Blessings at Solstice

Subject: Blessings at Solstice
From: Peg
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 10:39 AM

May you all find solace and warmth as the sun returns...

May the dark and silence of winter fill you with thoughts profound and remembrances dear...

May your budding trees be safe from the winds and ice of winter...

May your birds and squirrels find seeds and nuts and suet to nourish them in this lean season...

May your loved ones treasure one another as they gather, far and near, by sight or sound, with voices and embraces, in this time of hope and renewal...

May you enjoy the bright, glittering magic of winter, its pale sunsets, its brilliant dawns, its bracing winds, its silvery skies...

May you be blessed in the season of eternal green.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 10:47 AM

Thank you, Peg. That is really beautiful and I would wish the same for you.

BB,

kat

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: MMario
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 10:49 AM

*grin* lovely wishes.... I wish someone would "bless" the local oppossum away from eating all our cats food though. *He* is having a marvelous winter season.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 11:49 AM

Thanks, Peg! Lovely thoughts!

Happy Solstice to anyone who cares, and hurray for the return of the Sun!

Veni, Sol!

Alex

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Gypsy
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 12:37 PM

Winter is broken! We are leaving the tunnel of darkness behind. Hurray for the solstice!

Subject: Blessings!!
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 01:09 PM

It seems kinda silly to me though, that this marks the middle of winter... We're gonna have snow on the ground from now till march... and we didn't get snow till late November... How in the hell does that make Dec 21st the middle of winter, you tell me?!?!

That aside, any excuse for good wishes, food and drink shared with old friends and sympathetic magic that get's good and sympathetic eh!!

Keep shoveling folks! Spring is coming someday!

;-)

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Morticia
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 01:14 PM

Today is the shortest day,Clinton.The nights can't pull in any more than they have and , as long as the sun rises tomorrow ( and many of us are taking certain measures to persuade it to do same)then, Spring is on it's way!!! This is a night of profound joy to cold and dark haters like me.......Solstice Blessings to all my friends here and may the Dark Lords reign be short.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 01:27 PM

Thanks and blessings on you all.

Bart

Subject: Solstice
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 01:36 PM

see, I'm torn... I LOVE the cold and the dark much better than I can stand the heat and humidity and the "nasssty yellow face" of summer... but Solstice is a great excuse for a good party with a great rubbing of parts!!

LOL!!
;-)

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 01:58 PM

I find this all very funny! Where is this supposed dark? It's darker in April here than it is in December! And short? Today feels like any other day!

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: MMario
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:07 PM

Matt - today has the shortest amount of possible daylight in the Northern Hemisphere. Yes, subjectively March and April can be "darker" in that they are often overcast. But there is no denying that the sun rises later and sets earlier today then the rest of the year (for half the world at least)

of course it is "midsummer's day" in the Southern hemisphere. Longest day and shortest night.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: InOBU
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:12 PM

Tha must na tell the priest,
for he would think it a sin
But we've been out in the woods all night
to conjure the new year in!

Slan agus beanacht,
Lor

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: NightWing
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:13 PM

Merry meet!

May the light of the season be with you ... whichever light you see. Brightest of blessings to all!

Blessed Be,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:19 PM

Sorry 'bout that! But hey, if there are Christmas Curmudgeons, I guess I'm a Solstice Curmudgeon! HA HA!

--Matt (celebrating by kicking alien butt on Quake II)

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:21 PM

InOBU

That's the rubbing of parts I was getting at!

LOL!!

;-)

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Jeri
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 02:37 PM

Matt, go back to remedial astronomy. The winter solstice is the time when the period of sunlight (day) is its shortest in the northern hemisphere because of the the angle of the earth relative to the sun. I find it pretty funny you've never noticed it gets light out earlier and stays light later in summer than winter.

Thanks Peg - beautiful words. Almost all of us welcome the prospect of light and warmth, and dream of rainbow-jeweled spring. Happy Solstice.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Hollowfox
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 03:44 PM

Blessings to all, and a gentle winter. Mary BB

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 03:48 PM

Ooops sorry Jer...I was too busy pondering dark matter and the Hubble constant.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:02 PM

In photography class?

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:12 PM

It's Christmas Break---jeez! No classes!

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: MMario
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:15 PM

you're on break already? I always got stuck with a final on the 24rth! except one year, it was 3pm on the 23rd.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:23 PM

Heheheheh! ECU shut down for Christmas break last Friday...and my last final was last Wednesday. We don't go back till Jan 12.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: mousethief
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:25 PM

No classes, and you're thinking about the Hubble constant? You're sick!

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Matt_R
Date: 21 Dec 00 - 04:27 PM

I have been told that, on a number of occasions.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Homeless
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 12:31 PM

MMario - I hate to disagree with you, but the solstice is neither the latest sunrise nor the earliest sunset. It is merely the day in which the sunrise and set are closest together. If you go here, you'll find a link to get a table of the sun rise/set times in your area for an entire year (along with moon phases, sun positions, and other astronomical curiosities). If you run the table you'll see the latest sunrise is about 2 weeks after the solstice and the earliest sunset is 2 weeks before.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: MMario
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 12:40 PM

I stand corrected. tried to get too detailed.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Ringer
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 01:23 PM

InOBU: how did Rudyard Kipling get that accent?

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Homeless
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 04:55 PM

MMario - don't feel bad- it was a surprise to me when I found out only a couple weeks ago. I was also confused by there being an exact minute at which the solstice occurred since I'd always thought the solstice was "the shortest day." Aren't words with multiple meanings wonderful?

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: GUEST,crowsong
Date: 08 Jan 01 - 05:42 PM

we celebrated in iowa city with a potluck, some folk music and a womb room in the darkest corner of our basement. it was made cozy and warm with a mattress, red blankets, quilts and pillows and lots of red candles and tapestries. it was a space for meditating on what we would all like to "birth for this coming year". it pleases me greatly to know that round this green jewel the solstice is honored still. blessed be. thanks for the beautiful words.

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: GUEST,Bearheart
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 02:20 PM

I know it's a little late but I've been out of town a lot...

I'm grateful for the good words of those who share the path and the blessings of the good things of the season---walking in silent woods blanketed by snow, candlelight to meditate by, cosy places to practice hibernating in, full moon shining on snow in company with thousands of stars, family and friends to celebrate with, and having enough during the hard dark time.

Bekki

Subject: RE: Blessings at Solstice
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 03:56 PM

Great idea, Crowsong! And good to have you back, Bearheart. Seasons greenthings to you both.