Greetings! Being the relative novice at this whole
Internet thing, and certainly not that up on dealing
with E-mail, Web pages and the like, I must first say
that setting up the Blackthorn Grove/Serpent Moon page
was and is my Lady Pythia's idea, and she is responsible
for nearly all of it's content. Therefore, this small
bit here is my sole contribution (so far) to our site.

Introductions being made, here is a bit about me!

My Craft name is Galdor, taken from the teutonic term
for rune magic, galdra. I first became interested in
magick and the occult around 1980-81, and by 1988 had
discovered the neo-pagan movement and Goddess worship.
For those first seven or eight years I studied various
forms of High magick, primarily from books in the local
library. My practice was mostly eclectic, but being a
typical Taurus (born May 1st, no less!), I followed the
rules and methods I learned as close to the letter of
the Law as possible. Somehow, the spiritual element of
High magick lacked the earthy, intimate nature I longed
for, so you can imagine the joy I felt when discovering
the Goddess and Her joyous, rootsy magick!

I studied and worked as a solitary pagan from early 1988
through mid 1989, when I met a local Wiccan High Priestess
at a strange, run down little crystal shop. I was managing
a store at the time, and needed a sales clerk, so I offered
her the job. She soon revealed to me that she was a Wiccan,
of the Gardnerian traditon, and I was invited to attend a
Full Moon circle. I fell in love with it! I joined their
Outer Court, and was initiated about a year and a half.

Very shortly after attaining my Third Degree, I met Pythia.
We became friends, and I invited her to the Gardnerian
grove. She stayed in my parent grove for about six months,
then joined me in forming our own. Three years later, she
was elevated to the Third Degree, and we founded Circle of
the Serpent Moon, our own Coven!

As a footnote, I must say that we are a rather unorthodox
Gardnerian Coven. We emphasize balance between Goddess and
God, equality between Coven members, and especially between
High Priestess and High Priest. We feel that an egalitarian
approach is best when working with the Gods, and all within
the Circle are equal and valid in Their eyes. This makes us
somewhat unpopular with certain "fundamentalist" Gardnerians
in our part of the country, but oh, well! Life's to short
to worry about what others do or think when it comes to
nay saying.

Hope I haven't rambled on too long, or bored you to tears,
but fear not, I have come to an end! Thanks for coming to
our page!

Blessed Be!

Galdor Blackthorn, HP