Winter Solstice  

Wednesday, December 21, 2017 -  11:28 a.m.

  

The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year.  It was believed the Sun stood still in the sky...

…then, the next day, he continued on his way, and  the days began to lengthen!

Sunshine

(monoprint) 

“Let the sun shine in.

Open up your heart and 

let it shine on in.”

     

                              James Rado

The word Solstice evolved to Middle English, from Old French from Latin solstitium, from Latin (combination of sol, the sun, and stitium, to stand still.)   

October 31, 2017 – 5:39 p.m.

Samhain

            …when the veil between the two worlds is most pervious.

            This third and last of the three pagan Autumn harvest festivals acknowledges a time of cleansing and preparation for the darkness of Winter.  It is the most important of the four "greater Sabbats."  

            Observance begins at sundown on October 31. 

Photo by CDI

“…This is the hour when every ornament

unloads its atoms of pretence.

Stone.  Brass.  Bronze.  That they represent is

set aside in the dark. …”

Exile!  Exile!

By Eavan Boland

          Autumnal Equinox

                                               Friday, September 22, 2017 at 4:01 p.m.

One of the four solar holidays; the second of the three pagan autumn harvest festivals

 (Photo by CDI)

The surface reflects

Late September’s tapestry.

Images dance gleefully.

 September’s Tapestry

Haiku by CDI

Summer Solstice – Midsummer

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 12:44 a.m.

One of the four solar holidays; the turning point at which summer reaches its height and the sun shines longest.

“... those summer evenings

which under the leaves of the poplars‑

striped dun and ochre, simmering over

the stashed‑up debris of old seasons -

a swarm of wild bees is making use of.”

History

Eavan Boland

VERNAL EQUINOX

Monday, March 20, 2017, 6:38 a.m.

One of the four solar holidays marking the beginning of spring.  The rejoining of the Mother Goddess and her lover-consort-son, who spent the winter months in death; or the Goddess returning to her Maiden aspect (e.g., Persephone returning from the Underworld.)

Vernal Pool

(Watercolor)

“She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
    "Winter is dead.” 

~ A. A. Milne, When We Were Very Young ~