Happy Litha!
This year the holiday went much as it did the last few
years—we had a large gathering of the extended community, had a big feast
involving mountains of strawberries, the last of the rhubarb, and two roasted
pigs (and much else—I do not mean that the menu consisted of fruit and pork
alone) and all sat in a giant picnic out on the Central Field to eat and talk
and play for hours. The weather was clear and lovely, though a bit cool for
June. I don’t mind.
My brother and his family visited again, although my sister
wasn’t here this year. My nephew is now the official youngest sprout, toddling
around with the others. It’s kind of neat to know that a relative of mine is
part of the school community in that way—my own place here feels more solid now,
somehow.
Steve Bees had a guest too, I noticed. His girlfriend. I
guess they’re getting pretty serious now, since he’s introducing her to the
school, letting her in, as it were. Except he didn’t introduce her to me, so I
didn’t get to talk to her. I don’t take that personally—there were a lot of
people on campus to talk to.
At the end of the day, just before sunset, I climbed the big
pine tree I’ve climbed every year except last. I guess it’s becoming part of my
personal tradition, to get up in the air that way, to take maximum advantage of
the long, fading day. The sunset was gorgeous, and I watched from up there as
the crowds started to disperse, a lot of the extra people going home—though
most of the sprouts stayed, I saw them in the night, running around and waving
sparklers. I watched the lighting bugs come out, the first real big display of
the year. And I watched them light The Man, the Burning Man built of phragmites
stalks and grape vines and whatever other vegetable sculpting material Charlie
wanted sent off to the nether world by fire this month. He is always both
practical and spiritual, always.
And I thought about how this is my last year up in this
tree, as a novice, watching all this. I plan to come back as a candidate, but
you never know. You never know how plans will turn out.
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