​

Litha is the festival of Midsummer.  Taking place on 20th-21st June at the Summer Solstice.

​

The sun rises earlier and sets later.  Giving us the longest day of the year, and the shortest night.  The solar year reaches its peak, and the sun’s power is at its strongest.

 

Summer Solstice celebrations are one of our oldest celebrations. Evidence of reverence to the Sun can be found among many cultures across the world.  In the UK and many other places we can find monuments, stone circles and other land features oriented so that the Midsummer sun hits a point at this specific time of year.  Before time, clocks and calendars were invented the sun and moon would have been the time keepers of the land.  The sun and moon as daily visitors would have played a huge part in daily life.

 

They do of course still play a huge part in our lives, but it is easy to forget.  Without the sun we wouldn’t have food.

 

Litha and Midsummer festivals are still one of the most widely celebrated across the world.  A time for jubilation and joy.

 

A time of abundance and growth, blossoming flowers, ripening fruits and vegetables.  A busy time for birds, bees and butterflies.  The woodland floor now offers cool shade whilst the canopy  basks in the light above.

 

In Celtic folklore it’s time for the Oak King and Holly King to pass roles. The Oak King, keeper of the waxing year (from dark to light, representing Summer) passes the reins onto the Holly King, keeper of the waning year (from light to dark, representing Winter).  Across the UK there are many Summer fetes and festivals where the character of the Green Man plays centre stage.

 

What better time to turn to nature, to celebrate and be thankful.  What will you sketch for this #seasonsketchers?

 

What abundance will you choose to capture in your sketches?  Flowers, fruit, vegetables, trees in leaf?

 

Or will you choose to honour the sun?  You could use circles as symbolism, or as a frame for your sketch. Representing the sun, the circle of life, the wheel of the year, and our interconnection with earth and its species.  Maybe you could sketch at sunrise and at sunset?

 

I’d love to know how you’re going to celebrate this important pause in the year.

​

Would you like to know more about how you can use the Wheel of the Year and Nature Journaling to connect deeper with nature where you live?  Join my Patreon membership community, where I'll go deeper into using art and the wheel of the year as a way to connect with nature and the seasons.  I provide a new tutorial every month, on nature journaling, painting, drawing, bookbinding.  As well as extra behind the scenes posts, close ups of my current nature journal, and exclusive blog posts.

 

You can also join as a supporter to help fund the #seasonsketchers project,  the content I provide here and on Instagram.  Monthly or as a one off.

 

Click on the link here or image below to find out more.