MILLRACE

There's a nice park about six blocks from where I live. It's right on the river. Years ago there was a sawmill at the edge of town and the old, cleaned up mill race rejoins the river at the edge of the park. It's a bonsai sort of a stream, with noisy little waterfalls and rapids.

There's a nice little path with some overlooks.

On one side there's wonderful shade, cool green and rippling water. There's even places where you can sit down. Very good for the soul.

And less that a hundred feet away there's a busy street. Everbody knows what a car looks like who need s pictures.

SOLSTICE

 Shot of lavender, poppies and violas from our front yard. Perfect for Solstice. Since Beltane begins summer in May, this is really mid-summer. Works for me since I always thought that the longest day of the year is really the middle of summer, not the beginning.

GREETING TO THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

 

Glory of the Day-Star hail!

Lifter of the Light, Burnisher of the Sky.

Gifts of love to earth are bringing,

Summer's shimmer, dew's delight.

Dancing be the heart within us,

Open be our souls to bliss,

Courage vanquish every shadow,

Greet midsummer with a kiss.

 

From Caitlin Matthews Celtic Devotional.

RIVERS

Currents of the River

The currents of the river

Take me 'round each bend,

Over white water rapids,

Until I begin to blend

With the Water Spirits.

As we journey on our way,

Past the shores of memories

The sun dawns on today.

The flow of life engulfs me,

My passage, the river's sounds,

The currents take me safely

'Til I stand on sacred ground.

The songs of the river

Still ring within my soul,

Asking me to sing with them,

As I stand upon the shoal.

"Allow all those around you

To follow their own trails,

Finding their uniquenesses,

And telling their own tales.

Every current is different,

Every lesson will unfold,

And the flow of each river,

Brings lessons to the soul."

 

From Jamie Sams Earth Medicine. We're very luck to have the Willamette riiver running between Eugene and Springfield. And even luckier to have a fantastic network of bike trails and parks running along the banks. Mom and I have been doing some exploring the last couple of weekends. It'll probably take all summer just ot explore a small portion of them. Great for walks and picnics.

 

PRAYER FOR SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

From the Celtic Devotional. I think we all have sleepless nights these days. This is kind of nice.I like the picture of a master weaver at a loom weaving dreams for sleepers.

My heart has been turned from home, for I am wakeful.

As the desert hours stretch out to the stars,

As an exile banned from the native land of sleep,

I offer this prayer for all who are wakeful and alone.

In torment and in danger, in fear and in despair,

In grief and watchfulness, in worry or in care,

May the Thatcher of Sleep make a roof for the wakeful soul,

May the Weaver of Dreams lend a garment to cover the wakeful,

May the Womb of Night become a cradle of rest for the restless,

May the exile be restored to the house of sleep.

 

A DIFFERENT KIND OF BLESSING

 

This is from Caitlin Matthews Celtic Devotional. I figure I can use all the help I can get. The feeling that wherever you walk you are protected and blessed the world around you. I'm fortunate to be in an area that's closer to the natural world than many in this country.

 

BLESSING OF THE NINE ELEMENTS

 

May you go forth under the strength of heaven,

under the light of sun,

under the radiance of moon;

 

May you go forth under the splendor of fire,

with the speed of lightning,

with the swiftness of wind;

 

May you go forth supported by the depth of sea,

by the stability of earth,

by the firmness of rock;

 

May you be surrounded and encircled,

above, below, and about,

with the protection of the nine elements.

 

STORYTELLERS

In Jamie Sams stories of the Clan Mothers, the one for this moon cycle is the Storyteller. She makes the point in the intro selection that we have to listen to the stories of all who share Creation with us. But, how can we become aware of the stories of all who share this little world with us when we won’t hear the stories told by our own kind?

 

Troops from the Oregon National Guard put in their tours of duty in Iraq. The local paper made a point to tell the stories those who lost their lives in the line of duty. There were more than a few letters in the paper accusing those who publish the paper of being “Un-American” and undermining national security by telling their stories.

 

If you are going to support a war you have to accept some of those who serve are going to die. Acknowledging that cost isn’t telling the ones who killed them something that they don’t already know. Hell, they were the first to know. If you support a war, but don’t want to face the human costs, then hypocrite is the kindest word I can use. There are others, but this is a family blog.

 

I realize that Viet Nam is part of this. And I think that’s why the Viet Nam Memorial is such a powerful symbol. Those who visit it know that behind every name there is a story. No, not just one story, but the stories of everyone that was a friend, class mate, co-worker, or relative. And by looking at those names and wondering about the story behind the name, we become part of the story too.

 

Just because we ignore the stories doesn’t erase them. The story is still there whether we want to hear it or not. In a strange way I feel that by denying the stories of the ends of their lives, we unravel the rest of that story. The damage doesn’t stop there, it unravels the whole tapestry.