Thursday, June 27, 2013

Summer Solstice - Super Moon June 2013

Summer Solstice - Super Moon June 2013
The Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year, the shortest night and a tipping point from
here on out, that the days get shorter and the nights get longer.
The Solstice is also sometimes called midnight summer Solstice too, because by now all farmers have long done their planting which is technically the first day of summer.
Both of these meanings remind us all that the season is getting shorter, slipping away day by day into the warmest season of the year.
There are many ways in which people celebrate the Summer Solstice.
Some may revere out into nature, by an bonfire and staying up all night to greet the dawn for Summer Solstice.
Another Celebration maybe a small private event or larger communal ones, such as the Pagan Spirit   Gathering held on beautiful rural land in Missouri- They will have ritual praying, altars and sacred chatting.
There have been Celebrations with as much broader spectrum with the Summer Solstice,
such as the 35,000 who gathered at Stonehenge last  year. This year there were 21,000 who gathered at Stonehenge. And this year was a special Summer Solstice because it had the Super Moon on June starting on June 20th that lasted for about 5-days all around the world.
I myself was only able to see pictures because of the area of which I live. I will be posting photo's throughout this post so you can see the pic's.
There are those who practice this special time of the year as a religious time and have varieties rituals and traditions. There are also those who practice the Magick of the Summer Solstice too. Some will burn a Yule wreath in bonfires, others will dance, using special drums or horns, singing, praying and chatting.
There are many different variations of the Summer  Solstice at this time of the year:
Here are a few of them-
Different types of Rituals-
All kinds of Ceremonials-
Many are Spontaneous - All witnessing the turning of the wheel of the year-
Others feel attune to the rhythms of the nature of the world and feel a need to invite the season of waxing and waning of birth, growth, death and renewal.
There are others that feel the need to renewal and reverberate more consciously into their daily live by the Celebration of the Summer Solstice - And even some that are able to go to the main place for the Summer Solstice STONEHENGE-
These Rituals have been going on for centuries-
The most famous site is Stonehenge in England which dates back to 3000 - 1500 B.C.E. It is the
main Axis to the Summer Solstice Sunrise. This is probably why so many people gather there every year. Last year there were 35,000 people who came to Stonehenge in England which was solid-out.  This year it was 21,000 people and it too was solid-out to the first Super Moon of the century for the Summer Solstice.
A Poem-
"This is the time of the Rose, blossom and thorn, fragrance and blood. Now on this longest day, light triumphs, Yet begins the decline into the dark. The Sun King grown embraces the Queen of Summer in the love that is death because it is so complete that all dissolves into the single song of ecstasy that moves the worlds. So the Lord of light dies to Himself and set sail across the dark seas of time, searching for the isle of light that is rebirth. We turn the wheel and share his faith, for we have planted the seeds of our own changes and to grow we must accept even the passing of the sun." by Starhawk
Honoring the Summer Solstice & the Special Super Moon of June 20 - 25 of 2013-
By honoring the Summer Solstice Every June - 20 [And this year having a special Super Moon for
our Summer Solstice ] it can remind us all, just how precious each day is and the seasons are to all! Because the truth of its passing always is acknowledged every year! Gifts need to be appreciated, not taken for granted. A Gift can be many things, it doesn't necessarily have to be a object. A Gift could be life on our planet. Another gift could be, a happy full harvest of the turning of the wheel of the full year. There is the gift of plenty world wide for the season of the Summer Solstice too.
In the age of Global Warming we should all Celebrate Summer Solstice and acknowledgment
that our Earth is in Global trouble. And we should be thankful that we have such a beautiful planet in which to live on.
Honoring Summer Solstice as a  Religious ritual to raise energy for Healing- 
There are Many folks that honor the Summer Solstice as a Religious ritual to raise energy for
 Group of Druids
Healing, redressing the environmental wrongs, strengthening the sense of being part of Nature.
This includes the past, present and future. Such is the power of the participating in the turning of the wheel of the year - The Summer Solstice...
There are Some Religious groups such as Pagan-
A bonfire in Celebration  
Druid in Pray
In these Religious groups, they are very serious in their ritual ceremonies. And with the special super moon of this years turning of the year wheel I am sure there was much celebration both in religious groups, communities groups, private groups and large pubic groups such as at the Stonehenge in England this year with the super moon.
 Ceremonial  horn
Dressed for the Summer Solstice 2013
 Drummer
Super Moon at Stonehenge 
Young boy with father
Sunrise at Stonehenge  
Seattle Washington.. [ My home]

Druid at Stonehenge






Saturday, June 22, 2013

The Joy of Faeries1

The Joy of Faeries-
Below are Many different Images of of all kinda of Faeries
that I have found over the course of many years..
I love all these Beautiful paintings, photographic, digital painting & drawings
of these many Faeries. All of these are from many very Talented Artist's
that are so amazing, they are able to make dreams come to
Reality in their paintings..  Enjoy..       Thank you again
to All the Wonderful Artists that have created all these beautiful 
images for all of us to enjoy... Wendy

Elves & faeries 
Elves & Faeries
The Mystery of the Elves 
 The Mystery of the Elves
The Mystery of the Elves 
Shy Elf 
Beauty of the Elves  
 A Dark Red head Elf 
Thank you to the talent of the Artists!
 Faeries & Elves 
Faeries & Elves 
Faeries & Elves
 Beauty of  Elves 

Magick of the Elves 
 Purity of the Elves  
Water Fairy 
Tiny Fairy resting on a mushroom 
Elves'
Sleeping Fairy 
Female Dryad  Fairy
Faeries & Elves 
Elves' 


 Enter the world of Faeries & Elves


Friday, June 21, 2013

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Attracting Hummingbirds to your Garden-
I thought I would do another post on my favorite tiny but jewel of a bird-
The Hummingbird~
In this post I thought since its getting into mid June to July months, folks will be thinking more and more about their gardens and how to set them up to different types of  birds that they may like. I thought for you folks that love the jewel called the hummingbird, I'd give you a few hint on how you attract these amazing tiny birds.
ROSY
You never know, you might end-up happily with a wild friend of a bird like my Rosy- My  Hummingbird who has deemed my garden his for the last 5-years and stays here year around snow and all. (WA. Seattle.)
Attracting Hummers-
The Hummer is a tiny and very colorful bird, that come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. I've gone
over this in another post, but I thought for the new readers I would do a brief summary about these amazing little birds.
Hummers like to feed on the nectar of the flower below and they also enjoy bus and small spiders too.
These  Amazing jewels can flap their wings at 70 to 90 times a minute while collecting their food. To get closer to these amazing tiny birds and to see the beauty of their different colors they have, you need to create a home (habitat) for them to enjoy being in & so that they will come back every spring. If your are lucky you might even get a hummer like me that has decided my garden is his and has stayed year around for the past 5-years.
Here are a Few plants, trees, vines, perennials & annuals that will get you started-
Large Plants & Trees-
Abelia
Aesculus [Horse-chestnut]
Albizzia [Mimosa -SilkTree]
Azalea
Cercis [Redbud]
Chaenomeles
Cotoneaster [Varieties]
Crataegus [Hawthorn]
Hesperaloe [Red Yucca]
Malus [Crabapple]
Rhododendron
Ribes [Flowering Currant]
Vines-
Campsis [Trumpet Creeper]
Clematis
Lonicera [Honeysuckles]
Perennials-
Agastache [Anise Hyssop]
Alstroemeria [Peruvian Lily]
Aguilegia [Columbine]
Althea [Hollyhock]
Canna
Crocosmia [Montbretia]
Dahlia
Delphinium [Larkspur]
Dianthus [Carnations - Pinks,Reds,Yellows]
Dicentra [Bleeding Red Heart]
Digitalis [Foxgloves]
 Fuchsias
Fuchsias
Gladiolus
Heuchera [Coral Bells]
Kniphofia [Red Hot Poker]
Lilium [Asiatic Lilies]
Lobelia
Lupinus [Lupine]
Melissa [Sweet Bee Balm]
Melissa [Sweet Bee Balm]
Penstemon
Phlox
Verbena
Veronica
The Bee Balm
MY FAVORITE - BEE BALM - COME IN COLORS - RED, LAVENDER, PINK,  & WHITE...THESE I HAVE HAD THE BEST LUCK WITH HUMMINGBIRDS AND MY ROSY...
Annuals-
Begonia
Hibiscus
Gazania
Impatiens [Impatients]
Lantana
Geraniums
Petunia
Salvia [Sage]
Nasturtium
Zinnia

Happy Gardening!


 Sword billed hummingbird


Sunday, June 16, 2013

Magic of Photography3-My Garden 2012

Magic of Photography (3)
My Garden 2012 
 My Garden 2012
Lavender Bee Balm 
Flowers 

Red  & Lavender Bee balm Flowers 

Fusia's

My favorite shot of my Red Bee Balm 
The spring blooms in our backyard.

My Large pot of Lavender Bee Balm Flowers 

Our Tree in the Backyard 

An abstract shot of the buildings with the trees

 Inside a Foxglove flower 

 An shot of my old ivy 
My dragon snapper flowers  

 My Rosy 

My Fusia's  

 Flower

Fusia's