Summer Growth 2000
The
Moon Shot
The summer of 1969 included mankind's
first trip to the moon and the Woodstock Music Festival.
This story is by Juan Wilson
The
Moon
Something about the Earth's mysterious
partner, by Linda Pascatore
A
Slow Walk
A romantic short story by screenwriter
Stephen Peters.
White daisies stand in crowds
along the damp ditch
awaiting
the dusty wind of your car
to
make them sway to the
radio.
by Juan Wilson - Summer Growth 1999
Spring has clothed her gnarled brown
bones.
Now draped in silken greenery,
she pays the sun with ripened fruit.
by Juan Wilson - Summer Growth 1998
The Phase Named
Growth
We have divided the year into eight phases, based on
the Solstices, the Equinoxes and the midpoints of the
four seasons (see Solar Phases below). We are now in the
phase of Growth, which begins on June 21, the Summer
Solstice, which is the longest day of the year. The
period ends on August 6th in the Dog Days, or middle of
summer.
The Solstice has been celebrated by many cultures
throughout history. In England, bonfires are still lit in
Cornwall on hilltops at Midsummer to celebrate the power
of the sun at its zenith. A Harvest Mother or Earth Lady
was traditionally chosen to lead a procession to the
beacon fire. She carried a bouquet of nine valuable
plants or herbs and nine weeds. She would cast this into
the bonfire, asking a blessing on the beneficial crops
and a curse of fire upon the weeds.
The closest thing on the calendar to a Solstice
celebration in this country seems to be Independence Day.
It is the quintessential summer holiday; with outdoor
activities including barbecues, picnics, parades,
swimming and camping. The hilltop bonfires have been
replaced by magnificent fireworks displays. Here in
Chautauqua County we have an old tradition of lighting
flares around our lake on the 4th. One of my more magical
childhood memories is lying on a blanket in the cool
grass while the red flares were lit at the same time, all
around Chautauqua Lake, followed by the awesome fireworks
show in the night sky.
There are two full moons this period. The first we
call Strawberry Moon and will peak on June 28th at
4:55pm. As of this date (6/18/99) the wild strawberries
are still green buds on our land. Cherries are still
green but ripening fast. The second full moon we call
Cricket Moon and it will peak on Wednesday, July 28th at
6:33am. For more information on the lunar aspects of our
calendar see the Lunar Phases section below.
Most of our local wildflowers are also ahead of
schedule. Here in Western New York, the meadows and
roadsides are awash with color: golden black-eyed susans;
blue chicory and forget-me-nots; yellow buttercups and
birdsfoot trefoil; orange indian paintbrush; purple
clover; pink common fleabane and musk mallow; and white
daisies and queen anne's lace. In July we should find day
lilies, creeping bellflower, phlox, jewel weed or
touch-me-not, yarrow, rough hedge nettle, asters, and
evening primroses.
It's been cooler than usual the last week or so but we
soon expect to soak up the heat of the sun and enjoy a
few summer music festivals. See you at the Great Blue
Heron Festival, in Sherman NY over the July 4th
weekend.
Summer Solstice
by
Peter Blue Cloud
Come, bring the children. Let them
feel for a moment the rhythm
of the hoe. Let them experience
the wonder of green shoots emerging
from earth, earth given us
in guardianship from the
Creation.
Body, mind, and spirit full to
bursting
with ripe, sweet berries, the first
tender green beans and corn. We give
thanks, and thanks again. The twin
concepts of Reason and Peace are
seen in each kernal of an ear of
corn.
Perhaps we repair our
lodges
as do the the beavers living close
by.
Our children swim like river
otters
and as their laughter reaches
us,
we join them for a while
in these hottest of summer days.
Rose Pogonias
by
Robert Frost
A saturated meadow, sun-shaped and
jewel-small,
A circle scarcely wider than the trees
around were tall;
Where winds were quite excluded, and
the air was stifling sweet
With the breath of many flowers--a
temple of the heat.
There we bowed us in the burning, as
the sun's right worship is,
To pick where none could miss them, a
thousand orchises;
For though the grass was scattered,
yet every second spear,
Seemed tipped with wings of color,
that tinged the atmosphere.
We raised a simple prayer before
we left the spot,
That in the general mowing that place
might be forgot;
Or if not all so favored, obtain such
grace of hours,
That none should mow the grass there
while so confused with flowers.
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