Summer Solstice

[BillB1960]

Today marks the official beginning of summer also the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

Any celebrations planned? Solstice parties? Pagan ceremonies? Effigy burnings? Key parties?

[LPG]

The Cult Sun King - YouTube

The Cult Sun King - YouTube

[tazzboy]

Summertime Blues- Eddie Cochran - YouTube

Summertime Blues- Eddie Cochran - YouTube

[AXE]

Giggin!

[mudfinger]

This year is somewhat unusual, in that the Solstice falls on the 20th, instead of the usual 21st/22nd schedule.

No key parties or effigies here, but I did clear my schedule to enjoy the sunset in all its glory.

Laugh at me all you like, but my life got better when I started paying attention to the natural cycles of Earth, Sun, and Moon.

If nothing else, it helps to keep my blood pressure down when some retard or another acts up every 29 days...

[Mindfrigg]

Thanks Bill. Beat me to it dammit!
Gonna take a long hike in the wooded nature preserve across the road
Old, old trees....Have a fire tonight....

Jethro Tull- Jack in the Green - YouTube

Jethro Tull- Jack in the Green - YouTube

[BillB1960]

Originally Posted by mudfinger

This year is somewhat unusual, in that the Solstice falls on the 20th, instead of the usual 21st/22nd schedule.

No key parties or effigies here, but I did clear my schedule to enjoy the sunset in all its glory.

Laugh at me all you like, but my life got better when I started paying attention to the natural cycles of Earth, Sun, and Moon.

If nothing else, it helps to keep my blood pressure down when some retard or another acts up every 29 days...

We're actually going to hit the 80s today here in the PacNW with nary a cloud in the sky. Not sure how spectacular the sunset will be as a result but I may have to take it in myself sometime around 9:03 tonight. I do love the PacNW in the summer.

[Tone deaf]

Just waiting for the sun to hit my miniature Stonehenge, just so...

[mudfinger]

Originally Posted by BillB1960

We're actually going to hit the 80s today here in the PacNW with nary a cloud in the sky. Not sure how spectacular the sunset will be as a result but I may have to take it in myself sometime around 9:03 tonight. I do love the PacNW in the summer.

Not enough smog up there for the really killer sunsets!

I feel ya tho, I'll be spending whatever retirement I can eke out for myself up your way. Good people and beautiful country, what's not to like?

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by mudfinger

This year is somewhat unusual, in that the Solstice falls on the 20th, instead of the usual 21st/22nd schedule.

No key parties or effigies here, but I did clear my schedule to enjoy the sunset in all its glory.

Laugh at me all you like, but my life got better when I started paying attention to the natural cycles of Earth, Sun, and Moon.

If nothing else, it helps to keep my blood pressure down when some retard or another acts up every 29 days...

Hey, how many eons did our ancestors follow the ebb and flow? Can't ignore our evolutionary path, or we suffer.

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by Tone deaf

Just waiting for the sun to hit my miniature Stonehenge, just so...

Tone deaf likes to sacrifice a virgin at this time every year.
Good luck findin' one there Tone'.

[Fardwark]

Well in my latitude it has just got dark. 23:30ish & will be getting light again sometime after 03:30ish.

I prefer the dark nights myself.

[Cloverdale Road]

I'm wondering what onehippie is going to do to celebrate this glorious event?

[Chilli]

Gonna spark up a traditional wikka man jus for the occasion. Do a few spells an incantations.

[BillB1960]

Originally Posted by Fardwark

Well in my latitude it has just got dark. 23:30ish & will be getting light again sometime after 03:30ish.

I prefer the dark nights myself.

11:30! You must be a wee bit further north than I am.

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by Fardwark

Well in my latitude it has just got dark. 23:30ish & will be getting light again sometime after 03:30ish.

I prefer the dark knights myself.

ditto

[Fardwark]

Originally Posted by BillB1960

11:30! You must be a wee bit further north than I am.

55.8700° N, 4.2700° W. Glasgow

11:30ish, could have been 15 minutes either way. I wasn't clock watching.
I used to live in the north of Scotland & at the height of summer you could always see daylight on the horizon.

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by Fardwark

55.8700° N, 4.2700° W. Glasgow

11:30ish, could have been 15 minutes either way. I wasn't clock watching.
I used to live in the north of Scotland & at the height of summer you could always see daylight on the horizon.

I was in Edinburgh on the Solstice in '72 and a friend and I climbed Arthur's Seat there behind the University. We climbed up the face with his camera and tripod. What a view! Quite a rush!
We didn't realize there was a long gentle hill climb on the other side! Went back down the same way though. Scotland was my favorite place in Europe.

[Fardwark]

Originally Posted by Mindfrigg

I was in Edinburgh on the Solstice in '72 and a friend and I climbed Arthur's Seat there behind the University. We climbed up the face with his camera and tripod. What a view! Quite a rush!
We didn't realize there was a long gentle hill climb on the other side! Went back down the same way though. Scotland was my favorite place in Europe.

Funnily enough, it's my fav place as well, when I'm not there.

[exPFCWintergreen]

Was going to grill some brats, but it's raining again. (Grilling bratwurst, you understand, is my idea of a religious festival.) Rained so much this year the state is turning into a jungle. Rained so hard last night in Duluth a polar bear floated out of the zoo. That quickened a few pulses before zookeepers found him. They got about 7 inches of rain last night and are expecting about 3 inches more tonight.

[BillB1960]

Originally Posted by exPFCWintergreen

Was going to grill some brats, but it's raining again. (Grilling bratwurst, you understand, is my idea of a religious festival.) Rained so much this year the state is turning into a jungle. Rained so hard last night in Duluth a polar bear floated out of the zoo. That quickened a few pulses before zookeepers found him. They got about 7 inches of rain last night and are expecting about 3 inches more tonight.

Duluth, Minnesota Flooding -- Zoo Animals Drown, Polar Bear and Seal Escape : TreeHugger

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by exPFCWintergreen

Was going to grill some brats, but it's raining again. (Grilling bratwurst, you understand, is my idea of a religious festival.) Rained so much this year the state is turning into a jungle. Rained so hard last night in Duluth a polar bear floated out of the zoo. That quickened a few pulses before zookeepers found him. They got about 7 inches of rain last night and are expecting about 3 inches more tonight.

The growing zones are moving north you know. Not that global warming has anything to do with that.

[180gROC]

I used to get together with a few friends and do an Epic disc golf day.

We'd start at the Berkeley course at dawn twilight and by the time the sun went down we'd have played a full round of disc golf at courses in Berkeley, Napa, Vacaville, Schweitzer Grove in Carmicheal, Orangevale (our home course), Placerville, Bijou in South Lake Tahoe, Zephyr Cove, Nv. and we'd end up in Truckee.

162 holes of golf, from sea level at the Berkeley Marina to 7200' at the highest tee box (hole 15 at Zephyr), in two different states, all in one day.

Today I worked. Instead of 162 holes of golf I sanded two guitars and bound a third.

[Mindfrigg]

Originally Posted by exPFCWintergreen

Was going to grill some brats, but it's raining again. (Grilling bratwurst, you understand, is my idea of a religious festival.) Rained so much this year the state is turning into a jungle. Rained so hard last night in Duluth a polar bear floated out of the zoo. That quickened a few pulses before zookeepers found him. They got about 7 inches of rain last night and are expecting about 3 inches more tonight.

Whew! Glad you clarified there 'Wintergreen. Thought you were one of them there pagans!!

[BillB1960]

Originally Posted by Mindfrigg

Whew! Glad you clarified there 'Wintergreen. Thought you were one of them there pagans!!

Here's some 'brats' he could grill:

Children are psychopaths

[MineGoesTo11]

See, we have forgotten our pagan roots! They knew how to throw a party!

Worship The Sun! Forget angry wrathful fuddy duddy gods... Worship the gods of wine and tits!

[DLChance]

I don't dance naked!

[BillB1960]

Originally Posted by MineGoesTo11

See, we have forgotten our pagan roots! They knew how to throw a party!

Worship The Sun! Forget angry wrathful fuddy duddy gods... Worship the gods of wine and tits!

[geochem1st]

INVOCATION OF THE GOD: (while lighting the tall WHITE candle) -
"I now do call upon the eternal God in the ancient way - as gentle Father and loving consort to the
Lady. Send Thy spirit forth so that I, your child, may feel your light within. As it is willed, so mote
it be!"

INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS: (while lighting the tall RED candle) -
"I now do call upon the eternal Goddess in the ancient way - as Earth Mother and omnipresent consort to the Lord. Send Thy spirit forth so that I, your child, may feel your life within me. As it
is willed, so mote it be!"

"Blessed be this season of Midsummer,
The Young Sun rides at his peak in the skies as the Goddess gives birth to the Summer Solstice.
Today I celebrate the light, for tomorrow that light will wane -
Today I acknowledge the end of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning time."

(Take your athame or wand from the altar and raise it in front of you pointing upward while saying:

"Farewell to the waxing year,
Season of fertility and growth
Farewell to the season of Spring
and the time of planting -
Blessed be the Oak King!"

(Make the sign of the banishing pentagram with athame or wand and say:

"Welcome to the waning year,
Season of harvest and wisdom
Welcome to the bounty of autumn -
Blessed be the Holly King!"

(Make the sign of the invoking pentagram with athame or wand. Place it back on the altar and switch the mistletoe with the holly. The holly is the symbol of the Holly King who now reigns over the waning year).

"I am a child of deity,
I am part of the creative life force which moves the Universe,
I am part of all that is -
Though we are apart, we are ever together
For we are one in the spirit of our Goddess and our God.
Merry Meet, merry part and merry meet again -
Blessed be!"

[BillB1960]

Geo...where's the wine & tits part?