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Dog Days
I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of the Dog Days, which seems like a good time to celebrate all things canine. But actually the Dog Days, which stretch from mid-July through mid-August, have...
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Celebrating Summer Solstice
by Waverly Fitzgerald Photo by Julie Coningham The summer solstice is the time when the sun is in its glory. This is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. The date of the summer solstice...
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Nocino (Walnut Liqueur) and Honeyed Walnuts
Walnuts have magical properties at Midsummer in Italy and are used to make a special liqueur called Nocino. People go into the woods to collect walnuts on the night of San Giovanni (June 23) when the...
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Fourth of July as Midsummer
I like to think of Fourth of July as a secular version of pagan Midsummer festivals. Like many historical holidays, Fourth of July seems to have co-opted many of the symbols of the earlier celebrations...
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Spirit of Summer
By Waverly Fitzgerald Years ago as I was deep in the lore of holidays, I came upon one of those nuggets of information that answer a question you didn’t know you had. The question was: “Why are there...
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Bon Odori Dances
For years, my holiday calendar contained a reference to the silent, gliding dances of the Bon Odori perfomed during the O-Bon festival in Japan. The image always seemed marvelous to me, and even more...
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Weaving Wheat
by Waverly Fitzgerald [Excerpt from the Lammas holiday packet available at our store] Many years ago I was in Aberystwyth in Wales on Lammas. I hadn’t planned any special activity for this, my...
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Summer Celebrations: Assumption
(Photo of the Barley Moon by Catherine Kerr) by Waverly Fitzgerald The Full Moon Festival of August is one of the oldest continuous holidays of the Goddess. At this turning point in the year, between...
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Michaelmas
Photo by Mark Twyning September 29 is the feast day of St. Michael and all the Angels, the most ancient of all the angel festivals. From fairly early on, Michaelmas was an important holiday, the...
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Michaelmas Daisy
The Michaelmas daisy, among dead weeds Blooms for St Michael’s valorous deeds Any of the various asters can also be called a Michaelmas daisy, so named because they are members of the Daisy...
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