Before Rome, there was Krampus, the wild man of the mountains, a kind of Sasquatch who lured children away. He was sort of like the Ratcatcher of Hameln. The Romans understood that […]
Krampus’s Night
The World is Born Anew
Water shapes air, but air shapes water. Wasps shape paper, but paper shapes wasps. Together, they make the moon. It’s not the same if you break the spell. Tread lightly. […]
The World Tree Takes Two Forms on Solstice Night
Darkness is not to be feared. It can give us strength. In Akureyri, the Troll’s Cat honours the passing of the world through darkness into light as much as the Christmas tree […]
Ölaf Nordal’s Magical Earth
Yes, we live there. Fable is not long ago or fairy tale. Photography is not just done with cameras.
Sunearth and Earthsun
The sun sinks into itself at the same time it is expanding outward. Formed in the same cosmic whirlpool, the Earth does the same. The sinking is easy to see, and the […]
The Gifts of Winter
The Thule reed teaches in the winter, not in the spring or summer. At that time, it is not fully opened yet. It is the knot below that it is opening […]
Keeping Water
In the November sun, the mullein’s hairs soften its outline in the light. They hold the plant’s water and keep it from the sun. They keep it. In the December fog, the […]
Global Warming: A Gift from Alberta for Your Christmas Tree
I found this bit of fun in the bush behind our house at 150 Mile House in 2005. Perfect for getting you going in the Christmas season, eh!
Let’s Not Overthink Things
The simplest gestures… … speak most deeply. Only bodies speak. Words are only gestures that guide memory to them. From there, we are on our own.
The Energy Shifters
The trees… Botanical Garden, Akureyri … give way. They recognize each other. The snow… 1:30 p.m. in Laugaland, Iceland … gives way to houses. 2 p.m. near Grund They recognize each […]
