Advent Activities: Solstice Twofer

We drove around looking at Christmas lights this evening while listening to Christmas music, bringing along eggnog and containers of homemade cookies.  We went tonight before all of the snow melts in this ludicrously warm weather and there were some houses still with yards full of snow, perfect for shiny light displays and the holiday season.  We liked a house decked out in light blue lights with lit deer in the yard, a house with natural stick deer standing in the snow, lots of colonial houses with candles in every window and wreaths on the door, plus all manner of idiosyncratic trees and bushes and "puffy plastic" figures, including one yard with several different puffy plastic snowmen.  Not as many inflatables as years before, except that one house in town that always has several and another with a dinosaur opening a present; our neighbor who usually has several doesn't have any this year.  In retrospect, tonight for lights was apropos, it being Solstice, with its focus on light in the darkness.

Now the kids are downstairs sleeping in front of the Christmas tree, having their Solstice "camp out," which entails staying up as long as they want and doing whatever they want (provided it's not screen time.)   We're not sure how long it will last--they often come back upstairs before midnight, both of them since neither will sleep downstairs alone--but they were planning reading, rainbow looming, opening their advent calendars for tomorrow at the stroke of midnight, and "shaking our presents without opening them!"

Happy Solstice, friends!

Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it Rain

Actually, I'm not complaining about the rain.  I like dark, gray days; it's only right this time of year, especially today, the shortest of them all.  And I'm actually glad it's not snow which, while beautiful, makes me nervous and keeps me even more homebound than usual.  I like that it's been unseasonably warm.  Though, a little of the predicted snow for Christmas Eve would be nice.

Until then, Happy Solstice!

The Longest Day

Happy Summer Solstice, all!

It's a beautiful, bright day here in CT.

It's also the last full day of school (with short days on W/Th/F).

So to celebrate both occasions, the kids are going to paint shirts today, kind of a pseudo tie-dye. They'll rubber band the shirts and then squirt fabric paint on them. (And later in the summer, we're going to try Kool-Aid tie-dye (1 packet dry drink mix to 1 oz vinegar).)

I hope your day is as bright and colorful.

Advent Activities: Happy Solstice!

On this the shortest day of the year, the sun is shining brightly overhead reminding us that the light comes back. To celebrate, we've got lots of plans today, from making our own candles (the rolled kind, not the melted-wax kind) to eating round and golden foods like oranges, grapefruit, and cornbread, to go with our beef stew and beanbag soup. We might even make gingerbread cake (from a box; don't have a good recipe and I like the box, but I'm making the hard sauce myself). Best of all, for the kids anyway, we've promised they can stay up "late" (and since they can't tell time, it won't have to be that late) in their jammies downstairs. I think we'll read The Great Redwall Feast and, of course, dance to "The Christians and the Bagels."

"The Christians and the Bagels"

I'm laughing just typing that title, from Bud's misunderstanding of the song "The Christians and the Pagans" by Dar Williams that occupied our afternoon dancefest.

I love that song, which I recalled because of its frequent references to Solstice, which is tomorrow. Along with a total eclipse, the first time those have occurred simultaneously in 456 years! But you'll only be able to see it from 1-5 a.m., which, because it is a school night, precludes the kids' inclusion.

Anyway, back to the song, from the middle:

The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till Timmy turned to Amber and said, "Is it true that you're a witch?"
His mom jumped up and said, "The pies are burning," and she hit the kitchen,
And it was Jane who spoke, she said, "It's true, your cousin's not a Christian,"
"But we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere,"

So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And where does magic come from? I think magic's in the learning,
'Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.

Being a non-Christian with pagan (and Buddhist) leanings, I always appreciated the description of finding magic everywhere. And, now as a parent raising non-Christian children in the UU church, I appreciate the mention of, and respect for, pagan practices. Especially as we're here getting ready for Solstice tomorrow.

That, and it has a catchy tune . . .

Happy for Solstice!

I know, I'm pretty late with happy Solstice wishes. But today was a glorious summer day.

And so, not liking heat one bit, I am gladdened to know that the days are actually getting shorter from now on, even if the heat gets higher, because that means fall and winter are coming, eventually.

Just not fast enough for me!

Solstice

Solstice has come and gone and we noted the day but weren't able to celebrate much.

Indeed, the main thing we've realized about the solstice is that the kiddos are definitely back to their old schedule--up around 6:45 and to bed at 6:30. This is their default, and has been for almost 3 whole years. Sometimes things get messed up around the time changes but inevitably, they return to this schedule.

For those of you keeping track, that means they'll want to go to bed almost two whole hours before my sister's wedding starts.

Otherwise, we have had several moments of appreciation nature and the cycles of the seasons. We've had several major thunderstorms, almost as if it were spring. I love the smell before a storm and the look of the dark clouds. Luckily, none of the lightening nor thunder has frightened the kids. It hasn't even woken them up. My roses have exploded in pink blossoms everywhere and our garden continues to grow. I think we'll have some lettuce for lunch.

And yesterday, in the evening, as a large cloud threatened (but never performed) a rainbow arched above our house.

Happy Solstice.