photo by mgstatton
Faerie Tidings: Midsummer’s Full Moon
by BlackLion and Starcat
We pick up our baskets, getting ready to forage for berries and herbs. Before we leave, we make a last check of our ocean-side encampment and its midsummer decorations. Maude the donkey seems happy in the shade near the pavilion, munching on hay and the local grasses. Our pavilion is set up near a hedge of beach roses. Their beautiful scent wafts over us each warm night.
Flowers adorn the walls in streams. We hung flags of vines and leaves attached to hemp rope atop each peak. Colorful ribbons flutter from every wooden pole. Inside, we’ve covered the ground with canvas and piled pillows upon pillows, all shapes and sizes. Low tables hold lanterns, books, crafting supplies, and in one corner, the kitchen.
Crushed shell paths lead from the pavilion further down the beach, where our stone-lined fire pit is full of driftwood, surrounded by the larger logs for seating. The tide is low, smelling of seaweed and brine. We can see that it will turn soon and be quite vibrant and close for our nighttime ritual.
We set off on a path away from the beach into the forest. We miss the companionship of our cat friends, who decided to stay back at the cottage, yet we have noticed a pair of red squirrels trailing not far behind us. The meadow up ahead is one where we first noticed the blossoms of wild strawberries. After a few weeks we are excited about returning to collect a harvest.
Giggling and skipping, we pause occasionally to collect mushrooms and baby greens for a salad for the feast. We plan to make a berry pie if we find as many strawberries as we saw blossoms. Our fire brick oven is our latest addition to the encampment. Steps from the kitchen is our baking and cooking area on a wide stone ledge. Lost in a reverie of pie, we almost miss the split in the path to the strawberry patch.
Opening up in the forest is a bright, sunny meadow filled with green and juicy red. Our floppy hats protect us from the sun as we start picking. The Berry Faeries have been quite busy – we fill our baskets and still see more. Once in a while we pause for some stretching: cartwheels, backbends, and handstands. The red squirrels chitter-chatter around the edge of the meadow, laughing at our playful antics.
At length, it is time to return. We put in a good afternoon’s work of strawberry picking for our feast. Leaving plenty of berries for the other critters, we bless the area and head back down the path toward the beach. Off in the distance we can hear a cadence and a playful melody. We hurry our steps, knowing that our musician friends will soon join us. With uncanny timing, we meet at the split of the path and greet one another enthusiastically. As usual, their gift for the feast is mead, music, and merriment – all welcome additions.
The miles seem like moments as we regale in the beauty of the land, the rhythm of nature, and the empowerment of open spirits. We discuss the forthcoming preparations each of us will make. Our musician friends agree to draw the labyrinth in the sand above the high tide line, while we prepare the feast.
On our voyage to this beach encampment, we had stopped along the way at a friendly farmstead. We stocked Maude and the cart up with a full load of vegetables, fruits, and grains. So along with the berry pie, our feast will include millet stew, onion flatbread with cucumber yogurt sauce, huge salads of fruit and greens, and hand-made sushi.
Feeling quite hungry, we spare a few strawberries as we finish our journey to the beach. We hear the roar of the ocean as the tide begins to come in and the sun settles over the trees. When we arrive, Maude brays a greeting and we offer her some of our foraged greens. The musicians explore our encampment, exclaiming excitedly. They rave about our decorative flair. Making themselves at home, they unpack their bedrolls (and swim suits) in an open area since they will be joining us for several days. Then we all merrily set to work.
Stoking the oven, we bring her back to life and begin our baking excitement. The flatbread is prepped, flattened, and baked at just the right temperature. Meanwhile the chopping, slicing, shredding, julienning, and mashing of the fruits and vegetables proceeds apace. When we finally wipe our hands on our aprons and look up, twilight is beginning to fall and it is time for the ritual to begin.
The musicians have been quite busy. As the other guests arrived, they were guided to different areas of focus for creating the sacred space. Whether beachcombing, setting up trestle tables, lighting the fire, or completing the labyrinth, each of the attendees shared their energy in the spiritual process.
The stars and fireflies twinkle and the waves roll louder and louder. Some of the younger guests are already frolicking in the water. We step out of the pavilion to raucous cheers as we encircle the fire. As the Full Strawberry Moon appears over the watery horizon, we all join hands and dance as we joyfully celebrate the Midsummer Full Moon.
Leave a Reply