It was with some trepidation that we set out for The Longstone this morning, Saturday, August 2, amid low cloud and the kind of fine summer rain that soaks you to the skin before you have even realised it’s raining.
Placing our trust, as ever, in the gods and the weather sprites, we made our way to the stones where a couple of folk were already gathered.
At first, it seemed as though rain ponchos would replace robes, with damp-looking clouds blotting out the top of the downs on an inked-out skyline. But as more people gathered, to eventually total 13, the menace began to slowly recede until we were just about sufficiently confident to risk robing up instead. And how beautifully we were rewarded!
As we offered up bread, mead and prayers to Lugh, the Lord of Light, the Sun finally burst through the clouds and remained smiling on us for the rest of the ritual – and the picnicking afterwards.
My thanks to all who joined in (and that was everyone) our lusty, if maybe a little rusty, rendition of John Barleycorn and to all who so delightfully shared their inspiration on what turned out to be a lovely, bright, Sun-Blessed celebration, much against the original apparent odds, in the company of some wonderful old friends as well as some beautiful new ones.
The inspiration continues tomorrow, Sunday, August 3, for many of us, as we meet on the beach for the Claim Song Moon module of Bobcat’s Perennial Course in Living Druidry.
We hope and trust the weather sprites will be as generous as they were today!
Bendithion Llawen ac Cariadon/|\Love and Many Blessings
Scribe
