Saturday, August 1st, 2020

Oh, August ---

When the Barn Flowers are in bloom, towering above the fence line in a graceful dance whenever the summer breeze decides to visit and bring along some respite from our August heat......

With the arrival of this last summer month I have been reading "Some of the Secrets of a Witch" concerning August!!!

"...the eighth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the third month of Summer's rule, derives its name from Augustus (Augustus Caesar).  

The tradition birthstone amulets of August are the peridot and the sardonyx; and the gladiolus and the poppy are the month's traditional flowers.  

August is shared by the astrological signs of Leo the Lion and Virgo the Virgin, and is sacred to the following Pagan deities:  Ceres, the Corn Mother, Demeter, John Barlleycorn, Lugh, and all goddesses who preside over agriculture.

During the month of August, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to Lammas, one of the four Grand Savvats celebrated each year by Wiccans and modern Witches throughout the world."

I thought you might like to have this info about Witchdom, as it is quite likely not common knowledge in the 'common' world we all inhabit.

A common world, and such a HOT one these days.  Each afternoon the thermometer on the front porch reaches forty degrees C, which is well over a hundred degrees F, I believe.  It feels like it, anyway.

William Blake wrote a little verse, not about August's Barn Flower, but about the summer's Sunflower...

"Ah, sun-flower, weary of time

Who countest the steps of the Sun,

Seeking after that sweet golden clime

Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the youth pined away with desire,

And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow

Arise from their graves and aspire

Where my sunflower wishes to go....

Somehow I forgot to plant sunflowers this year, but the barn flowers are quite gorgeous in their place.

Further words about August have been written by Jane Austen,  bewailing the weather "what dreadful hot weather we have - it keeps me in a constant state of inelegance".  Well, I can empathize there, - ladies in their nineties are probably not supposed to wear the things I don in the morning to protect me from the day's heat!!

I rise early, - before six o'clock while the night's coolness is still with us.  Bruce and I went out into the garden and picked golden flowers, and sweet peas to put on Charles' little memory shelf.

We have a new resident in the house, but we didn't take her with us as she is small enough to squeeze through the fence and I am not spry enough to chase after her.  She is a sweet little grey kitten (8 mos) who has made friends with Bruce. but has only been here a few days.

The white rose we planted on Callie's grave is starting to climb up the nearby fence, and between that and the new kitty (Minnie) we keep her in our hearts....

Minnie is also proving herself to be a dear companion in the loom room, - climbing all over the Glimakra and peering down at me from its height.  We are making a mohair blanket on the loom, - a very slow process and one I shall be pleased to finally finish.

I don't have a picture, except for one on Facebook, but soon I shall remedy that and will post her smiling face.

In the meantime I must go and see what's in the fridge that would make a nice evening snack, and perhaps I will have a lovely cool ginger ale and brandy to finish off the afternoon!!

A few more August words from John Bohrn, Late August.

"Let me enjoy this late summer day of my heart while the leaves are still green and I won't look so close as to see that first tint of pale yellow slowly creep in.  I will cease endless running and then look to the sky ask the sun to embrace me and then hope she won't tell of tomorrows less long than today.  Let me spend just this time in the slow cooling glow of warm afternoon light and I'd think I will still have the strength for just one more last fling of my heart."