Mourning a friend as well as an aunt

We had to rush down south yesterday as Mr Mog's aunt was taken into hospital suddenly. The doctors told us it was only a matter of hours and  as we are close we immediately set off. A journey that normally would take between 5 and 6.5 hours took 8 and 1/2 hours:( Horrendous traffic and very fraught time as we obviously wanted to be with her, we are almost her only famil y and Mr Mog has always been very close to her. She was a fighter and finally passed this evening with us by her side. A really peaceful departure and I am so glad we were there for the end of this journey and the beginning of her next. We need to make arrangements tomorrow and that is something neither of us have done before. Hopefully we will go home Thursday and back here when the funeral is arranged. I suspect that will take a while due to the Christmas/new year backlog and holidays.
Goodbye Aunt we will miss you very much

Happy Solstice:)

 Happy solstice may the returning light be with you always:) Did you see the eclipse this morning?

 I missed the beginning but luckily the cloud cleared for the final part and for the beginning of the return of the moon from the shadows. A truly fantastic way to celebrate midwinter:) The clouds soon came back over but they made for a fantastic sunrise over the back of the house.

 This time of year  I remember the first time I read work by Susan Cooper, author of the Dark is rising series. Her poem seems especially appropriate for the day

 The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper

And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.

 I hope your Solstice is filled with the magic of the eclipse and the fire of the sun.

A blessed Yule to you all

Yule part 1

It is the eve of Winter Solstice and the moon is full. The cold took my breath as I stood by the back door to welcome the Lady Moon

Winter Solstice- the longest night and shortest day. A time when the world seems to hold its breath waiting for the wheel to turn and the light to appear.

Made especially special  by the Lunar eclipse tomorrow morning , starting at 5.28am

I think we will have clear, cold skies for this very special rare event, the first time it has coincided with the Winter solstice full moon for over 400years.http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/20/lunar-eclipse-winter-solstice

I will be watching and waiting for the eclipse.  I think these past few days have been a waiting period, anticipating the full moon, Yule, Winter Solstice and the return of the light.

It is very cold here and we do have snow and lots of ice but nothing like many of our friends across the country so we are very lucky.

At this time I reflect on the past year, the successes and the failures in things I've done. I think of what I've learned from both. I look forward to the return of energy with each lengthening day.

I give thanks for all the things I have in my life and the people who mean so much to me.

I thank the Goddess and the Holly King for who I am and where I am. For the creativity they inspire within me and for the joy it brings.

I wish you all a merry Midwinter, Yule, Winter solstice or what ever celebration has meaning for you. May the return of the light bring you joy.

Yule/winter solstice

As the Winter Solstice grows ever near I feel an anticipation within. A yearning for the shortest day. I've been quite reflective this past couple of months and not really felt like blogging much as you have probably noticed. The inward half of the year always  slows me down but this year even more so for some reason.
I think that health stuff hasn't helped much either.

But:-
Yule beckons and a very auspicious Yule it will be. A lunar eclipse and a blood moon all for Winter Solstice. A magical powerful time. I can feel the stirrings as the moon becomes ever fuller. Tonight with all the snow and ice she is stunning and her light bathes the garden as I write.