Heads up, summer solstice, an actual astronomical phenomenon happening today, (not the usual 21st June like i read in other places). Today is the longest day of the year here, with 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight to play with, as the sun will rise at 4.43am and set at 9.21pm. The “solstice” marks the day each year in the northern hemisphere as a summer solstice (and therefore a winter solstice as the shortest in the southern hemisphere).
Unlike other annual happenings, it’s not some made up event, just so invented to celebrate a religion or powerful leadership… although I’m sure it knowledge has been used to boost powerful leaders and religions in the past. I do wonder about the stories that have been made on these days and nights in history/herstory. How the sun made people feel so happy enough to celebrate and perhaps do unusual things, then making up a culture around it. Now the big stories are lost of the stone circles. This year there’s no way to go there and putting each other at risk, so don’t! On this day, I have no habit, ritual or thing that I do (although in years past I’ve stood to see the day in at Gors Fawr and got bitten by midges). Perhaps I’ll make something up for a laugh this year, at home, no going out and mixing with any potential lurgy. Thing is, in my book it’s “Each to their own!” and maybe I might make a new tradition up each year, perhaps around making some yummy vegan food in the shape of a prehistoric standing stone or the sun or both, who knows? Will you be doing anything?
Over Soil 