This isn't a New Year's poem, but it suits my mood. I spent yesterday reflecting over my seven plus decades while walking the trails at Callaghan's Rapids Conservation Area. Then in preparation for a new year I spent time sorting through old photos of water skiing off Key Biscayne, our suburban Atlanta house, Eel Pie Island hippiedom and the Thames, my four dogs - Daisy, Winnie, LaToya and Chase, my bugeye Sprite and MGA, 1969 emulating George Harrison's look, ZenRiver Gardens poetry festivals and visiting a Georgian Bay Island to finish writing Eel Pie Island Dharma. I didn't do a solstice smudging this year. In my mid seventies sitting in the cold at midnight, wine or no wine, just isn't as appealing as it was in my mid fifties. Maybe I should have.
Winter Solstice Smudging 2005
Had a great smudging ceremony last nite, altho it's obviously more fun when a friend joins me. Stated the fire around 11 pm, & had to break a trail to the chiminea thru a foot of snow. I've gotten so good at starting winter fires, even when my wood is covered in snow, that I had the chiminea roaring in 10 minutes. Had a large, almost empty bottle of Pelee Island chiraz, & made several (many?) trips back inside to take a sip & get warm while I waited for midnite. It was by far the coldest of the 3 Solstice ceremonies so far.
At midnite I did my usual ritual ringing in the 4 points of the compass, & got to use my spiffy new Tibetan bell - great strong sound! Then smudged in incense & rich smoke from the white pine boughs I collected on Monday's hike. When I awoke this morning it took a second or 2 to realize the great smoky aroma was in my hair :) Always feel refreshed & purified after the Solstice ceremony. When I looked out the window at noon all the trees were covered in white hoarfrost!
smudge smoke in my hair
hoarfrost on every tree
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