Winter Solstice

Today we celebrate the Winter Solstice (Yule) here in the Southern half of the world. The mid-winter celebration signifies the returning of the warmth to the earth and days are growing longer. Today the Holly King gives into the light, and the Oak King is reborn..
After I got up this morning, I went and stood looking into the garden, above me the most beautiful blue sky, the warmth of the sun had turned the concrete pavers beneath my feet toasty. I looked over at the two standard hibiscus trees, standing straight and tall in their large earthenware pots and watched their pretty green leaves rustle in the gentlest of breezes. While they often get a flush of flowers in autumn in tropical and sub tropical areas, it is foreign to me to see them in flower in late June. Yet my two trees are budding away quiet merrily, oblivious to the fact it is winter and that they should have lost there leaves at the end of the growing season..
This does mess with my winter happy though. While the nights are cooler sometimes boarding on cold even, we have still had little need to even use indoor heating. I do believe I am getting acclimatised to the sub tropical climate but often during the day I am still wearing short sleeves my head still struggling with the foreignness of it in late June.
However, as I stood in the warmth of a West Australian winter, thinking back over the past year finding the things I was grateful for, I found it difficult knowing this night was the passing of the Holly King not ready for him to go nor did not I feel ready to farewell the Crone, I want to stay with her a little longer, sitting snug in the darkness reflecting in the quiet and taking heed of her council. Their is no fear in that darkness it is to me like the safety of the womb.. but the wheel will turn no matter how I may feel, the old will pass and the new will return as the Crone is reborn as Maiden... The Oak King will reign and I will move along with them giving thanks for the new things to come.
Blessed Be

Random Little Things

This is a small table in the corner of my bedroom, it is one of those places that I see everyday that gives me a sense of home. The candles were a gift from my daughter and never got used because of their significance. The "Drawing down the Moon" painting is a Limited Edition and a gift from my husband, as was the stone vase. It matches a large dish my daughter gave us as a wedding present - the tree on the bowl she say's is our new family tree and the tree on the vase to me represents the Tree of Life, Then there is the photo of my husband taken during a 12 month separation when he was off overseas doing *Navy* stuff.. a funny little quirky thing I do, is have a spare set of his dog tags hanging on this photo. That way I already have a 'set' so that way the ones he wears while at sea or on deployment may never be bought back to me.

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