My Abscence

I thought I should drop in here and explain my absence for those who do not know. Shortly after I returned from the ADF Imbolc campout at the beginning of February my mom who is 80 years old was admitted to the hospital with severe diarrhea and weakness. They found that she had heart arrhythmia and scanned her for blood clots and upon finding none jolted her heart to get it back in rhythm. Although the diarrhea did not clear up tests showed no bacterial, viral or parasitic causes so she was released to a Health South Rehabilitation clinic to get back in her feet with the assurance that her diarrhea would go away on it's own. It never did and things have gotten steadily worse over the past weeks. We moved her to a different facility hoping for better results only to find her health still not improving and if anything going backwards. This past Saturday we admitted her to John Peter Smith hospital where she has been undergoing treatment for Deep Vein Thrombosis, a horrible bed sore on her backside and magnesium and calcium deficiencies. The day before yesterday we were delivered the horrible news that she may have pancreatic cancer but the doctors can't be sure without surgery. She is too weak to withstand surgery at this point so all we can do is keep hoping the antibiotics clear up the infection and she regains enough strength to move forward but things are very touch and go.

Needless to say most of my time that I haven't spent at my job at American Airlines has been spent up at the hospital and dealing with all of this. In addition our household income has been reduced because my wife had to give up her job in November due to medical problems and in this down economy her artwork hasn't been selling very well either. So, to help us make ends meet I need to take on some vocational education so I can qualify for an upgrade at work which would help us restore the lost income so we can stop living off of our meager savings.

All of that being said I have had to take a step back from a lot of things and much of the activities associated with running the grove have fallen by the wayside. Thankfully my grovie Heidi has stepped forward to take the lead on a lot of the activities. I am happy to have her take over running the grove as we hopefully move forward soon to provisional grove status. Although I have had to take a step back I am still very much involved and committed to this path as I see the Druid revival as a very uplifting and rewarding spiritual journey. Someday when life returns to a more sane routine I hope to once again become more involved but in the meantime I have to focus on providing for and helping my immediate family and rely on the love and support of my spiritual family.

Many Blessings To You All,

Troy

The girl who silenced the world at the UN for 6 minutes.

That's One Big Tree | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

"Members of the Trinity Trails Preservation Association in the city of Lucas had a simple plan in mind. They wanted to expand their hiking and horseback riding trails several miles. A walk into a little-used part of an existing nature trail proved educational beyond their dreams when they found giant sycamore trees.

The largest tree among them may actually be the largest tree in the state of Texas according to the state's forest service. The tree is 101 feet tall with a trunk circumference of 25.5 feet and a crown spread of 126 feet."

READ MORE At NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

Forests absorb 20 percent of fossil fuel emissions: study | Science | Reuters

"LONDON (Reuters) - Tropical trees have grown bigger over the past 40 years and now absorb 20 percent of fossil fuel emissions from the atmosphere, highlighting the need to preserve threatened forests, British researchers said Wednesday.

Using data collected from nearly 250,000 trees in the world's tropical forests over the past 40 years, their study found that tropical forests across the world remove 4.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year."

READ MORE At Reuters

Manitou Springs worships re-named goddess | manitou, springs, goddess - Top Stories - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO

MANITOU SPRINGS • A case of mistaken identity of the oldest gal in town isn’t cause for concern.

It’s reason to celebrate.

Seems that lovely lady atop the town clock here isn’t the Greek goddess Hygeia, as she has been known by Manitouans for 118 years.

She’s really the goddess Hebe.

READ MORE At - Colorado Springs Gazette, CO:

80% of Amazon Deforestation Stems from Cattle Ranching : Planetsave

Greenpeace Brazil has released a report at the World Social Forum in Belém showing that up to 80 percent of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is due to an increase in raising cattle for human consumption.

Brazil has quickly become the largest exporter of beef in the world, but they are not satisfied with their current market share and plan to increase production. The plan flies in the face of their supposed commitment to tackle climate change. The country is currently the fourth biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, 75% of which stem from deforestation.

Our Amazon team used specialized techniques to analyze and compare satellite images of vegetation (or lack thereof) on the ground, and data showing the growth of infrastructure, such as roads and agribusiness. It is the first time that these two types of data have been put together in this way. Our maps in the report Amazon cattle footprint, clearly show how much former rainforest is now used for cattle pastures in Mato Grosso.

READ MORE At Planetsave

Avebury skeleton's fate to be decided this week (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

"Druids are calling for the remains of a three-year-old Neolithic child to be reburied at Avebury in Wiltshire, out of respect but archaeologists insist the skeleton should be kept available for research purposes.

The skeleton, known as Charlie, was discovered during excavations at the Neolithic Windmill Hill site, near Avebury, by archaeologist Alexander Keiller in 1929. It has been on public display in the Avebury museum since it opened.

But in 2006 a claim was lodged by the Council of British Druid Orders to have Charlie and seven other human remains reburied."

READ MORE - Avebury skeleton's fate to be decided this week (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)