Well Hello Again, I hope you’re well.
After my last letter, the skies opened up and drenched the earth.
We can let out a collective sigh of relief and can actually enjoy the rest of this summer without the baseline unease that drought brings.
So, I’m writing to you on this Lughnasadh from a much more lighter place.
Lughnasadh, the 1st of August, is one of the quarter days in the Celtic Wheel of the Year. Named after the pre-Christian god Lugh in Irish mythology, it traditionally celebrated the beginning of the harvest season.
Just for fun, a little glimpse at some of the known Lughnasadh folklore:
Women of the community in Scottish Highland and Island culture performed ceremonies on this day to prevent evil from befalling the cattle for the next 3 months.
Red and blue threads were put on their tails and charms were said to their udders.
Feasts with plenty of curds and butter were prepared for the community.
In Ireland, gatherings were held beside rivers, lakes or wells.
Today, pilgrims (some barefoot) still climb Croagh Patrick on what is called Reek Sunday, which falls on the last Sunday of July and aligns with Lughnasadh. This pilgrimage can be dated back to the Middle Ages and is believed to pre-date Christianity.
The quarter days are like stepping through the doorway to a change in the season. But, they operate almost as a key moment when the season is at its most epic. Like opening a door and stepping into a new world and this one, I embrace fully.
In Nova Scotia, August is a beautiful month! A time when the light slightly shifts toward autumn and the golden glow of late summer slowly casts over the grasses. The cicadas are chirping loudly and wayside flowers (chicory, Queen Anne’s lace and fireweed) are swaying along the roads, powerlines, ditches, traintracks.
The in-between places.
Under this Thunder Moon, I once again travelled north to pick the garlic that I planted last Autumn. I also spent blissful time being attacked by bugs while picking the ripe wild blueberries and black huckleberries that colonize recently cut woodlands. Thankfully, there are silver linings in the destruction of nature and berries colonizing the acidic mossy soil is one, providing vital nutrients for the creatures affected by the loss of habitat.
The North Atlantic Ocean has finally warmed up! I can happily cast aside my gloves and boots while in the water and not gasp for air when a wave crashes on top of my head for the shock of the cold water. It’s such a good time, either swimming or shakily surfing in August. We are officially in playful ocean times until the sun dips again on the horizon for Autumn. Swimmers are joining us in the waves, leaving behind any thoughts or concerns about the outside world.
Something changes when you step into the Atlantic Ocean. First, you cross the threshold of the dunes and feel like you’ve stepped into a different world. One powered by a constant rhythm.
We spent Lughnasadh morning, with a giant thermos of coffee, surfing and watching the seals in the waves. So, holding onto the water tradition but speaking to udders was not part of the day.
And then of course, the wildflowers and the mushrooms. My favourite this time of year is the fireweed, a beautiful perennial that colonizes disturbed areas (most notably land impacted by forest fires). Another silver lining after destruction.
Our wet spring and recent heavy rains have contributed to a banner year for mushrooms as well! The past few years have been awful for drought, so thankfully this year, boletes and chanterelles are mightily pushing aside pine needles.
This next month I’ll be watching over my garden to harvest potatoes and tomatoes, collecting the tulsi basil, peppermint and lavender for winter tea blends and surfing as much as I can while looking forward to the darker, cooler times, when all of the creative projects demand a little bit more care and we get back to working in our forest.
If you are joining me here to read the experience and updates on us building our life on our 12 acre woodland, we likely won’t be getting back there until late Autumn to work.
Until then, in this space, we will be observing the natural world, our place in it and always searching for the meaning entwined in the in-between.
Meaning found by turning our attention back to the world around us.
Wishing you a fruitful harvest, time spent by water and a peaceful transition into a new phase of the year (both North & South).
Be well, Julia xo
Leaving you with a few small moments from this in-between time:
☾ Thank you for being here with me.
If this piece meant something to you, please consider forwarding it to a friend who may enjoy it. You can also support my work by visiting my online shop. ☾
Further Reading
The Gaelic Otherworld, John Gregorson Campbell, edited by Ronald Black (Birlinn, 2005).
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles, Ronald Hutton (Blackwell Publishing, 1993).
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