April 2019

Heya there Moon's Nest Folks! 

We've made it, out of Winter and into Spring.

Welcome, to the time of blooming flowers n' long walks.

To the feel of hands in the soil n' the sights of seedlings pushing up.

To the smells of Daphne in the air n' spring showers in the clouds.

To the sounds of nesting birds n' the resonant beat of yer own heart.

My End of Winter Repose offered me the time to sit with and lean into all the stories, teachings, and learnings that winter brought me this year.  I was gifted such an abundance of potent magics, spells, n guidance that will serve as my compass through this next year as I transition out of lead teacher role with the Moon's Nest Playschool, and spend more of my time and skills in developing and teaching for the Moon's Nest School of Magic, Mischief, & Mystery. 

And I pray, may the seeds we've collectively sown with The Moon's Nest these last four years flourish and be cultivated into the hardiest, most beautiful and most productive of perennial of gardens. May our families be well supported. May our witchlets carry the magic of those seeds with them and propagate generously as they grow and move through the world. May the incoming cohort of witches and witchlets be blessed n guided by the maps we've studiously n meticulously archived n left for them to follow. May our work here play even just a small, humble part in the Great Turning. 

This, is my offering. This, is my prayer. 

As we passed through the Spring Equinox, we entered into a time of metaphorical blooming and seasonal transition. A spell was cast fer a new lead teacher fer the Moon's Nest Playschool, our cohort of witchlet apprentices fer next year grew exponentially, and I launched the Moon's Nest School of Magic, Mischief, & Mystery with our very first annual offering;  a Spring time Family Witch Camp. 

From here forward, The Moon's Nest is host to two radical educational, cultural, and social project based in and guided by the same values, philosophies, and pedagogical practices.

Our playschool will continue to offer our Monday~Friday scheduling and programming fer our enrolled witchlets through the playschool year, as well as a Summer Program.

Our School of Magic, Mischief, and Mystery will offer year round "a la carte" forest school days, field studies, camps, gatherings, workshops, courses, and other such offerings. These offerings are open to witches n witchlets of our playschool and beyond. Enrolled families of our playschool program (enrolled in at least one day a week) receive priority registration and generous payment credits towards registration fer all of our School of Magic, Mischief, & Mystery offerings. 

Blessed be, this is a most exciting time fer all of us here at the Moon's Nest and I give all the thanks and gratitude that I get to spend my days the way I do; cultivating a nurturing and intact culture with all of you.

So much to share again this month,

so please do read on fer all the details n all the happenings. 

xoxo,

Granny Flow

News From

The Moon's Nest Playschool 

Playschool Calendar Year at a Glance

Just a reminder that the Moon's Nest follows the Witches Calendar of the Year. We do not follow Portland Public Schools calendar.

The first day of our playschool year always starts on the Monday following the Fall Equinox. The last day of our playschool year is always held on the Friday before the Summer Solstice.

 Our playschool breaks are seasonal and align with the days and tides held  sacred by the Reclaiming Tradition. Exact dates fer our seasonal breaks such as the Winter & Summer  Solstices, Spring & Fall Equinoxes, along with our community rituals fer days such as Beltane & Samhain are confirmed and communicated in advance through the year via our newsletters. Please do be sure to subscribe to our website so that you can keep yer family up to date on playschool closures, breaks, and community events.

Here be a general outline of our calendar fer the rest of the 2018-2019 playschool year, as well as some of the confirmed dates fer our upcoming 2019~2020 year.

Important dates fer the Remainder of our 

2018~ 2019 Playschool Year Calendar

Moon's Nest Beltane Ritual : Friday May 3rd, 2019

Mid Spring Break : Thursday, May 16th- Tuesday, May 21st

Last Day of the Year : Friday June 14, 2019

Welcome Summer Social : Saturday  June 15, 2019

Summer Solstice break : June 17- June 21 2019

Playschool Summer Program

June 24th - September 13th 2019

Fall Equinox Break : September 16-20 2019

Confirmed Dates of our 2019-2020 Playschool Year

First Day of the Year : Monday September 23rd, 2019

Welcome Fall Social : Dates TBD 

Moon's Nest Samhain Ritual : Friday November 1st, 2019

Winter Solstice Break : December 16th - 25th 2019

Spring Equinox Break : March 16-20, 2020

**More to come as we move through our 2019-2020 playschool year** 

Welcome to Our New Playschool Teaching Partner! 

I'm feeling so thankful fer the opportunity to introduce you to Claire Wilde.

Claire will be apprenticing with me through the Spring as they delve into the werk of getting to know how we flow 'round here, and developing their own personal relationships with our witchlets.  Come Summer, after a full season of apprenticeship, Claire will step into a lead teaching role. Fer the Spring she'll be joining us on Mondays & Wednesdays, and providing occasional coverage fer me here and there. 

 Last week was our first week of introducing and orientating Claire to our playschool family, and I'm confident that she will serve and carry the vision and intention of our playschool fully and competently.

Thanks to all of you fer helping me welcome Claire and her family as new members of our extended playschool family.

Bio & Background 

Claire Wilde has loved working with children throughout her life, and has many years of childcare and experience in early education under her belt. Spending time with kiddos has shaped her way of moving through the world, whether as a summer camp assistant at the Audubon Society of Portland, a nanny, an enrollment coordinator in Head Start and Early Head Start settings, or a childcare provider for local community organizing collectives. She graduated from Smith College with a double major in Gender Studies and Spanish, and has also worked as a full-spectrum doula and a yoga teacher for children, families, and pregnant folks. 

Claire's magical practice is deeply informed by her anti-racist organizing; for her, witchcraft is inseparable from justice. Her personal practice is also rooted in creativity, parenting, embodiment, the cycles of the seasons, and her devotion to the moon. She, her wife Haley, and their toddler Archer live in Brentwood-Darlington with their dog and two cats, and they are so excited to be part of the Moon's Nest community!

 Playschool Summer Session

Enrollment fer our playschool Summer session is now open!! 

Our Playschool Summer Session will run on

Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays from 10am-4pm

 Enrollment into our Summer program is required fer all witchlets looking to continue their playschool days through the summer. Enrollment is also open to kiddos who are on Summer Break from other educational programs such as Portland Public Schools.

Our days will be held at our playschool home base and filled with a whole bunch of Summer time magic including messy outdoor art projects, water play n pool swimming, picnics, garden education, adventures to neighborhood parks, and of course a whole lotta free play n lazy summer loungin'. 

Dates : June 24th ~ September 13th 2019

Lead Teacher : Claire Wilde

Art Teacher: TBD 

Guest Teachers : Miz Flow & Magic Man Kaan

Ages : 6 months + (up to age 15)

Tuition  

All 3 days : Sliding scale of $350-$650/month

Any combination of 2 days a week: Sliding scale of $250-$550/month

Enrollment for any 1 day a week: Sliding Scale of $150-$450/month

Registration is currently open and will remain open until we reach capacity, so do be sure to send in yer Playschool Summer Enrollment form via the link below just as soon as you know that you'd like yer kiddo to join us. 

Pre~Registion fer our 2019-2020 Playschool Year

We have opened up pre~registration and waiting lists for our 2019-2020 playschool year! If you are a returning family please use this form to confirm that you'll be returning for our next year together.
 We'd sure love to have ya back! 

Please do be mindful that I need all folks intending to join us for 2019-2020 to fill out this form, even if yer a returning family. This will help me know what I'm getting myself into for this next year and how to plan for it all. 

If yer family is new to the Moon's Nest and is looking to join us for yer first year, this is also the form to use to let us know. Once I receive yer intent to enroll notification, I'll follow up with an email and an invite to join me for tea so we can meet and greet. At that point, if it's a good fit, I'll send you the registration forms. Once I get those back, yer spot for 2019-2020 will be confirmed. Okay dears, thanks so much fer yer help with planning our next playschool year! 

News From

The Moon's Nest School of Magic, Mischief, n' Mystery

Phlox & Flame

A Spring Time Gathering of Witches and Witchlets  

There be a few resident camper spots left fer our first annual Spring camp,

Phlox & Flame. And, plenty of space fer day campers to join us too. 

Thanks to all of you who have already registered and sent in yer payments! I am so excited to share this camp with you. Look fer a welcome to camp logistics letter to be sent out to all registered campers on April 2nd.

All Gratitude!!

In addition to being the inaugural year of this annual family witch camp, Phlox & Flame is also the very first offering of the Moon's Nest School of Magic, Mischief, n' Mystery, which makes this gathering extra potent, fertile, and magical.

In this camp, we'll be welcoming our witchlets into a long lineage of ancestors of path who, despite all the efforts of suppression and erasure, preserved our practices and traditions of gathering and ritualizing with the seasons. 

 From April 18~20 we will gather in honor of the land spirits, Grandmother Ocean, birth n' fertility, the growing light, and in honor of the Spring Bloom. We'll make fire, cast spells, work with the Elements of Magic, practice craft, color eggs, prepare feasts, and share stories that will carry us through the Spring Equinox to Summer Solstice tide. 

This is a witchlet centered camp, and is open to families of the

Moon's Nest Playschool and beyond.

Logistics and Details

Fer this first year, we are offering camp residency fer just our witchlets. Fer next year's camp, we hope to be able to secure a venue large enough to accommodate our witchlets,  and their family members. Parents are invited (tho not required) to join us fer our opening circle, as well as our closing circle. 

There are a total of 10 residency spots available fer witchlets who are able to spend the duration of camp away from their primary caregivers. 

Fer kiddos who would prefer to join us fer just the day, we are offering a day camp option on April 19th from 9:30 am~ 5:30pm

Camp Tenders & Teachers

Miz Flow & "Magic Man" Kaan

Venue 

Phlox & Flame 2019 will be held at Camp Manzanita , located in Manzanita, Or, which consists of a lovely little cabin and bunk house just one block from the beach. 

Summary of Camp Schedule

April 18

Arrival & Check in : 5:30 pm 

Opening Circle & Ritual : 6:15 pm

Dinner Feast: 7 pm 

Evenings crafts, board games/ free play/ story time : 8 pm-10 pm

Lights Out : 10 pm

April 19

Breakfast: 8:15 am

Day Camper arrivals : 9:30 am

9:45 am ~ 5:30 pm

Morning Circle / Field Studies with Grandmother Ocean

Lunch Circle/ Crafting/ Free Play

Story Circle/ Egg Coloring 

Day Camper departures : 5:30 pm

  Dinner Circle and Evening Feast : 6:30 pm

Mountain Man Magic Show : 7:15 pm 

Full Moon Ritual with Grandmother Ocean : 8 pm

Evening crafts/ free play/ story time, 9 pm~10 pm

Lights out : 10 pm 

April 20

Breakfast : 8:15 am

Pack up & Pack out 9:15 am

Closing Ritual : 10am

Departure & Check out : 10:30am

Monetary Exchange 

Residential Campers

(full camp attendance from April 18 @5:30 pm~April 20@10:30 am)

Registration fer our residential campers is sliding scale $150-$350 per witchlet. Registration and payment includes camp lodging, camp itinerary, and all meals.

Day Campers

(April 19 9:30 am~5:30 pm only)

Registration fer our day campers is sliding scale $50-$150

Registration and payment fer day camp includes lunch, craft materials, 

and camp itinerary fer the day. 

**Enrolled Families of the Moon's Nest Playschool get a special price break on their camp registration! Those details were sent out via email a couple weeks back. So, check yer email for those details!**

Please do be aware that your registration is not complete until I receive both your registration form, as well as payment. We have only 10 resident camper spots available for this year's camp, so please don't assume that your spot is held until you've submitted both your registration form as well as your payment. 

Registration AND payment in full due no later than April 1st, 2019. Any registered campers for whom we have not received payment for by April 1, 2019, will forfeit their spot to the waiting list. 

Thanks SOOOOO much fer yer understanding on this budget issue and fer supporting the launching of the Moon's Nest School of Magic, Mischief, n' Mystery! Thank you for your investment in the birthing of a culture more in alignment with The Sacred, and The Wild. 

May our witchlets be well received and guided by their ancestors of path.

Upcoming Offerings

This spring and summer I'll be accompanying a crew of witchlets to a couple of my favorite gatherings of the season. Please do note the dates of the following camps and plan/register accordingly if you'd like to send yer witchlets off to camp with me fer a week.

Or, if ya wanna make it a family thang and bring yer whole dang family to camp, we'd be happy to have ya join us in the witch camp crew. Check out the links fer all those details and fer more information about these amazing camps.  

And, put it on yer calenders!!

Organizing fer our summer camp is underway. I be brewin' up a multi day family witch camp in a secluded location on a river that offers us a glorious swimming spot and a whole lotta forest to get lost in. We'll camp n craft, make magic n food, hike to the tops of mountains, howl to the moon, n come into deeper relationship with our wild n wise ancestors. Look fer these August dates to be confirmed soon and registration to be opened sometime in May.  

The Sharpening Stone Earth Skills Gathering

Thursday, May 16th- Tuesday, May 21st, 2019
Sunny Valley, Oregon

About This Camp

From the Sharpening Stone Website: 

"We invite you to come learn both ancient and new Earth living techniques that help bring us closer to living in harmony with nature. We will gather for six days deep in the mountains of Oregon, where the landscape inspires a deeper connection both with nature and with our community of like minded people. We bring together skilled instructors and passionate people to create a unique culture, for memories that will last a lifetime."

Fer full details, please visit The Sharpening Stone website

Summary of Logistical Details

A total of 5 spots are available fer this camp

Ages 5+

(camp participants must be comfortable being away from their primary caregiver fer the duration of camp) 

Transportation to and from Portland provided

All meals provided

Registration closes May 1st

Camp Tuition : $150-$350 sliding scale

**Above photo sourced from Lauren Parker Photography

http://www.laurenparkerphotography.com/

Echoes In Time 

July 21 – 27, 2019

Monmouth, Or

About this Camp

From the Echoes In Time website 

"Echoes in Time is a week long ancestral skills conference held every July in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Traditional Territory of the Kalapuya, near Monmouth. Our mission is to unite people from different demographics, communities, and backgrounds, through the sharing of common traditions of place-based ancestral living skills. Participants camp out on private property and enjoy 5 days of learning various skills from the “stone age” to the “iron age” (basketry, bows & arrows, wild edible plants, pottery, black-smithing, stone tools, felting, animal tracking, and more). This is an excellent family adventure and no previous experience is required. In this age of ever-increasing technology and globalization, the skills of preindustrial people are being forgotten. Come remember them with us." 

Fer full details, please visit the Echoes In Time website 

Be sure to check out the video from last year's gathering and watch fer Lorax & I, along with some other faces familiar to our playschool family! Such a sweet video and so representative of the Echoes In Time experience. 

I do hope you'll join us there!!

Summary of Logistical Details

A total of 5 spots are available fer this camp

Ages 5+

(camp participants must be comfortable being away from their primary caregiver fer the duration of camp) 

Transportation to and from Portland provided

All meals provided

Registration closes May 1st

Camp Tuition : $150-$350 sliding scale

Follow Our Days on Social Media

Liking and following our social media pages is a great way to keep up on the

work, play, and learning of our playschool days.

You can find us on Instagram and Facebook, sharing sweet moments and practices, as well as real time playschool updates. And, please do feel free to share our posts using the hashtag #moonsnestplayschool 

We also have our very own YouTube channel where you can get lost in all the adorable video journal moments from our days.

Go find us!

It's Tuition Time! 

Please do remember to send in yer April tuition no later than the 3rd day of the month.

Thank you!

That's it for this month friends! 

May our days together be full

of play, adventure, and connection.