The Village Witch

There's a gifted witch hereabouts, who shared at our UU church in Black Mountain last Sun...

She spoke of her mountain Celtic roots, the agricultural turn of the year, and chocolate Ostara bunnies.  Byron has given much to the communities of Asheville and Black Mountain, teaching workshops, writing frequent blogs for the local newspaper, the Citizen Times, and sponsoring many acitivites.  Her blog is here...

The Village Witch

This is her web site

Byron Ballard

I met Byron within a few months of moving here from Florida.  In Florida, and I imagine over much of the earth, it is considered proper etiquette (which I know very little about, the proper kind, or even the way to spell it, let alone the ways to follow it) to not tell other people if you know someone is a witch.  It is their identity, and probably a safety measure to let them decide whether to be "out" about it or not.

So whenever a witch has told you that they are one, usually, at least if you've been around pagans very much, you just introduce them as "one who follows the old religion" or "a follower of earth based traditions."  That is, if it's really important in the discussion at all.

Byron is definitely out there.  Not only in being public, but also in being a public leader.  She also has her own traditions, which have as much root as those of others who practice the art.  They are Hoodoo, to her tradition.  I especially like that Byron is active in interfaith efforts in her community...to bring together the differences so there is communication.

Byron helped teach the class "Cakes for the Queen of Heaven" with me a few years ago for women at the UU church here.  (You've probably heard me talk about the class as well as the book before).  She also volunteered to co-teach the sequel class, "Rise Up and Call Her Name," with a couple of other brave and entertaining women.  These curriculae were adapted from the ones the UUA puts out, to represent the interests of the leaders and the students.  So, though the classes cover topics, the actual activities are much different than what the written texts might offer. 

I celebrate a dear friend, Bryron Ballard...and wish her many more enchanting ventures and friends.