Number 165 Spring 2016 $9.95 Queer ComicsIssue 166 / Summer 2016 SWIMSUIT ISSUE Submission Deadline: April 21, 2016 www.rfdmag.org/upload …Or how I spent my summer vacation... RFD is looking to unwind a bit and requests submissions for its summer issue which reflects summertime enjoyment—short stories, summer poems, beach photos, and tales of your favor- ite summer. All we ask is that you keep it light, breezy, dishy and of course do tell. Ideas to get you thinking: A perfect summer memory A tale of summer romance Your favorite summer book An excursion into your garden Your favorite swimming spot A summer roadtrip Don’t let the summer get away from you, submit your article and artwork to us at our web- site. Please keep in mind our deadline as things book up and often the RFD crew are out on the veranda sunny themselves. RFD 165 Spring 2016 1 Richly Festooned Drawing Vol 42 No 3 #165 Spring 2016 Greetings from a less than snowy New England! RFD has had it’s ups and downs recently with production turnaround time and our small crew have had busy career or illness concerns getting in the way of smooth delivery of RFD into your hands. We heartily apologize and pray for your understanding. We are still working out the details on our scanning of RFD’s back issues so stay tuned, another project delayed but not forgotten. Meanwhile, in this issue we present how members in our community use images and text to convey a story. Each artist is unique and we hope you will enjoy their work. As usual each spring we have undertaken to send out an annual list of gather- ings, workshops and get togethers which we think will interest you. If you think a community should be this annual listing for next year or you have events to share, please do by contact us via the website. We also want to thank the many photographers and artists who grace our pages and document our lives and create artistry we can enjoy and savor. Being politie New Englanders, we feel we can’t help but say “Goodbye, Nancy”. You said little at the party anyway and certainly didn’t help out. Meanwhile, we encourage our readers to consider contributing to upcoming issues, sending us theme ideas, and sending us positive loving feedback and tell- ing us how much you love RFD, we all get lonely on Scruff / Manhunt (fill in the blank) and Facebook is all cat videos these days! Happy start to spring to you all, get those seedlings started and get out those brooms for the big cleaning. —RFD Collective (From the state that brought you the Bern even though he’s from Brooklyn.) Between the Lines2 RFD 165 Spring 2016 RFD is a reader-written journal for gay people which focuses on country living and encourages alternative life- styles. We foster community building and networking, explore the diverse expressions of our sexuality, care for the environment, Radical Faerie consciousness, and nature-centered spirituality, and share experiences of our lives. RFD is produced by volun- teers. We welcome your participation. The business and general production are coordinated by a collective. Features and entire issues are prepared by different groups in various places. RFD (ISSN# 0149-709X) is published quarterly for $25 a year by RFD Press, P.O. Box 302, Hadley MA 01035-0302. Postmaster: Send address changes to RFD, P.O. Box 302, Hadley MA 01035-0302. Non-profit tax exempt #62-1723644, a function of RFD Press with office of registration at 231 Ten Penny Rd., Woodbury, TN 37190. RFD Cover Price: $9.95. A regular subscription is the least expensive way to receive it four times a year. First class mailed issues will be forwarded. Others will not. Send address changes to submissions@rfdmag.org or to our Hadley, MA address. Copyright © RFD Press. The records required by Title 18 U.S.D. Section 2257 and as- sociated with respect to this magazine (and all graphic material associated therewith on which this label appears) are kept by the custodian of records at the following location: RFD Press, 85 N Main St, Ste 200, White River Junction, VT 05001. On the Covers Front : Jon Macy Back : Carlo Quispe at work. Photo by Stefan Tonio. Production Managing Editor: Bambi Gauthier Assistant Editor: Rosie Delicious Art Director: Matt Bucy Submission Deadlines Summer–April 21, 2016 Fall–July 21, 2016 See inside covers for themes and specifics. For advertising, subscriptions, back issues and other information visit www.rfdmag.org From “Legend of Hedgehog Boy” by Rene Capone RFD 165 Spring 2016 3 CONTENTS Gathering Guide ..............................Bambi ..........................4 Announcements ................................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Medium of Desire (Leslie-Lohman) ..............Daniel Schmude-Sterling .........10 Mysh .......................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 James McColley Eilers .......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15, 27 Kiss and Kill ..................................Rene Capone ...................16 Poolside ......................................Eric Jennings ...................17 Druids and Fractals ............................Jon Macy .......................18 Fae Radicon ...................................David Ray (Hummer) ...........21 Jimmy Wizz May Day ..........................Ericc J. Cram ...................28 Two Poems ...................................Slava ..........................35 Revel in Your Faggotry .........................Naked Satyr ....................36 Two Poems: Leather Daddy & Sacred Geometry ..James Schwartz .................37 The Sparkle of Extinct Stars .....................Ian Ayres .......................39 Rites of Dionysus ..............................Zak Plum ......................40 Adam Christensen .............................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42, 56 Firmament. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Jennings ...................43 Jason A. Quest ................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Hedgehog Boy ................................Rene Capone ...................50 Vaughn Frick (Cymbaline Aphelion) .............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Taylor Wulf .................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Carlo Quispe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Destiny Timberframe Workshop ................Doxie ..........................61 Remembrance: Joe Birdsong ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624 RFD 165 Spring 2016 Wolf Creek. Photo courtesy Stella Maris. Wolf Creek. Photo courtesy Stella Maris. Bluejay at Sugaring Gathering. Photo by Bryan Thompson Matt at Blue Heron. Photo courtesy Bryan Thompson RFD 165 Spring 2016 5 Maple Sugaring Gatherette Blue Heron DeKalb, NY Mar 18 - 21 Spring Gathering Albion Faeries Featherstone Castle, Haltwhistle, United Kingdom Mar 19-29 Mabon New Zealand Faeries Matawha, Raglan, New Zealand March 24-28 Touching the Heart Retreat Yanda, Sydney, Australia Apr 15-17 Spring Community Week Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France April 16-25 Spring Retreat: Exploring Inner Marriage Gay Spirit Visions Highlands, NC Apr 22 -24 Beltane Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France Apr 26-May 3 Beltane Wolf Creek Wolf Creek, OR Apr 26 - May 3 Beltane Short Mt Sanctuary Liberty, TN Apr 26 - May 5 May Day Billys Saratoga Springs, CA Apr 27 - May 1 Raises de Corvo Beltane Eurofaeries Gran Canaria, Spain Apr 30 - May 7 Stillness Gathering Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France May 4 - 11 BC Radical Faerie Camp BC Radical Faeries Evans Lake, British Columbia, Canada May 20 - 23 Victoria Day Gathering Amber Fox Ontario, Canada May 20-23 Generate Harmony Gathering The Billy & Northern CA Faeries Saratoga Springs, Upper Lake, CA May 24 - 30 Faerie Gathering Eurofaeries Gavdos, Greece May 25 - June 2 Memorial Day Spirituality Community Camp California Community of Men CA May 27 - 30 Queer Literary Gathering Faerie Camp Destiny Grafton, VT May 27 - 30 Summer Solstice Albion Faeries Paddington Farm, Glastonbury, United Kingdom June 13-22 Faerie Sex Magick Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France June 18 - 25 July 4th Billys Saratoga Springs, CA Jun 28 - Jul 4 Faerie Spirit Gathering Kawashaway Kawashaway Sanctuary, MN Jul 1 - 6 Sex Magick Wolf Creek Wolf Creek, OR Jul 2 - 9 Witch Camp Faerie Camp Destiny Grafton, VT Jul 8 - 10 or July 15 - 17 (proposed dates) Spiritual Gathering of Radical Faeries Wolf Creek Wolf Creek, OR Jul 10 - 17 (tentative) Black Leather Wings Northern CA Jul 11 - 17 (Continued next page) Gathering Guide 2016 Thanks to radfae.org for their calendar listings. Other listings thanks to each community.6 RFD 165 Spring 2016 American Ridge Gathering Naches, WA July 18 - 25 35th MidWest Men’s Festival Midwest Men’s Fest Northeast KS Jul 19 - 28 Summer Community Week Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France Jul 22 - 29 High Summer Gathering Amber Fox Ontario, Canada Jul 27 - Aug 1 Great Circle Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France July 29 - 30 Lammas Ritual Theater Week Faerie Camp Destiny Grafton, VT Jul 29 - Aug 7 Summer Gathering Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France Aug 1 - 10 Lammas Gathering Kawashaway Kawashaway Sanctuary, MN Aug 5 - 14 Lammas Gathering Kawashaway Kawashaway Sanctuary, MN Aug 5 - 14 Sex Magick Faerie Camp Destiny Grafton, VT Aug 13 - 20 Faeries at the European Rainbow Gathering Eurofaeries The Alps Aug 17 - 18 Summer Gathering Breitenbush Breitenbush, OR Aug 17 - 21 Queer Spirit Festival Albion Faeries Wiltshire, United Kingdom Aug 17 - 21 Tantrastic Gathering Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France Aug 21 - 27 Blue Heron Gathering Blue Heron DeKalb, NY Aug 29 - Sep 5 LaborDay Billys Saratoga Springs, CA Sep 1 - 5 Labor Day Weekend CalComMen East of LA, CA Sep 2 - 5 Sex Magick Dos Rios Dos Rios, CA Sep 16 - 23 Fall Conference: Trusting the Wild Mind Gay Spirit Visions Highlands, NC Sep 17 - 20 Fall Foliage Faerie Camp Destiny Grafton, VT Oct 7 - 10 Thanksgiving Gathering Amber Fox Ontario, Canada Oct 7 - 10 Samhain Albion Faeries Featherstone Castle, Haltwhistle, United Kingdom October 18-27 LumberJanes Community Weeks Folleterre Ternuay-Melay-et-Saint-Hilaire, France Oct 19 - Nov 2 Halloween Billys Saratoga Springs, CA Oct 28 - Nov 1 LumBearJack Work Weekend Amber Fox Ontario, Canada Nov 11 - 13 New Year Billys St Dorothy’s Rest, CA Dec 28 - Jan 2 Asian Faerie Gathering Asian Faeries Thailand Jan 2017 Winter Gathering Breitenbush Breitenbush, OR Feb 17 - 20, 2017 Gathering News that didn’t make it to us in time: We didn’t hear back from Zuni Mountain Sanctuary in New Mexico, we also urge you to check out their website for upcoming details—www.zms.org Wolf Creek’s website was hacked—so please check back for more details regarding Nomenus events - www.nomenus.org Gathering Guide 2016 RFD 165 Spring 2016 7 Images courtesy BC Faeries website.Next >