| Litha
Approx. June 21 by Garnet WindDancer Litha is a time of magic and faeries. Also known as Midsummer, to many it seems strange to celebrate the halfway point when school vacations and warm weather have just begun! Today is the longest day of the year and the Sun is at the height of its power but it's a bittersweet joy as the days begin to shorten again, starting tomorrow. This is a great time of year to harvest herbs for all of your magical workings. It's also a good time to allow your child to begin his/her own witchy cupboard. When harvesting herbs, remember to leave about 1/3 of the plant behind to propagate itself. This ensures a continual harvest throughout the growing season. Also, thank the spirit of the plant for its sacrifice and leave a small offering. Taking a page from Native American custom, a bit of tobacco is a good thank-you to the spirits of your garden but you could also sprinkle a bit of dried herb from a previous harvest. Allow your child to help you bundle the herbs together and tie at the stems with twine or thread. Hang upside down in a cool, dark place until dry and then store them in pretty containers or even plastic baggies. Make sure all containers are labelled clearly as dried herbs tend to look alot alike! One of our favorite activities at Midsummer is building a faery shelter for the little sprites to party and rest. Scout hunts for sticks, which she pokes into the ground and then lays large leaves over the top to form the roof. She decorates with flowers, bird feathers and smaller leaves. We leave out milk mixed with honey and bread and butter, cut into small pieces. She's always very excited to find the containers emptied and the faery house turned upside down from their wild dancing. A friend of mine recently gave me a wonderful idea and that is to leave a small gift for your child as a thank-you from the faeries. You could leave shells from the sea, a small trinket that had been "lost" around the house (everyone knows they faeries love to play tricks!), a small bouquet of wild flowers, a pretty rock or anything you feel is worthwhile. The idea is to keep it natural and simple and then explain to your child why the faeries felt it was an appropriate gift. As the full moon in June is known as the Honey Moon, any foods made or eaten with honey would be an appropriate dish. The first thing that springs to mind is baklava, one of my favorite desserts! Buy some from the local Greek restaraunt if you aren't keen too work with filo (phyllo) dough, which can be a real pain. Or, if you're adventurous, try the recipe in the Litha Recipes. PUCK How now, spirit! whither wander you? Fairy Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire, I do wander everywhere, Swifter than the moon's sphere; And I serve the fairy queen, To dew her orbs upon the green. The cowslips tall her pensioners be: In their gold coats spots you see; Those be rubies, fairy favours, In those freckles live their savours: I must go seek some dewdrops here And hang a pearl in every cowslip's ear. Farewell, thou lob of spirits; I'll be gone: Our queen and all our elves come here anon. Act 2, Scene 1 A Midsummer's Night Dream |
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