Good Morning and Blessings Everyone!
As we move along the Wheel of the Year we come upon our next celebration is Summer Solstice also known as Litha. The Summer Solstice honors the longest day of the year! June 20-21 begins the celebration of this solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere June 21st marks the beginning of summer while in the Southern Hemisphere it is the beginning of winter. There are many different ways to celebrate this solstice. Of course it all depends on which path you follow but in gist of it is to celebrate the sun. Besides being the time of year that those of us who are lucky enough to live in New Jersey and be able to celebrate the sun relaxing at the Jersey Shore, it is also the time when the crops are in full swing growing strong. The earth is warmed up and the sun is beginning to shine at it's hottest. For those of us who aren't particularly crazy about the heat it is when we search out the protection of a shady tree or perhaps the coolness of our air conditioning. However no matte how much the heat may bother you take the time to go out in the cool morning hours and enjoy the beauty the summer has to offer you, enjoy the beauty of nature.
Some of the celebrations include communing with nature, a evening fire ritual, meditation, and tool recharging. Why not give a drumming circle a try on this wonderful summers evening. Or perhaps you would like to celebrate this day with a little charity to others. Helping friends and family in need or helping out at an animal shelter. How about having a garage sale and donating the money to your local animal shelter. Think seriously about adopting a pet. I say seriously because this is also a commitment that lasts way past the summer solstice and you have to be sure you are ready for it.
I have many wonderful memories of summer while growing up and as an adult. Memories that include my parents, siblings, and as an adult my children along with the rest of my wonderful family but one of my favorite memories happened only last summer. It was early morning hours and I was headed out to my fathers house. Just as the sun was coming up I looked across the street and under a tree just in front of the corner sewage drain I saw two raccoon's. They seemed to be checking out the area around them before diving back into their home but then one of them stood up on his hind legs gave out a call of sorts and in a second you saw three little raccoon's answering the call. Mama and Papa raccoon waited while each and of their little ones made his or her way down into their city apartment in sewer just as the sun came up. That scene was my inspiration for a poem I wrote called "Raccoons." It is in my book Glimpses In To My Soul so I am afraid I can not put up on my blog at the request of my publisher. I thought it was an amazing site to see these animals calling their young and taking care of them as a family.
Today as I sit here enjoying the beautiful breeze coming through my window I can smell the scent of spring as long for the feeling of a warm summer rain. Summer Solstice is just around the corner. Where did this year go to? I for one am looking forward to a ride to the Jersey Shore to relax and enjoy the smell of the ocean air and the power of the waves as they crash at the break. So make some plans for yourself and your family to enjoy this June 21st in celebration for the Summer Solstice and perhaps take a moment or two to share them us in the comments beneath this blog entry.
Summer Season
By Toni Gamarro
Summer is on the way,
Getting warmer every day,
Chirping birds dance and sing,
Cuddle their babies beneath their wing,
Nature is awake and strong,
Blessing each day with a song,
Encouraging us to be happy and free,
The way God meant it to be,
But do we listen to what they say?
Mostly we do it our way,
Until we trip and fall,
Feel hopeless with no one to call,
Then we remember our spiritual side,
This is when we decide,
To take a moment and say a prayer,
To whisper our wishes into the air,
Hoping for a better way,
To improve our life each day,
To be able to enjoy the little things,
Like walking in the rain or playing on the swings,
Enjoying the warmth of the summer sun,
All the stress be gone it's time for fun,
So we learn to listen to natures call,
For if we do we have it all,
God has put this before us,
The Earths beauty is a plus,
A natural scene for all to use,
Lay in the sun and take a snooze,
Take the time to thank God for,
All this beauty at your door,
So throw a kiss and nod your head,
Let this wonderful feeling spread,
Over your body with the warmth of the sun,
Summer season has just begun!
To be Continued!
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