MIDSUMMER'S DAY

This morning I awoke at dawn to watch the sun rise, and what a beautiful daybreak it was. You do not have to be at Stonehenge or Avebury to celebrate the solstice. Whilst I am glad that these sacred sites are now open for worshippers on this special day I think it is pity that they have been taken over by the fancy dress brigade, who have no real idea of what the truth behind all the flim-flam is.

Athames, goblets and fancy robes are only the quite recent trappings of a much older and much simpler faith, a faith which must be a way of life rather than the parading of costume and ornament, and which can be summed up in a singe phrase”Never take more than you need and always return more than you take”.

In this simple creed lies the salvation of the world, if this sounds dramatic I make no apologies.

In a society where aspiration means only the accumulation of more possessions and higher status
we have been tricked in to the belief that we are nothing without all these trappings, we measure ourselves against those who have more than us, but are they happy? Lifestyle is not something that can be bought. It is some thing that must be lived from your heart and not your wallet. You cannot buy joy or love or trust or friendship. You cannot buy a perfect sunrise or a blue sky. Within each one of us is the ability to give, so why don't we do it more often?

I shall now get off my soapbox, I can be a bit of a pain sometimes.

I made yet another batch of strawberry jam today, I love the sweet sticky smell of it as it bubbles away like molten lava...gorgeous.

My son arrived at his destination safely. For him it is like going home, the wilds of Derbyshire are where he was a small boy, it is a very beautiful place, wide horizons and blue hills. I know he will be the better for seeing it again.

Tonight I am cooking lamb chops with asparagus new potato all things my son hates...while the cats away! Later I shall sit in the orchard as the darkness falls surrounded by the smell of summer and the rustling of the night creatures as they begin their turn to take possession of this beautiful world of ours. Goodnight everyone, happy solstice.