Best Wishes for all to enjoy a "SIGNIFICANT SOLSTICE!"

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Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 21, 2013 - 11:50am PT
Ours started with new snow overnight on Heidi's Solstice Lingam.

We walked out for photos this morning and were so taken with the beauty of the scene, that we had to sing a little Solstice carol.

(Sung to O Tannenbaum)

O Solstice Lingam,
O Solstice Lingam,
How lovely are thy basaltic rugosities.


mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Dec 21, 2013 - 11:57am PT
Thanks a milllennnium, Fritz und Heidi.

Be here snow.
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 21, 2013 - 01:18pm PT
We will be attending a Sostice Bonfire event. Here's a photo from last year.


Doesn't look like it's a jump-over for luck in the coming year sort of bonfire.
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Dec 21, 2013 - 06:32pm PT

I'm with my significant on the Solstice!
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Dec 21, 2013 - 06:45pm PT
I am going upstairs to shoot the evening sun going into its pocket, as my sister said it. She learned that at Campfire Girls.

I learned this I forget how long ago,
But it was before the grass grew
But after the wind started blowing.

Hirddydd da i chi
Hirddydd da i chi
Berthynas ddaear a'r lleuad annwyl hirddydd da
Hirddydd da i chi

I learned it first in the tongue of the People, my son, but have given it my best shot in a decent Celtic tongue, that of the West of the Isle, the Welsh.

Are you hungry, my sun?
Mark Sensenbach

climber
CA
Dec 21, 2013 - 10:05pm PT
Have a nice solstice. Something was a little special today.
Gilroy

Social climber
Bolderado
Dec 21, 2013 - 10:13pm PT
I relish the thought that the days are lengthening. Heading out into the hills 'round here tomorrow searching for clues. I won't be disappointed if I'm disappointed.

Cagey
MisterE

climber
Dec 21, 2013 - 10:32pm PT
My significant solstice was getting debt-free this morning.

A fresh start to go with the longer days this year.

I always try to do some kind of cleansing this day each year.

Happy Solstice everyone!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Dec 22, 2013 - 03:35am PT
I didn't die or destroy my truck when the vehicle from the side road decided it would merge and turn into me and my lane without understanding the laws of physics.
MisterE

climber
Dec 22, 2013 - 08:47am PT
^^Randishi:

http://www.miltontimmons.com/SolsticeandChristmas.html
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2013 - 05:01pm PT
The Solstice bonfire event we went to with our old climbing buddy Stein Sitzmark, was well attended and featured a large piece of Ephemeral Art that became the bonfire. A group of local artists and artisans put on the event as an annual rural community get together.

Children, dogs, adults, and even old climbers were all made welcome at no charge.

First we headed west on gravel roads into a Significant Sunset that quickly became fog & darkness.


Then, when we were starting to doubt our location, we found a key-clue in the fog.

A short drive later we found the gateway.

Heidi & Fritz in front of the Ephemeral art-piece. Temp was about 20F. and we each had 5 layers of clothing on our upper bodies.

Sorry, but I have to do some "honey-dos."

Party & Bonfire photos to follow!
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Dec 22, 2013 - 05:25pm PT
Fascinating link Mr E. cheers.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Dec 22, 2013 - 05:53pm PT
The Norwegian word for Christmas is "Jul". "Jul" is a word that survived the change of religion. The English word Christmas and the German word Weinachten are new words. In a book written around year 700 (Beda's chronicle) "Jul" is written as "Geola". "Geola" took place in Desember and January. This is in accordance with what is found at Iceland where the "jule"-month is called "ylir". "Ylir" covers 2,5 months around solstice.

The origin of the word "jul" is not known. Some think the origin is the word "hjul" (wheel) - the sun turning. Another explanation is that the word means "feast" - a feast in the middle of the winter with a "vinterblot" - the sacrifice of people and horses to the gods.

Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2013 - 08:34pm PT
We thought "the burn" was going to happen at 7:00 PM, and arrived around 6:00 PM. It turned out that 8:00 PM was the burn start, so we had two-hours to stand around, renew old friendships, and meet some new interesting folks, while slowly-----getting colder.

Here's a photo a friend took of the top of the art project while it was still light. It was about 30-35 feet tall.


The organizers had provided and kept stoked with wood, three "art-burning" barrels. They were a hit!


A side view reveals the endowment the artists gave the art project.
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 22, 2013 - 10:06pm PT
DMT! Thank you for the "Thank-You!!"

I will admit to worshipping certain significant mountains & rivers----and maybe an occasional special rock or tree, but I think most folks at the Ephemeral Art Event did not consider themselves Pagans.



It was just a fun Holiday Party for folks in the rural-community, and best of all: no organizer made a speech, and no-one asked us to pray--------or to do anything else.

However! Good looking women brought around platters of yummy cookies and even bountious amounts of Baklava!




Soooooo


Eventually the crowd drew back and two organizers with torches lit the "art-project." We had been clued in that the figure was loaded with fireworks & other flammables.

The mixing table! We were warned away from it, when we first arrived.


Once the flames were going, then another organizer shot a flaming arrow into the upper part of the figure. (we are in Idaho, you know.)

As the figure starting really burning, the areas saturated with “special” liquids burned in different colors, and as the flames reached the upper body, fireworks started erupting from the figure.

Once the flames reached the hands, each digit was full of Roman Candles.
As the upper-part of the “art-figure” burned, a metallic face was revealed, and the inner structure was seen to be all welded iron.
That, of course, did not burn, but the face slowly sagged.


Then!

Having missed dinner, and knowing the single-lane, with turnouts, gravel road to the nearest restaurant would be slow-going-------we got out!

If it was a Pagan event----it must have worked! The sun rose this morning and spring is on the way!


I do think community events like these are best kept small!
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2013 - 10:36am PT
Bump for the morning crew. This vanished off the front page very quickly last night.

thebravecowboy

Social climber
Colorado Plateau
Dec 23, 2013 - 10:46am PT
super-rad Fritz. looks like a good way to make it through these long-ass nights.
Fritz

Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 17, 2014 - 06:30pm PT

It's time for another SIGNIFICANT SOLSTICE celebration for 2014.

I am so looking forward to the turn-around day, when the sun starts coming back to warm our favorite Northern Hemisphere places.

We put Solstice lights up on the Inukshuks last week.





Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Dec 21, 2014 - 06:40pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
crankster

Trad climber
Dec 21, 2014 - 06:44pm PT
Thanks, Fritz. You're one of he good ones.
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