Monday, December 22, 2014

Summer Solstice Circles

 After an hour of meditation this morning, a spell of gardening, a toast of elderflower champagne (!) on the steps with my gardener as we admired our work, I set off for the beach.
Each summer solstice my favourite thing is to create an offering on the sand, to greet this turning point in the seasonal cycle.
 This year, the pohutukawas are at their most splendid. It is a 'mast' year, which occurs occasionally, and has brought about abundant flowering of native trees throughout the country.
The rain has stopped and the sky is cloudless. A playful breeze whisks away the heat from the sun, and down at the beach it's still fairly quiet. This week before Christmas is always a special time to be here, knowing that I have let go of deadlines and rushing about, and left the busy crowds back in the city.

Here, even the computer has slowed down. It will take over half an hour to load this post, even though I've limited myself to only three photos. Right now, slow is OK.
The wheel of the year is turning. For those of you in the north, the light is seeded at winter solstice. For those of us in the south, the dark seed has been sown, even as the warmth is increasing and the waves are beckoning. As the wheel turns, our light becomes your light, and your dark becomes our dark. We are all connected. Happy solstice, wherever you are.

7 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Juliet - lovely post - and yes the wheel of life has turned and we will rejoice soon in more daylight ... you in a warm summer ahead ...

Wonderful pohutukawas ... nature is incredible - how it produces abundance when conditions are right ..

Have a very happy peaceful, blessed and slow time!! Enjoy .. cheers Hilary

Hotly Spiced said...

That's a really gorgeous solstice circle and I just love your pohutukawas. If I may say, this even looks very Christmasy. So we've had the longest day - those in the Northern Hemisphere would probably be very pleased to know their days are getting longer xx

Penny O'Neill said...

I love the connections, Juliet. Beautiful post with your summer Solstice circle. Thank you. :)

Leanne said...

Beautiful! - Our pohutukawa is nearly in flower, nearly.
Summer Solstice Blessings to you.
Love Leanne

Marja said...

Yes we are all connected
What a beautiful solstice circle.
Enjoy this time of the year and a Merry Christmas

Juliet said...

* Hilary, it is a lovely slow time - after much busyness. And nature is indeed abundant right now.

* Charlie, the pohutukawas do look Christmassy, don't they? I had the same thought.

* Penny, the connections are precious. I'm glad you like the solstice circle.

* Leanne, your pohutukawa must be a bit behind ours. I love you had a lovely summer solstice.

Hilary, Charlie, Penny & Leanne, thank you so much for your appreciative comments. It's nice to know you are there.

Juliet said...

Marja, these connections are wonderful. Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the solstice circle, & Merry Christmas to you too.