So this afternoon I came across a DVD of a History Channel program (from about 25 years ago) about the Greek pantheon. Which got me wondering if there were any good documentaries on paganism in general or particular pantheons, practices, etc.
First pic is a toad I found on my front steps last week. Second is a frog near the front door (I used to see this species all over the place, but they've been absent for some time now). Third is the same toad as the first, in almost the same place, last night.
I'm largely a Norse pagan, but I do enjoy occasionally visiting the Parthenon. The statue of Athena never fails to impress.
So I went to Rock Haven several times in the 2010s, but haven't been since 2019. In the interim, the work went through covid, my relationship ended, and a number of other changes took place. After asking a few times if any of my friends (who I know have no issue with nudity) would be interested in a visit, I finally decided to go this past Friday, on my own.
I called on Thursday to make a reservation, as that is what's required of single men (I'm genderfluid, but assigned male at birth and look it; also, I was going by myself). Left the house at a time where I could arrive shortly after the office opened, to maximize my time there (I planned to leave around noon).
My first takeaway is that I should have picked a warmer day to go. It may have been May 1, but Tennessee is dealing with a weird cold snap at present. The car thermometer was reading 57 (Fahrenheit) when I arrived. Felt pretty nice with my clothes on. Once I took them off, it was nice as long as I was in the sun. Despite this and having sunscreen on, I didn't want to risk sunburn, so took a shaded chair in the pool area. My feet were initially warmed because that end of the chair was in the sun, but soon the shadows moved. I eventually took a walk on the trail around the place, which warmed me up a bit. It was also a bit unnerving to see so many permanent residents wearing clothes, but that's understandable due to the weather. And there were some who were nude, so I didn't feel out of place.
Despite all this, I did have a good time. Got a few hours of reading in, and being Friday, it was quiet due to a general lack of people. And as often happens, I was very reluctant to put my clothes back on after leaving (not brave enough to drive naked in the daytime), which informed my decision to strip off for a few more hours when I got home.