Bread at Lughnasad

I hope that those who celebrate the first harvest festival had a wonderful day. We had a great celebration yesterday. We made bread, casting our circle and then kneading the dough with our wishes for the coming year. All present kneaded the dough as you can see here by the tiniest hands.


After the dough had risen the kids shaped a small piece of dough each and the adults ate the wheat shaped dough pictured here, along with a pentacle and a face, a dump truck (can you guess which one that is?) and an oval...kids are priceless.


Besides making bread we played outside for a while, made a corn dolly for each family, and the kids coloured some harvest/garden themed images. We also had a great lunch and feasted on our bread once it had cooled. Before eating our bread we chanted this song from Circle Round:

Bless the earth that grows the grain
Bless the water that gives us rain
Bless the wind that helps seeds spread
Bless the fire that bakes our bread

I dressed our corn dolly in a loin cloth...it seemed appropriate for Lugh somehow with the weather we've been having. Luckily it has cooled down a few degrees and with the fan on we all stayed relatively comfortable. Blessings of the first harvest to you and yours.

One for the Boys

*Image found here*

Last night I listened Druidcast's latest offering, episode 28. If you have never listened to this podcast please do. It is so inspirational and is of such a high quality. The host of Druidcast is Damh the Bard who is not only an accomplished singer/songwriter but a wonderful personality to listen to. He was kind enough to share his story called: The Horned God - An Unofficial Biography and it knocked my socks off. You can find the print version here or the audio here (scroll down to episode 28) It felt so appropriate to this time of year for me as well since Lughnasad is one of two Sabbats that I associate more with the God than the Goddess (the other being Yule). The story is legend, mixed with personal imagery and expresses a beautiful essence of manhood.
Hearing that essence in Damh's voice was moving beyond words. I see the essence of masculinity in my husband as he strives to provide for us and be authentically himself. I see it in the youth and rapid learning of my 19 month old son. I watched it for years in the physically demanding job that my father worked as a farmer, moving with the seasons and using his body to protect the animals and plant. I see it in the nurturing that emanates from my husband and our guy friends towards the gaggle of babies that encircle us. I am grateful to be surrounded by strong, gentle and silly men (as I consider being silly an important character trait).
When I contemplate the raising of the boy children in our circle I feel a massive sense of responsibility. Being a man in this day and age is not as cut and dry as it appeared to be years ago. Men receive as many mixed messages through media and society as women do. To raise an accomplished, whole and loving man is my mission. Luckily I have numerous examples around me.
Please have a listen or read The Horned God - An Unofficial Biography. It is worth your time and the virile image it conjures for the soul.