A wand? I finally get it away from Oberon-with a little persuasion ( I trade a rock for it) and take the wand to the stream to rinse off the mud. About 15 inches long, black like obsidian, fortunately, Oberon’s teeth didn’t do any damage to it and I caught it before he could start chewing on it. But it’s almost like it really is made of obsidian, and I know that obsidian’s magical properties absorb negative energies.  I really need that in my life. This is indeed a fortuitous find. Maybe that little dog will come in handy after all, as well as keep me company.

Suddenly I hear some noise from the area of the tree I was resting in, I look over my shoulder and there are some women, petting Oberon and loving up on him. “Oh look what a cutie. I wonder who he belongs to, he’d make a good subject.”, says one woman.  I pipe up and say, smiling  “Only if you can keep him still long enough and out of the mud.” surprising the women.

These women, setting up their art pedestals and art supplies were just having a good time in the shade of the large tree, discussing the colors of the leaves and the beautiful stream nearby. One woman was setting up some lunch for the group and invite me to join them. “Come, sit with us, your dog is adorable”, as I grabbed Oberon, and tried to contain him with a makeshift leash to keep him out of their supplies.  He was having so much fun stealing the paint out of the boxes.  That’s all I needed was to make a few unfriendlies here in the middle of no-where.  But fortunately for me, they took it all in stride, shooing him away, and cuddling the little monster when he got close enough for hugs.

“Do you paint?”, asks one of the artists.  “Actually, I do”, I said, “but it’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance, I’ve been on a long journey and really haven’t taken the time and I’m not that good, not like you from what I see.”  “Then it’s time for you to join us, here is some food for your body and are some brushes and paints for your soul.”, the artist in the green cap says.

It looks like positive energies are already flowing my way.

Photo: Lair of the Bear Park, Gunnison, Colorado. Photography by Candace Stauber, 2015

The path before me is uncertain and treacherous. I’m full of a combination of excitement, fear and anxiety. I’ve placed my fate in the hands of the Universe and lately my life has taken a different direction than I ever expected.  I reach into my satchel and feel the crystal that shows me different surroundings behind me when I look, I feel the magic book with the beautiful dragon embossed on the cover with all the spells written within. Do I dare even try to begin to learn these spells?  I’m an ordinary woman, I’m not special, I’m not magical. But it is intriguing nonetheless.

Suddenly across my path a dog confronts me, he has one blue eye and one brown eye. He grins at me with a silly grin, his tongue hanging out to one side.  He looks like a clown.  He runs up to me and greets me by jumping up and placing his front paws on my legs and barking loudly.  I laugh, he’s a funny dog. I wonder where he comes from. There’s no one else around and no villages or towns close by, we are alone. Alone here in the forest, just him and me. The shade of the trees is welcome on this path, it is turning out to be a hot, summer morning and it’s going to be a long journey.   I look down this path and see that it seems there is no end.  I begin and this silly dog follows, I name him Oberon. With him at my side, I am not so alone.