot of fun, especially the children.  Many parts of the river were shallow enough and the current slow enough that it was safe for the kids, but there were also some very deep pools that allowed for some very high rock jumping into the river.  Chris made some jumps from about 40 feet up.

After spending the day on the river, we all headed back to Jessica's for a barbecue.  Jessica prepared the side dishes, and Jim cooked up lots of ribs.  We all gorged ourselves and everything was very delicious.  The kids played together, and the adults socialized and made plans for future gatherings. 

Summer Solstice, June 2009

On the summer solstice the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered on the shores of beautiful Weaver Lake to celebrate Midsummer.  Though the turnout was smaller than in years past, we still had a great time and conducted a powerful Blot.

We arrived at the lake on Thursday, and set up our camp quickly in order to enjoy the day.  We swam in the lake, hiked, drank some brew and cooked a huge meal.  That night we relaxed around the fire and socialized.

Friday was spent pretty much the same way, and it was very relaxing to be away from the city and in such a scenic place.  Jessica, Calista, and Logan also spent some time setting up our Blot site.  Friday night we held our kindred feast, and we all contributed delicious dishes to be shared.  Anyone who's ever been to one of our gatherings will tell you: we eat well!

That night, following a lengthy discussion on Baldur and Midsummer, we gave Blot to Baldur, with Jim serving as Gothi.  It went well, and the site also helped to focus our energy due to its scenic location overlooking the lake and the work that went into decorating it.  The energy flowed, and many great toasts were offered to Baldur.

Later that night we held a Sumbel, which was a lot of fun.  We had plenty of mead, and good thing too because many rounds were made!  We shared a lot of laughs, and heard some eloquent toasts by everyone involved.

Midsummer was another successful gathering, and those who attended put a lot of work into it.  It was also a nice little vacation from our usual hectic urban lives, and everyone enjoyed their time at Weaver Lake.

Social Gathering, April 2009

In April, the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered to say goodbye to on of our kinsman, Shawn, who's moving away.  Though it is sad to see such a good friend leave, we know that we will remain in touch and hopefully see him before too long has passed.  But he knows he is always welcome in our circle, and wherever he goes, he is an Ulfhethnar.

We all gathered for a barbecue and it was great to have such a large turnout, especially considering how far some of our guests traveled to attend.  We had a lot of fun, drank way too much, and enjoyed some great food.  Many of the guests brought outstanding side dishes and the smoked tri-tip and hot links tasted great.  We all had a great time even though the circumstances of the party were sad.

Ostara, March 2009

For Ostara, we again gathered up at the Conrad's property.  Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen complications, the turnout was a little lower than we anticipated.  But that didn't slow us down, and we had a very good gathering.

We spent most of the day socializing, and waiting for a few late comers.  But we were in no rush, and were having a good time just relaxing and hanging out with kinsmen.  We had lots of food and drink, and just being out in the country was nice.

Eventually, after everyone had arrived and the feast consumed, we were ready for Blot.  We honored Freya for Ostara, and Jim served as the Gothi.  It was a powerful Blot, and we could really feel Freya's presence.  Many great toasts were made.  Even the children were involved, with Erik making some fantastic, heartfelt toasts to Freya.  Erik has been in circles since his birth, and now he's at that age where he can really start to formulate his thoughts and emotions into powerful toasts to our Gods and Goddesses.

We all felt great after the Blot, and went inside to celebrate some more.  We all stayed up late into the night enjoying ourselves and the company of good folk.

St. Patty's, March 2009

Yes, I know St. Patricks Day isn't an Asatru Holy Day, but it is a great day to enjoy Irish Culture, so we all met up for our annual St. Patty's Day social gathering in San Francisco.  It's something we've done for years, and this time we decided to share some of our experiences and pictures.  We enjoy San Francisco on St. Patty's because of its rich Irish heritage and many Irish pubs and restaurants.

We started at The Chieftain and then worked our way over to Kate O'Briens, a downtown Irish pub we've enjoyed many times over the years.  They have great food and are always packed for lunch on St. Patty's.  After that, we headed out to the Richmond district to celebrate at two of our favorite pubs:  Irelands 32 and the The Star and the Plough.  Both spots were packed, as usual, and had great traditional Irish musicians.  We had a great time at both, and it is always nice to see so many familiar faces in the crowd from years past.

We hit a few more pubs before the night was done and had a great time. It was nice to see so many of our kinsmen able to show up on a weeknight.  We shared a lot of laughs, and carried on a longstanding tradition.

Snow Trip, Feb. 2009

In February, we held our annual snow trip.  This year we headed up to Bass Lake for a weekend of fun and our yearly Skadi Blot.  Unfortunately, we were thrown a few unexpected curveballs, and the trip didn't work out quite as planned.

Nonetheless, those who made it had a great weekend of camaraderie and laughs.  Bass Lake is very scenic in the winter, even though the snow was unusually absent!  We did make the best of it and it was a nice weekend away from our usual environments, enjoying the serenity of the mountains. 

We even spent some time in a local tavern (big surprise!), socializing with many of the locals who were very friendly and hospitable.  All in all, a fun time was had by all.

Mead Brewing, January 2009

With our mead supplies diminishing, the Ulfhethnar gathered at the Conrad's beautiful property to brew some mead and enjoy a weekend together.  The weather was nice, and we all had a great time socializing.  The Conrad's barbecued up a fine meal of tri-tip and plenty of sides.

The brewing went well.  We brewed six gallons of dry honey mead, which will be put to good use in the near future.  We do tend to go through a lot of mead at our gatherings!

We also had a chance to plan some upcoming gatherings, and we look forward to another strong year and look forward to seeing many of our friends over the course of 2009.

Yule, December 2008

In December the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered to celebrate Yule, and to induct its newest member, Chris.  We had been worried that the weather would interfere with the festivities, but luckily the day was clear and relatively warm.

The event started with a kindred only induction ceremony at noon.  Chris, who has been attending our gatherings for quite some time, was finally given official status and inducted into our ranks.  Jim conducted the rite, and as is our custom, our blood was mixed into the bowli to symbolize our new united whole, and then dabbed onto all of our foreheads.  The rite went well, and we were all excited to induct Chris, who brings both a seriousness and a sense of humor to the Wolfpack.

Once the induction was completed we all helped with the final preparations before the guests arrived.  We had a large feast prepared and everyone contributed greatly.  As the guests arrived, they were welcomed with numerous snacks while the meat and side dishes for the evening feast continued to cook.  Everyone enjoyed hanging out and socializing, and we all had a lot of fun.

Around 6:00 pm the feast was ready and the food laid out.  Jessica and Christine did an outstanding job on the side dishes, and Jim's barbecued sirloin roast, bratwursts and ham were fantastic.  Additionally, many guests brought great dishes to contribute to the feast,  We thank all of you who contributed (Larry's stew was very good).

After the feast, it was time to perform the Blot.  We were honoring Thor, and as usual his presence came through strongly.  Jim conducted the powerful Blot, and everyone, Ulfhethnar and guests alike, gave some very eloquent toasts.  It was motivating to hear even those with little experience with Asatru standing up and speaking from the heart.  The Blot was a great success.

After Blot many of us conducted a Sumbel.  Again, many great toasts were made and we all had a good time.

Following the Blot, many of us stayed up well into the night socializing and enjoying the company of kinsmen.  Jessica was a trooper, and cooked us all breakfast in the morning.

Winter Nights, October 2008

Traditionally, Mid October is the time of year to celebrate Winter Nights, so the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered up at Sly Park, which is off of Highway 50 north of Placerville.  It is a very beautiful park with a lake, campgrounds, and plenty of trails.

After socializing most of the day and enjoying the company of some new faces, we started a discussion on Freya and the Disir, so that everyone would be mentally focused on the Blot.  At twilight, Jon conducted a Freya Blot, focusing on her darker aspects and her connection to the Disir.  It went extremely well, and the energy flowed through the circle. 

The Blot was not the only rite that we had planned for the day, however.  It was a special day for the Ulfhethnar Kindred - we were inducting Jessica into our ranks.  As darkness set in, the members of the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered near the shore of the lake to conduct the blood rite of initiation.  Jim led the rite, and as the ceremonial mixing of blood took place, Jessica became a member of the pack.  Congratulations Jessica.

Following the rite, we all headed back to Jessica's home to celebrate.  We had a big barbecue and shared many laughs through the night.

Social Gathering, October 2008

In Mid-October, the Ulfhethnar Kindred had an informational table at the Sacramento Eurofest.  Though the turnout was lower than expected, we had a good time and met some really nice people.  We chatted with the guests, visited with the other vendors, and distributed our literature.  It was a good experience, and we look forward to this kind of activity at other events in the future.

The fest itself was really fun, even though the high winds probably kept many visitors away (Some of the booths even blew over).  There were many great vendors, and the performers all did a really outstanding job. 

And thanks to all of you who stopped by our booth.

Winter Finding, September 2008

For Winter Finding, the Ulfhethnar Kindred decided to do something different.  For the fist time in our history, we conducted a Loki Blot.  It may seem like an odd choice to Blot to Loki on what would normally be a fertility related Holy Day, but we had our reasons.  We didn't make this decision without putting a lot of thought and consideration of recent events into it.  We won't go into detail, but suffice to say the day had more than its share of strange occurrences.  But we feel the Blot was a success, and we are glad we did it (so far!).

Social Gathering, August 2008

A kindred is much more than just a group that gets together to perform Blots and Sumbels.  It is a tribe; an extended family.  As such, the Ulfhethnar Kindred often gets together between Holy Days to socialize and have fun.  Sometimes we chronicle these "social gatherings" here, but mostly we don't.

But a first Birthday is worth recognizing, so we decided to post this one so that our readers would have an opportunity to see another side of us.  Many of us are married and have children, and we regularly have children at our gatherings.

In August, the Conrad's celebrated their daughter Annabelle's first birthday, and many of us were there to join them in honoring Anabelle.  It should also be noted that the Clary's second child Violet also celebrated her first birthday in August (yes, we had a kindred baby boom last year!). 

For Annabelle's party we headed up to the Conrad's beautiful home in Jackson and enjoyed an afternoon of barbecue, cake, and relaxation.  Annabelle seemed to really enjoy the attention.  She loved opening her presents and watching her dig into her birthday cake was hilarious.  It was a nice day.    

Summer Solstice, June 2008

Midsummer is always a gathering greatly anticipated by the Ulfhethnar Kindred.  We always invite a lot of guests, and we usually have a large turnout.  For this year's gathering we again camped out at Weaver Lake high up in the Tahoe National Forest.  It is a great location and very secluded.  The dirt roads leading to the lake are quite rocky, keeping many vehicles away.  We set up our camp right on the shore of Weaver lake.

The weather was warm and sunny for most of the weekend, but it was a bit windy and some storm clouds came in for a few hours on Saturday.  We even got some light rain for about an hour.  But overall it was quite pleasant.  A few of us even got sunburned.

We had a great weekend.  Some of us were up there as early as Thursday, and we took full advantage of what the area has to offer.  Dave brought his kayak, so we all spent time paddling around the beautiful alpine lake.  We had so much fun that I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more of us show up with them next year!  Conrad also brought his dirt bike, which was also enjoyed by a few of us.  We also hiked, did some target shooting, swam and fished.  There is definitely a lot to do up there if you enjoy the outdoors.

Everyone brought plenty of food and beverages, so we feasted well all weekend on steaks, tri-tip, sausages, and pork meat.  Everyone contributed side dishes such as Chili, potato salad, etc.  Our Kindred loves to feast.

We found an extremely scenic site to conduct our Blot a short hike up the ridge from our campsite.  The views from the circle were magnificent.  Jim conducted the Baldur Blot on Saturday night, and it was powerful.  Everyone offered up great toasts, and we had a large offering plate of food and some delicious mead from Heidrun Meadery (You can access their website from our links page).  Jessica had crafted a sunwheel out of straw, which was also offered into the Blot fire.  We could really feel Baldur's presence and he seemed to enjoy the many offerings.  We all felt invigorated but contemplative following the rite. 

After the Blot we all stayed up late around the campfire socializing and planning a few upcoming events.

Even though many of us were up there for 4 days, the time still seemed to go by too fast.  As we packed up our gear on Sunday, many of us wished we could have stayed another day.  Maybe next year we will!

Walpurgisnacht/May Day 2008

For Walpurgisnacht and May Day, the Ulfhethnar Kindred gathered at Lake Chabot in the Castro Valley hills.  We had a great turnout and everyone was in a celebratory mood.  The Ostarra Blot from the month before had yielded positive results - Violet was doing great and the Clary's would be in attendance.

We camped, feasted, and socialized.  On Walpurgisnacht, Jim conducted an Odin Blot among a grove of tall eucalyptus trees and the energy was flowing.  Afterwards we relaxed around the campfire and shared many laughs.

On May Day, Shawn served as Gothi and performed a Frigga Blot.  Between Ostara and May Day, Shawn had crafted a valknut and a key out of metal, and planned to offer them up as a thank you for his daughter's remarkable rebound from the chest surgery she had endured only a month before.  The Blot was extremely powerful, and all of our toasts were offered as thanks along with the crafted items Shawn had made.  For this particular rite we did not ask for the blessings of Frigga because we all felt she had already given us a blessing in advance by aiding Violets recovery.  It was a very strong rite, and we all felt Frigga's warm, motherly presence.

Following the Blot we all went to our favorite Castro Valley eatery - Doug's - for the usual great breakfast.  After that some of the group left, but a few of us headed to a nearby English pub to enjoy the day.  We had a great time.

Ostara, March 2008

For Ostara, the Ulfhethnar Kindred planned to gather at Lake Chabot for a campout.  But at the last minute, a medical emergency struck the Clary family and their daughter Violet was in the hospital.  The Kindred decided to head down to San Jose instead of camping to lend our moral support to Shawn, Kathleen, and their children Honey Rose and Violet.

We spent the afternoon at the hospital.  That evening those of us who traveled down to San Jose went out for dinner and booked a room to stay the night.  Even though the events that brought us all down there were weighing on us, we still managed to enjoy each others company and share some laughs.

In the morning we gathered to give Blot to Frigga and to ask for her help with Violet.  Naturally, Shawn led the Blot.  It was very moving and powerful. 

Skadi Blot, Feb. 2008

In February, the Ulfhethnar Kindred held its annual Skadi Blot in the Tahoe National Forest of Northern California.  We found a beautiful area near Blue Canyon, nor far from the main highway.  We hiked around a little, and found a great spot to set up our circle.

Jim conducted the Skadi Blot and, as is our custom, the men went barefoot in the snow.  The blot went well, and the energy flowed even though the men's feet were quite uncomfortable.  But it seems that Skadi appreciates the extra sacrifice, and her presence is usually easily sensed. 

Many great toasts were made, and it was great to commune with Skadi again.  We've developed a great relationship with her over the years.

Following the Blot we all headed back to Jessica's in the Sacramento area to enjoy a huge feast and all the revelry an Ulfhethnar gathering is known for.  We had a great time.

2005 - 2007 Gathering Summaries

2002 - 2004 Gathering Summaries

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