That first sentence

and if you didn't know me would you keep reading?

Greetings Lovelies, just a quickie here with some updates, my first sentence and some news and bits. I’ll be posting my first chapter later this week.

It’s been an exciting month on astro connectedness. “There might even be a kind of assignation” Whasm and then “there will be a revelatory announcement” Bingo! as RFK joins the republicans. The astrologers were curious as to why the parties main conferences were at these potent astrological dates, who would do such a thing to yourself? Maybe they do have a bushel of John Dees squirreled away in dusty event room corners and it was all intentional. Who knows? Or more on point - how weird. Pam Gregor with her upright collars and 5D projections has been spot on. And in the most Life of Brian way possible, I vote for Pam - this clip totally explains why.

As to myself I had a great time at the incredibly accessible Montana Herbal Festival. In a state where traveling an hour to pop in on a neighbor is normal the goal was to encourage interest in the wonder of healing with herbs rather than just a meet and great of all the crew. That’s not going to happen when you have to buy an expensive ticket, so for just $20 you could attend 10 fantastic informative classes and get to meet your community herbalists - It worked and I would say we had about 200 newbie but very interested folks show up. Which also was good news for vending, I now have to get busy with the bees and hustle up some new fabulous leather hip bags for the upcoming Oregon Celtic Festival happening September 13th-15th in Canby, Oregon.

Do check out my events page if you’re in the area and want to join in, pop by or be involved.

https://natashaclarke.substack.com/p/events

I also very much enjoyed reading the latest book from Montanas poet laureate Chris la Tray (who’s irritable substack I recommend) while driving through the , the beautiful green valleys, mountains of his country. As well as one of my most favourite things of this great continent, beside the hummingbirds, visiting the copious hot-springs of Montana and Idaho. One thing that was clear that although the trees were plentiful they were also all around the same age and it doesn’t feel quite right. What we have lost we have lost although the irony of some of the old west “art “ from yet another great lodge out in the back forty was not lost on me.

Meanwhile, although pretty busy with all this wondering about, I have been trying to work on the book and quickly realise I actually need an outline. Go figure. Any work of art that I have done has involved great composition and a clear outline. Then the fun of filling in can begin. How silly to think I would just start writing. I might even have to mess around with the writing app Scrivener specifically designed for this. I am appreciating your comments and trying to take advice on board - keep it up and I will continue to try and encourage participation with bribes, I mean prizes - Joyce was picked out of the hat just minutes ago as the lucky recipient (if she likes) of 1oz of wildcrafted horse tail tincture . ( Joyce - I will be contacting you ).

However I have always been pretty clear on the start, of opening up with the wonderful shrub Elder and one of the more momentous parts of my life story -

After a bit of reworking the first line is:

“That I got to join the ranks of a lot of well known fictional hero’s occurred to me early on in becoming an orphan even though my reality was far more mundane than James and the Giant Peach or Harry Potter, no death by hippopotamus or wizardly duels over good and evil.”

Stay tuned for the first part coming later this week.