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I was super excited to host my first Hilltop Solstice instead of having it at someone else’s house or trying to cram people in that tiny apartment as I had to do for the last several years.

This was truly the best solstice ever, entirely because of the wonderful friends and neighbors who came to celebrate (32 people showed up, OMG that’s awesome)

I drug the fire pit out of the basement and set up the Yule log on the lower branches cut from the tree.

Of course, a huge log, even when surround by combustibles can benefit from the liberal application of tiki torch oil (citronella and cedar oil type).

And away we go…

It took several tries to get the first candle lit.

Once we got the light from the Yule log (comprised of a log gifted to me my by friend and neighbor Jim, a bit of last year’s yule log, a cutting of the base and some branches from this year’s tree, the piece of the pear tree that blew down in the wind storm a few weeks ago, holly, bay laurel, lavender, sage, mugwort, hawthorn berries and roses from my yard and ashes from the 13 indigenous grandmothers) we carried the “solstice light” inside the house.

I did the annual reading talking about why solstice is a sacred time for so many world traditions and the commonality they all share.

We then “passed the light” candle to candle around the circle (or rather an amoeba shaped circle that encompassed two rooms) while “The Christians and the Pagans” CD played. (singing, badly is not only allowed, but encouraged)

When all the candles were lit we raised them to symbolize the return of the light and the light we hope to bring into the world in the coming season.

Then while the CD played, we sang a joyful rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” and went back into party mode.

I made my traditional solstice Crab Rangoons and stuffed mushrooms

It was a fight to even get them out of the kitchen an on to the table. I was getting mugged trying to get out of the kitchen.

(although out of foucus, this picture cracks me up… I’m yelling “HOT” and Patricia looks worried that rangoons will fly)

I LOVE Z’s eyes in this picture.

The rest of the photos are available by clicking here

Or as a slideshow by making with the clicky clicky here if it doesn’t embed properly in our reader/browser

Here comes the sun baby… here comes the sun (and it’s gonna be allright

~L

Mood: Exhausted, but in a good way

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