Acknowledgements of the Sacred Land and Elders
First: I acknowledge the land that is my home, where I live with my husband, our rescue cats, and countless Allies and Otherworldly Beings.
We are in the woods of northern Durham County, North Carolina, on land that was traditionally part of the territory of the Saponi-Occaneechi Indigenous people.
We built our Laurel Hill Cottage along the “Great Trading Path” that was used by them for countless centuries before the Europeans arrived and then shared with the non-native peoples during the early years of contact.
Thus, I pay respect to their living communities past, present, and future, and I give my thanks to this ancient ancestral Land.
Beth’s Story
After several decades as an IT programmer, manager, technical writer, and instructor, Beth’s rebellious streak and creative itch propelled her out of corporate and into the world of freelance writing.
Amiably unorthodox, she is primarily known by her magical name, “Beth Owl’s Daughter,” but has also written extensively under her lesser known muggles birth name, “Beth Livingston.”
Her essays and features have been published in what was once North Carolina’s premier New Age publication, Innerchange Magazine, and for several years she had a monthly column in The MetaArts Magazine, sadly, also now discontinued.
Beth was also regularly featured for a number of years in Raleigh-Durham’s award-winning Indy Week (which is, thank heavens, still going strong!).
She authored dozens of reviews, columns, and articles, including single-handedly writing all of the (at that time) twice-a-year “Dish“ listings, that catalogued and described hundreds of Triangle area eateries.
Speaking of cuisine, Beth is the author of the self-published Kind Veggie Burritos, the original cookbook of recipes gathered from Grateful Dead concert goers.
Best-selling author and winner of the 2015 Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction, the late Steve Silberman, raved, “A wonderful book…aglow with Deadhead spirit, warmth, and unpretentious good eats.”
For 31 years (and still going strong!), her cookbook for charity has continued to fly from her cottage in the woods of northern Durham County, NC into the VW busses and kitchens of a diverse and enthusiastic audience, including celebrities like Andy Cohen and even Bob Weir himself (lifelong rhythm guitarist for the Dead).
In 1972, Beth began her love affair with the Tarot. Since then, she has offered expert Tarot consultations and workshops for thousands of people. She’s been an award-winning blogger since 2003 and has written innumerable essays covering a myriad of topics. These include lore about seasonal ceremonies, Witchcraft and Earth-centered spirituality, and, of course, the Tarot, gathering a multitude of enthusiastic subscribers and accolades from reviewers.
Her lifelong passion for sharing the wonders of the Tarot and her expertise for teaching the cards in ways that are fun and easy to absorb have led her to complete a comprehensive Tarot reference book. It is currently in search of a lucky publisher.