Papa saved some seats out front for us and we went behind the sceens the gather with the other animals. I chatted with a friend who was dressed as a lion and we waited the typical extra 20 minutes for the folks of Willits to show up on "willits time". It seemed like an eternity waiting in a small space with two lively children but suddenly the turtle in front of us perked up and said "That's our que!" We began to dance out from in a clock wise circle around the preformance/ritual area. Bears, turtles, giant chickens and a buzzing bunch a bumble bees growled, meowed, and roared our way around while singing;
Fur and Feathers and scales and skins
different without but the same within
many a body but one the soul
by all creatures is the world made whole!
Then lead by the lovely Anne we called the quaters. Raising our hands high we welcomed the east,south, north and west. The speaker thanked the council of all beings and that was our que to take our seats.
I then played the ancient dance of mother trying to keep an eye on squirmy children AND actually try and see some of the preformers. There was a bear dance, a dance of spring, a belly dance, and, always my favorite, a light dancer! The lights went out and we all held up candles and sang. Seeing a dark room lit only by singing faces in candle light brings my eyes to tears every year. It's breath taking and I try to drink it all in and make it last. It's one of my most tresured moments all year.
My favortie song is Silent Night;
Silent night
Solstice Night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glenn
Till in springtime She wakens again
Sleeping spirits grow strong
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon, shining bright
Snowfall blankets
the slumbering Earth
Yuke fired welcome the Sun's rebirth
Hark, the light is reborn!
Hark, the lighht is reborn!
(written and produced by Ann Weller and Karina McAbee)
Ronan fell alseep so when everyone moved the chairs for the spiral dance we stepped out of the hall and headed for our car. When we got home the children were too excited to sleep so we put on some solstice music and Seth and I danced in the living room while the kids laughed and played. Finally I was getting tired so I insisted that little children must be in bed so that Santa could come.
Nykki objected quite strongly but finally after setting out some cookies and a candle for Santa, some teeth brushing, a few winter time stories and kisses he went to sleep. Seth and I then began the chore of bringing the Thomas train set table out and setting it up. I got it off of freecycle last week. It's a complete set with tracks, buildings, trains and table. I sat in the back yard in the cold and rain and scrubbed it all clean, then took some of the more damaged pieces and sanded and bleached them a few nights ago. It looks practically new now (I would take a pic but our camera broke).
This is the type it is, I got this picture form Photobucket
It took us a while to figure it all out and construct a little town for Nykki to wake up to but Papa's a good engineer and I decorated the town beautifully. We then laid out the wrapped gifts by the table. The other gifts were all scored at the thrift shop for less than $5 and include, for Nykki; 4 Clifford books, 5 other books about nature and grandmothers, and a tiger dress up, and for Ronan; a stuffed bunny that rattles, stacking boxes with beautiful pictures painted on the sides, a baby play block with pictures of the family and two wooden trucks.
When Nykki woke up this morning he was practically taring down the door to find out if Santa brought him the train set he wanted. He expected it to be under the tree so when he ran into the livingroom he ran right past it and said, "Where are my presents?" aftering looking under the tree. I said, "I don't know Nykki where could they be?" and he turned around and said, "Oh!!" He loved it of course. They quickly tore through the rest of the presents. The kids have been acting high all morning. They are on a toy rush.
I made some pancakes shapped like ginger bread men, trees and suns. Nykki called his nana and his opa to tell them what he got for Solstice. I have a lovely lunch planned for us and we're hoping our friend Carlee can make it up this way to join us.
Blessed Solstice!
