MidSummer Season

There was the heat and then the smoke.
Rest and Ground.
 Then the much needed rain
intense at times as it was
brought back the cloud
of burnt particulate matter
that had been rasping 
our throats or eyes or heads
or spirit
(if we let it in)
after a day of once again remembering 
blue skies
and clear air.

Then tornado warnings,
then flooding,
though the land is still so dry,
and then cold.

So it goes
with weather now-
dangerously hot
or dry
or hazardous air quality
or other imbalance.
Giving thanks for it all,
love our atmosphere,
even compromised 
as we have made it
ever changing
nonetheless. 

 

MidSummertime
as pinnacle
is always pleasantly over the top
and then we start to descend
to the busy times of harvest
and endings
and transformation.

We drift and linger
in this languorous time,
endless dawn and dusk.

There's been a lot of clearing 
this season,
some good some hard
some tragic some liberating
all healing
in it's own way.
These long days
belie the speed of time
but the garden blooms
anyway.

Some random notes and pics from ritual:

solar prominence 

Wild Powerful Big Hot Fire
 not out of control
just huge
and expressive

Orange flower petals
for our beloved dead
flying up endlessly
on the heat thermals
30 feet or more
all around me
but
I was the only 
person not seeing it

focusing

listening

 the Solstices are an extended 
celebration of light
(or dark)
days set aside to the fullness
of cleaning and hosting
and making prep and food
simple summer slowness
and abundance 

setting up the house
the land
for MidSummer
is good for the soul
wildflowers fill the house
mostly white, some yellow
and the purples and oranges

we are going with ease
through the days
as best we can

 

just as I am done 
prepping before ritual
someone pulls into the parking lot,
it is Elizabeth!
Our Whole Grove!
Solstice toast with her mead. 

the full roundness of the airplane
continuing on and resonating
until Bryan was done
chiming the chimes
three times

 

sitting or laying on the Earth or sitting in chairs
or leaning against a tree
we were
11 humans and one very good dog

the fierceness of the flame
directionally displaying
but not dangerous
flow 

good fire/good smoke
consuming all sacrifice
tired but jubilant
peaceful

old citrus for the tree
coins for the well
duck fat paper towel for the fire

let this fire be a good fire

lots of dried flowers from the Beltaine Season 
as sacrifice for MidSummer's

the portal of presence
may we all find
our place
may we balance
night and day
work and play
grief and joy

feel the energy coming up 
from the Earth
and down from the sky
and moving within you

 

It seems appropriate that our MidSummer fire
was huge and bright and strong. 
May this season strengthen
our hearts, spirits, vision
and resolve.

 

Our Omens:

From Our Honored Dead: Raido- Communication, completed circuit, a ride and safe journey
From the Spirits of Nature & Place: Sowelu- the Sun!
From the Gods & Godesses: Hagalaz - Hail, disruption
For the Season:Eihwaz- the Yew, the spindle, the World Tree, connector of opposites and that which we revolve around

Stay safe, shine on, shit always happens, keep going

  

feast!