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It could be argued, when I couldn't find a religion with which I could agree, that I had to create one of my own.

That's not quite how The NRUCRD came into existance. Here's the real story.

Care2 is an online community (rather like yahoo) that is environmentally focused. I highly recommend them. Your free click on the links below supports environmental issues that are important to me.

  Why "Red Cedars"?

... And why change from the old name, "Nevermore"? Well, to start with, I wanted the name to match the address. But that was only secondary. I came to realize that while the name "Nevermore" suited for its implication of a relationship to Raven, the Icon of the Pacific Northwest, that was only a tenuous link at best. Poe's "The Raven" is a very dark story. It doesn't suit me or this Journey very well.

or years I've carried the nickname of "Trees" which is better suited. However, "Trees" also wasn't available on Geocities (where I was hosted at the time). A friend recently sent me a survey, one question of which was "If you could be any tree, what would it be?" My choice was to be one of those big Western Red Cedars in the Olympic National Park, near where I live. That made my choice pretty simple.

nd just as the page got frequent updates as "Nevermore", you can expect the same as "Red Cedars". This is the story of my journey that is always bringing me new things.

he purpose of this site is to make a statement. It is not intended to be a guide for you, but a manifesto for me. It serves to give me focus on things of value to me. Please feel free to look around. There's a lot here and it might be of interest to you if you're still reading this. If so, please take the time to sign my guest book by clicking here, or on the various links around the pages.

t's been said before, but it applies here as well ... "This site is best viewed with an open Mind". On these pages, I explore my spiritual history, where it has lead me and where I see myself headed. Now, before you get any ideas, either leave, or read on knowing that this is MY belief. I'm not preaching it for anyone, but clarifying it for me. If you keep reading, you'll find an implication here and there about "Paganism". I don't call myself a pagan. I don't call myself anything. If you insist on labeling me, then "Pagan" is fine as some of my beliefs are of a pagan nature. But know this. The term "Pagan" falls far short of my view of my own spirituality.

Yes, I know I've borrowed from two very different cultures to make this image. But I'm an eclectic sort of guy. If you can't accept that, you'll probably have problems with the rest of these pages as well.

Things you WON'T find on these pages.	Things that you WILL find on these pages.
Black Backgrounds: My Path isn't black. Neither is it white. It is full of color and wonder.	Backgrounds on these pages were chosen for their fitness to my journey and were produced by me for these pages.
Pentacles: (except as link markers to other sites). I'm not Wiccan (point up), Satanist (point down), Texaco (on a red background with a big "T") or any of the other paths that use Pentacles. They have no special meaning for me. (Okay, maybe just one pentacle, but it was by special request.)	Yin-Yang: I don't have space to go into detail here, but use this link to read "Of Dragons and Machines" and why Yin-Yang finds a place on my Journey.
Awards: Either given or received. I just don't think they mean that much.	If I like a site enough, I put up a link where its appropriate on my pages. If you like mine enough, I'd appreciate a link from you as well. 'Nuff said.
Rituals or Spells: I balk at Ritual for Ritual's sake. Rituals and spells are ceremonies drawn up by some one who found that they helped them focus. If you feel you really need that, fine; but they leave me feeling empty and, so, have no place with me.	I try to communicate here what I believe and why. If that helps you, great, if not, oh well. If you are looking for rituals and spells, you might try following one of the web rings you'll find elsewhere on these pages. Better yet, look within yourself. Your odds are a lot better.

ere's a few of the
influences I've experienced over the
course of a lifetime that have lead to where I am today.

	I studied for a time with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD) until I learned enough to determine that they weren't a good fit for me. They have, however, provided me with some interesting insights to spirituality. For that, if nothing else, they deserve a link from my page.
	I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian church, with all that implies. My parents had us going to church twice on Sunday and prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. The phrase from The Psalms "And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever" took on a new meaning for me. As such, I have a very strong Bible background and know a lot about the fundamentalists and their belief system. This, too, has had a big impact on me. And I don't completely disagree with Christianity; we could all stand to be a little more like Christ. But, again, its not a good fit for me. Just as a side note, my father did admit to me on one occasion that he felt closer to God in the woods than he ever did in church. Even Jesus, when He wanted to talk to God, went to a garden, not a church. Church is where He went to drive out the money lenders. : )
	For many years, now, I've been a life member of The SOLAR Club, an outdoor activity club in Michigan. SOLAR wasn't the source for my love of nature and the outdoors, but it certainly has strengthened it. I truly believe that SOLAR has played a big part in setting me on this journey.
	If you want to know a little more about the rest of my life, feel free to visit my main web page at: http://home.earthlink.net/~sfgardner. Be advised, though. That page doesn't get anywhere near the updates that this one gets.

o, with that
background you may think I'd
turn out nuts. You may be right! I certainly
wouldn't challenge you on it, but then, you're still reading this, soooo ...

... Here's a few more things I've seen lately
that look good at first glance, but with a little
scrutiny, don't fit for me. They're worth looking into, though, so I've included links.

	The Pagan Library is a worthwhile reference site. They've got a lot of good information and it's easy to navigate the site and find what you're looking for. Be certain to read the essay on "The Other People" (keeping an open mind, of course).
	The Common Ground site tries to focus on what we share as our spirituality instead of focusing on the dogmatic differences. I highly approve of such effort, so I'm including their link here. They've responded by linking back to this site under "Other Religions".
	As he says in a pop up window before you even get to the page, it is likely to offend if you stop reading at the title. "I have nothing against Wicca. It's the Wiccans I can't stand". "Why Wiccans Suck" was chosen to provoke a response. On the page he makes some pointed arguments, the best of which is that just as there are "Christians" mucking it up for Christianity, so there are "Wiccans" all goofed up about Wicca. And if his "Newbie" page doesn't make you laugh, you may need to re-examine yourself.
	And in the interest of the Fairness Doctrin, Alpha of The Ranting Witches, presents the opposing view of "Why 'Why Wiccans Suck' Sucks". Of course, they both have their good points to make. Be sure to read both essays and decide for yourself.
	"Teen Witch" Okay, what reaction did you just have? If you gagged, you and I have the same preconceptions. The good news is there is always hope and Desirée's Musings is proof of that. Desirée is a young lady who, judging from her site, has her act more substantially together than most, regardless of age. Her artwork is beautiful and her musings insightful and relevant. When visiting, be sure to read her section on "Teen Witch" and be prepared to rethink your sterotypes. The copyright "Self Portrait" to the left was lifted with permission and a little difficulty from her site. Sign my guestbook, Desirée, and I'll tell you how I did it! (For the record, Desirée has now signed the guestbook (thanks, Dez). Have you?)
	Strong minded women think for themselves, are willing to speak up about it and face life's challenges accordingly. The closed minded of our society have branded such women as Heartless Bitches. HBI has a great site with a great attitude. The graphic graphic is copyright and used here with permission. When visiting their site, be sure to check out the "Weak of the Week" and "Sappy Site" features. I found out that HBI has posted my request to use their graphic. I'm flattered to see that it is grouped under the heading of "Guys who got it".
	I came across The Last Wizards via a banner exchange. I found they have some interesting insights, so here's a "hard" link to their site.