Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

It is the summer solstice, sunset was at 9:14 this evening, the last rays of light were well and truly gone by ten.

Here is the lawn after I mowed it, you can see the pattern a little bit I think.
Any guesses as to shape?

Here is a lounging rabbit, kicking back in the summer sun. Here is a teeny tiny widdle baby bunny, this photo was taken out the window.

They are getting quite bold which annoys the resident canine to NO end.

Lastly, we have Thing One and Thing Two by our annual summer solstice bonfire.

When they get a little older we will move our bonfire to the solstice eve so we can greet the morning,

but for now, a bonfire and staying up late on the longest day suits them quite well.

We don't dance skyclad or anything

(at least not while the kids are awake)

but I like marking the solstices and equinoxes.

There is a sense of connectedness sitting by a fire at the end of the longest day of the year.

For ages mankind has recognized this day, celebrated it and mourned it.

The days will shorten now, our light decrease.

But it just marks another phase of our trip around the sun.

16 comments:

Nessa said...

It is so impotant to celebrate the seasons and to stay in touch with the cycles.

Sar said...

Shape? That lawn pattern looks swirly wirly to me. Those bunnies better watch out for the big bad swirly wirly making machine and it's driver.

The bonfire sounds like a nice tradition.

Stephanie said...

I like marking the solstices and equinoxes too!! Can I come to the bonfire next year??

Yeah, Rey is not too happy about the deer or bunnies so close to home. I think the 3 legged coyote pisses him off too.

Kat said...

What a neat tradition for your kids to remember when they are grown! And the bunnies are cute.

DaMasta said...

Wait. Sunset was at 9pm? I think I'm confuzled. Gah.

Cool bonfire! I think the shape is a globe? lol..

Logophile said...

Goldennib~ Yup, I think so.

Sar~ I worry about the baby bunnies getting scared and running under the mower, but so far so good. There was a pattern, really!

Snavy~ Yes, come to the bonfire next year, please! Poor Rey, a three legged coyote in the yard would piss off any self-respecting dog.

Kat~ They seem to enjoy it, and the bunnies are growing so fast!

Seamus~ Mr. Logo mentioned taking them to Fremont for the parade next year, he is a pretty conservative guy though, I may have him look at your pictures first
:p

Damasta~ We are a fair bit further north, so yes, our sunset was a little after 9 PM. and you know, I think our fire pit is a little bit of an ellipse!

lime said...

what a wonderful tradition! rituals are undervalued in our culture. i can't make out the pattern

The Grunt said...

Where's the Wickerman? Maybe that was saved for Easter.

Anonymous said...

That sounds like a great way to celebrate.
9:14?
You need to come up here sis. I don't know what the sun set, probably around 10, then dark by 11:30-ish. Way up north its about 23 hours of daylight now. Very strange to live with that I've heard.

Logophile said...

Lime~ It wa a stair step sort of thing, hard to tell from the pic though. The kids seem to enjoy it, so that is good.

Grunt~ We are just not that hard core. We may burn Guy Fawkes in effigy in a couple months though, cuz if you can't come up with your own cool rituals you can always borrow the ones from your parent's youth.

Kyahgirl, I presume? I have friends from Alaska who've talked about that, wild. But winter dark at 4 is plenty early for me, yours must be maddening!

Minka said...

It seems only fair that teh exact opposite is happening here. It doesnæt get dark at all now. I am sitting here, it is past midnight (my time) and it could be four in the afternoon, if the light outside could be trusted. Seriously.

Kyahgirl said...

sorry, that WAS me up there as an anonymous :-) you're so smart.

S said...

Very cool post GF....we got those pesky wabbits too..want I send Oaty over to eat a few, or at least behead them for you?

Logophile said...

Minka~ Good to know it all evens out in the long run, sorta.

Kyahgirl~ I figured, mwah! You called me sis AND the time to light matched up.

Susie! NO!! You and opaty leave my bun-buns alone!

C said...

We remembered it was solstice but didn't do a bonfire. :-( I really want to, though, and plan to do this next year. We need a fire pit or something though first. I have a neat book about the winter solstice and the one about summer solstice came in yesterday :-/ but it has some harvest stuff, too, and a few yummy-looking recipes.

It looks like you had a great night. :-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Solstice!