Hello,
Well we survived the Pagan Picnic- only lost one book to torrential downpours. Water plus books is bad. This year it was not a matter of "if" it would rain- it was "when" and how severe would the storms be. We took an extra canopy and tarps, plus plastic totes, and plastic garbage bags to protect the books. When you have 15 titles in print and you take several of each not to mention a couple cases of the newest title to an outdoor event, you had better be prepared for everything.
Usually the everything is bugs, sun, humidity and heat. This year it was no chairs at the author tables, bugs, mud, humidity. light rain, and noon time thunderstorms that last over an hour. 

We tried to make the best of it. Here is a photo collage of me and fellow Llewellyn Author and my coven-sister Ember Grant. Next Me, Ember and Lenora Henson (The three Witchy ladies on author's row) Then my friend and coven sister Charlynn with her little guy, (Charlynn has organized and been in charge of the Picnic and its authors and guests for several years.) Then the final picture bottom right is of Heather, Ember and I out after the Picnic was over having our traditional Margaritas.

It was great to see people out and about braving the elements. My favorite moments of the picnic would be when my friend Heather let me borrow her little camp chair to sit at the table with. It was short so I felt like a kid sitting behind the table. But at least it was a chair. Seeing our friends Rebecca, Sab and Meg, chatting with the regulars from the discussion group that Charlynn and I host. Mickie Mueller's adult daughters who just happened to appear as the rain began to help us get all of the displayed books protected from the rain. Poof! They just happened to be walking along and ended up being right in front of my booth as the rain started dumping. Thanks ladies!

Another moment I won't soon forget, was deciding to get under the big stone pavilion at the park for my newest book's  Practical Prosperity Magick lecture. Usually I have to talk over the bands playing to lecture. This year it was cracks of thunder, howling wind and pouring rain. But we huddled in the center of the large pavilion, under the sturdy roof and felt safer than standing out in the middle of an open area under a little canopy with no sides. I had several people remark that I was one of the only people to go ahead and lecture during the worst of the storms.
It was a bit wild standing under that pavilion with assorted families taking shelter and a dozen or so folks all huddled up to attend the lecture-- no matter what. 

Meanwhile back at author's row, My husband Ken, our friends Rebecca, Heather, and Charlynn's family huddled under the extra easy up we had brought along and my husband added more protection by zip tying tarps to create sides to our extra canopy. Ember and Lenora pulled their books and stood there under their canopies and held the fort with my family and friends on author's row. Basically we all got through. After my lecture when the rain let up, I went back to my "booth" with my friends Charlynn, Sab and Meg, who had walked over to hear the lecture, to find things well in hand, and that during the deluge we had only one copy of my newest book got water damaged. Not too bad considering.

I also soon learned that Ember had been selling her handmade crystal bracelets and enchanted candles during the storm. Well she did write the book on "Magical Candle Crafting"  and The Book of Crystal Spells, after all. LOL

Later in the afternoon my sons texted us to let us know that tornadoes were on the ground in the county where we live- about 45 minutes west of the park in St. Louis. Then my husband's cell phone started going off with warnings from the weather center about the approaching storms and we all decided that we had had enough excitement. I quietly told the other authors and we broke down, packed up and got the hell out of there before the next big storm. We no sooner got our cars packed up and started to pull out of the park when another storm broke with even more rain than before. Talk about good timing.  (Hey, I must be psychic or something.)

So we took our time driving out of the city and headed west. My husband and I, Heather and Ember stopped for dinner. I bought everyone a drink and we toasted to surviving yet another Pagan Picnic.
Will I be back next year? I'm not sure. Looks like there will be a family wedding in June- one of my many nephews- so we will have to see.

In the meantime I am gearing up for my July East Coast mini-tour for Practical Prosperity Magick. Tour stops will be.
Wednesday, July 9th Portland, Maine at Leapin' Lizards.
Thursday, July 10th Salem, Massachusetts at Pyramid Books,
Friday, July 11th in New Hampshire at The Temple of Witchcraft 
Saturday, July 12th at The Robin's Nest in Bellingham, Mass.
For more info please visit my tour page on my website here is the link. Ellen's Tour Page 

Blessed be, Ellen