Happy Solstice! Are you trying to keep cool as much of the country broils? Here, today dawned cloudy after another night of intense rain. We're stuck in a wet tropical weather pattern right now, might last another couple days. We're getting torrential downpours, and when it's not raining, its drab and cloudy.
But, just like in "The Grinch That Stole Christmas," the morning dawned anyway.... Litha arrived. Also known as Midsummer, this is a celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Without going into too much history, many cultures have, for eons, celebrated this day. A time to celebrate light, a time to give thanks for the bounty that surrounds us this time of year... the light, the food, the sun. It's glorious, it really is... clouds and all.
Maybe you remember reading that my dad's favorite day of the year was the first day of Summer. I love this day, I really do. I owe this love of all things Summer mostly to dad, but also to mom. She loved Summer, but adored Spring. The two of them were perfect for each other; one counting the days til Spring, the other counting the days til Summer. Staring at those numbers on a calendar while a thick blanket of snow covered the ground was too little solace back then. Now I still embrace the arrival of Summer, despite living in a warm climate year round.
I observed the day in very small ways, but mostly I've been in the kitchen all day today preparing for an event this weekend. On Saturday night, I am going to be at Midsummer Night's Dream, taking place at the Key West Botanical Gardens. This event is a fundraiser for Art Behind Bars, and also the Key West Botanical Garden. It's a celebration of Midsummer, with fairies, nymphs, fire dancers, poets, a little Shakespeare tossed in, and more. I'm getting decked out in my mystical best and going to sell my fabulous organic vegan baked goods. I've planned the menu, planned the outfit, and am working on manifesting the completion of all that needs to be done in order to roll out my door at 3pm Saturday afternoon to be ready for the magic of it all beginning at 5pm. Midsummer Night's Dream lasts until 11pm. Under any other circumstance would be perfect, unless you're me running a bed and breakfast (my bed and dinner idea is just not catching on... yet, LOL). So, if you're in the area, I hope you'll come to the Key West Botanical Garden and be part of Midsummer. Come on, you're dying to use those angel wings you have stashed in your closet, and that body glitter is sitting there calling your name. Oh, sorry.... for a moment I forgot that the rest of the world doesn't operate on day to day missions the same as we do in the Keys, where a party springs up at the drop of a hat, and we all have angel wings and body glitter to call upon in a moment's notice. I really do seem to have a never-ending supply of glitter because seriously glitter just goes with everything, and I do mean everything. My magic purple hair has been brushed and fluffed, I've got the perfect (glittery) dress too. All that's left is to make my magical mask. I never thought I'd ever get so much use out of glitter, purple hair, and a magic wand. Instead the question that really begs to be asked is how did I ever function without them?
Happy Solstice everyone. I hope you had a beautiful day, and that Litha has ushered in the first of many magical days this summer for you. Blessed Be.
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