Monday, June 21, 2010

Winter Solstice

The longest night of the year
and the sun rises on a showery day.
Matariki is in the sky and the days will become longer from now.
Happy Solstice everyone!

Summer solstice for family and friends in the Northern Hemisphere..
and Winter solstice for us down-under.

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7 comments:

  1. It is my brother D's birthday today. As a child I always felt so sorry for him for having his birthday on the shortest day of the year - I used to think that the minutes sped up and went faster and that was why it was the shortest day!!
    Happy winter solstice day to you J.
    Went to library @Mangere Bridge today and found a book "Celebrating the Southern Seasons - Rituals for Aotearoa" by Juliet Batten. I was thrilled to come across it after our conversation the other night about our celebrations not matching our seasons.

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  2. I Love Jean Batten .. I have her book about visual diaries and about rituals. Tonight I will light my fairy lights on my deck and have my own little celebration for solstice ..my own little festival of lights! I wish I'd asked someone over! Now if you lived just around the corner M......

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  3. I'm talking nonsense.. Juliet Batten i mean and I have not got her book of rituals. I have her book "A Cup Of Sunlight" discovering the sacred in everyday life... and the one about visual diaries. I must look for the book of rituals.

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  4. I love your pictures-both those written and those photographed or doodled-and hearing all about the solstice from your half of the hemisphere. Isn't it wonderful that a gal from the midwestern USA can be up and about on her longest day (which is, unfortunately a rainy one) and read all about the winter solstice in NZ! Enjoy your fairy lights and maybe some candles.

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  5. It is indeed wonderful. I am envious of you because your calender is in sinc with your seasons. Ours is not. We brought the northern hemispher calendar with us. Winter solstice is not really celebrated at all. The Maori people knew the seasons here and Matariki.. our true new year is becoming more well known.
    Happy Mid summeer solstice anyway! Midsummer night's dream. Whatever you dream on this night comes true.. according to the Bard. So sweet dreams in The USA!

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  6. Yesterday I found Juliet Batten's book of rituals (2005 edition which is the one I have from the library)on Trade Me so I bought it, I love the library copy so much that I decided to have my own. I must try and find her one about visual diaries.

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  7. That's great M. That book sounds lovely. I'll have to look out for one.

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