They stand in a circle on the hilltop, arms outstretched, heads tilted back, palms and faces raised to the sky. The sun hangs directly overhead and, for this moment in time, not moving, sends the full force of solar energy pouring down on those who stand below. Their hands and faces drink the light and heat, absorb the rays, establish the connection from which they will draw energy for the next six months.

This is the moment of the Summer Solstice, the moment (in the Northern hemisphere) when the position of the sun, in relationship to the earth is farthest north from the equator. It is the moment of most light, the moment when light rules the world. Tomorrow the sun will turn his face away, just a little, and begin his journey south. Even though it is the height of summer (mid-summer, in fact) the days will begin to shorten again beginning tomorrow. So today we celebrate as our brothers and sisters have since always. From Stonehenge to Teotihuacan, in every ancient culture, our ancestors honored the Lord of Light and the growth of his seed in the Goddess as they lifted up their hearts in celebration of the fertility of the Earth and the wonder of life.

This is the time when the Oak King falls and transfers his power to the Holly King who will now reign until the Winter Solstice, when the Oak King will return. It is a time to build fires on the hilltops to honor the Sun, to dance and sing and spread joy and be filled with the light of love. It is a time of sweetness, of playfulness, of divination, and passion.

"Solstice" is Latin for "sun stands still." The event is so named because at the time when the sun has traveled to its northernmost point, it appears to the naked eye as though it is stationary in its journey. From this point we begin the march to Winter and the dark times, but not yet, not today. Today the sun is life-giving, apples and berries are galloping towards ripeness, and the harvest is still ahead.

The Fairies at Fairy Woodland have strung hammocks everywhere and we find them lounging and dreaming at all times of the day and night. Seeds have sprouted, fawns have been born, baby birds have pecked their way out of their eggs, and the sun has found its highest point in the swing of the pendulum, so there is a brief time for the Fairies to relax. Once the forces of life have been set in motion and given the food and guidance to grow, the Fairies can rest for a bit, knowing that some things take care of themselves. Soon the harvest will begin and there will be much work to do but for now, it's time to soak up the sun, absorb the warmth, spread gossamer wings, splash in sparkling waters, and dance in the long summer nights.

The Fairies will gladly abandon their hammocks to accompany us to the 2007 FaerieWorlds Festival happening July 21 & 22 just outside of Eugene, Oregon. They are extremely excited to gather with so many other Fairies and Fairy Friends for a weekend of music, laughter, and high play. If you will be or can be in the area, please make plans to join us and, if you are planning to be there and don't yet have tickets, word is the festival is close to selling out so don't wait to buy tickets at the door because there may not be any available. We'll have a big booth and would love to have you visit us there.
Find out all about it here.

Also, for those of you on the East Coast, we'll be at FaerieCon, the International Faerie Convention, in Philadelphia, October 12-14. In fact, we've been asked to build a Fairy Village for the event. Look for more information on theFaerieCon website soon. The gathering promises to be an exciting experience with many well-known Fairy artists and wonderful events.

Whether dreaming in a hammock or sitting around a ceremonial hilltop fire, this is also a wonderful time to tell stories. For those of you who haven't read it on the website, we want to share with you the legend of

As the early morning mists take a deep breath and lift from the mossy village trails, the music begins. First, bells, a rolling, silver, tinkle, drifting on the winds; then the haunting, dancing, song.of a flute. The musician this morning is the Master Bard and chief memory keeper. He has greeted the day with his flute and the evening with his tales since the village was first settled. He sits on a small stool next to the well, in the center of the village, his friend the Great Blue Heron perched above him. As the last notes of the Morning Song drift away with the breeze, the Heron utters a raucous squawk and launches himself into the dawn.

This is the Enchanted Fairy Village of Filaree which rests at the edge of the cloud veil that hovers just beyond the reach of most human consciousness. When the Master Bard first settled here in his youth, his human friends often strolled across the bridge and met him at the well. Together, they listened to the songs sung by the enchanted waters of the well and learned tales of the history of Earth and stars, of the birth of Fairy and humankind. They sang the songs of dawn or dusk, studied animal languages and medicinal herbs, and debated ideas over tea.

For many generations of human lives, the friendship with Faerie continued. Then came a time of forgetting, when new generations of humans were more concerned with the events of their world than with the wisdom of Faerie. After a while, only the Druids and other followers of magic were able to find the bridge and the Land of Faerie retreated further and further into the mists of the Otherworld. The Fairies of the Village of Filaree, who had lived closest to the border, fought to stay near the human world they loved. They consulted the Spirits of the spring that fed the well and together they enchanted the village, allowing it to remain at the edge of the mists, just a blink of an eye from their human friends.

They have kept a few of the pathways open, daily making the journey between worlds to care for the Earth and all her children, whether green, furred, feathered, finned, or human. They always believed the day would come when humans would again seek the ways of magic; when they would again believe in the existence of Faerie.

Is that day here? The Fairies of Filaree believe the time has come. So they are sending reflections of their Village out into the human world, to act as anchors for the ancient connections between the two realms. If we believe, if we give them a home in our world, if we recognize their faces in the trees, their voices on the winds, they will show us the way forward into the magic of Faerie in our time.

The Fairy Houses of Filaree are available only from authorized Fairy Woodland retailers. (You can find a list here.) The village well, however, will now be available on our website to help the Fairies reach more humans and create pathways from the Otherworld. The well is not only the center of the village, it's also a gateway. Here's the story of the Whooshing Well:

With the first light of dawn, the Fairies of Filaree begin arriving at the well. Some come for pure, clear, water but most come like commuters to a subway station, waiting for their transportation to work. This enchanted well is not only Filaree's main source of water, it is also an express gateway through which the Fairies Whoosh to the world of humans. The underlying spring whispered its magic to the Fairies who built the village and created the well to serve as a gateway though the mists. The water itself nourishes and heals; it makes a powerful surface for seeing into the future. A few drops, when tossed on dishes or a window, will instantly clean any surface. In the water is hope, love, compassion, and curiosity. The bucket leaks so that the magical water is always shared with the earth, and the well itself has an echo - the sounds of Faerie bounce around until they find their way through the gateway into our world. Occaisonally a young Fairy will close her eyes, whisper softly, and throw a rose petal into the well. Sometimes even Fairies have wishes.

The replica of the Whooshing Well the Fairies have helped us create for use in our world comes in two versions:
1) with a solid bottom to set on a flat surface or
2) mounted on a regular mason jar rim which screws on to any size mason jar which can then be dropped into a flower pot or other container and filled with water to make a working well.

    
However you choose to follow the Queen of Summer, may she stand with you in the Sun's light, embrace you, and fill your life with her bounty.