This morning, on Lughnasadh

I went to bed last night not really knowing how I would celebrate Lughnasadh, but I awoke this morning before sunrise with a feeling of urgency and a sense of what I would do. Looking at the clock I could see that I only had a few minutes until sun up, so I hopped out of bed and pulled on my work clothes, since they were handy. Instead of lighting my candle and filling my quaich as usual, I put them in my bag along with matches, and spring water. On my way through the house I picked up the notebook which contains the "What I Could Do" exercise I had written a few days ago, which tells of some of my skills, where I got them and who I've passed them on to. I cut a slice of the bread I baked yesterday evening, and stepped into the garden to pick a lovely red tomato. (And I forgot the incense, darn!)

I walked across the pastures toward my grove of cottonwood trees. We've recently had quite a bit of rain (after a very long drought) so I was noting the progress of different stands of grass, calculating how many months of grazing I think we'll get, relieved and thankful that things are finally green and growing! I had snatches of the traditional song "The Keeper" in my mind as I walked. "Sing ye well? Very well! Hey down, ho down derry-derry down! Among the leaves so green-o!" Except I sang "Among the grass so green-o".  Meanwhile a small bank of clouds in the northeast delayed the visible sunrise a little.

My grove of old cottonwoods, seen in autumn.

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At the trees I unpacked my things. These cottonwoods are huge and old and twisted, with bark covered roots above the level of the soil. There is ample evidence that cattle spend a month or two here each year, and an irrigation ditch runs along behind the trees. There's no water in it most of the time - certainly not this year. I unpacked my things and struggled a bit to get the candle lit (it was firmly encased in glass, I'm careful with fire outdoors). I took my boots off and enjoyed the feeling of the cool, damp, sandy soil. Not having really prepared anything I went ahead and said my usual morning devotional prayer, with just a few additions, then blethered on for a bit, thanking the gods, ancestors and spirits of nature for various things. I opened my notebook and read out my "skills list" and gave thanks for them and those who taught me.

I offered a bit of the bread to the four directions, and then went around the grove offering a bit to each tree. I noted that across the ditch there is a little sapling in the neighbour's field. It looked like he had ploughed and planted around it. Nice! I finished by offering my tomato, and singing a few verses of John Barleycorn that I could remember. Then it was boots on, pack up my things and walk back to the house.

Sometimes, rituals like this feel very good. I would enjoy more community ritual, but keeping it personal and making it up as you go along also has its charms.

Blessed Lughnasadh!

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