Reflections on Lammas and Text of My 2021 Ritual

The transition from July to August and the first 10 days or so of August are among my most cherished times of the year. The sight of Summertime abundance on display—basketfuls of mulberries from my own front and back yards; and from local markets, piles of ears of golden non-GMO sweet corn from fields within a quarter mile of where I live; honeycombs and cranberries harvested from Wisconsin farms a short drive across the border; a profusion of luscious peaches, varieties of apples; blackberries; and even gooseberries from Michigan—is a welcome treat for the eyes that never fails to lift my spirits and pivot my consciousness into an attitude of gratitude.

Even in the midst of a worrisome drought that’s affected my county since Spring, the Gracious Gods bestow an outpouring of gifts and it’s right and just to give Them thanks and praise. As I smeared organic blackberry preserves on my Lammas ritual leftovers of rosemary-infused bread loves that I sliced and turned into Serbian-style French toast for breakfast this morning for my family, I sighed with contentment. Life is more than good. And every day that I’m above ground is a very good day.

Beltane Incense Recipe

Supposedly, here in my home state of Illinois, the governor’s stay-at-home/self-quarantine order designed to curb the spread of COVID-19, an order issued on March 21, will be lifted on April 30: just in time for Beltane/May Day!

My Experiences at Paganicon 2019–Part 2: The Rituals

Whereas Part 1 in this two-part assessment of my recent Paganicon 2019 experiences detailed the workshops I attended, the objective of Part 2 is to survey the rituals I actively participated in during the three days of the festival gathering: Friday, March 22 through Sunday, March 24, 2019.

My Experiences at Paganicon 2019–Part 1: The Workshops

Have you ever had the wonderful opportunity to travel some place totally new, by yourself, for the express purpose of recharging yourself at every level–physically, mentally, emotionally, but especially spiritually? That’s precisely the kind of restorative experience I recently had at my first-ever Paganicon, which took place from March 22-24, 2019, just outside of Minneapolis.