#solstice 2022

[potions-guide]

Happy Solstice and wonderful holidays to you all! I hope you have a safe, restful one! Potions Guide and other comics will be resuming updates in January over on my main site The Alchemists Collective and ComicFury! This blog will be more for Potions Guide Q&A, because I miss doing it so feel free to ask any of the characters questions. Lots has changed but I haven’t forgotten about you guys! Thanks so much for following and sticking with my comic, it means a lot.

[hillbillyoracle]

Had big plans for Solstice but between yesterday and today it's clear I'm fighting something off.

Got my walk in, planning on taking more throughout the day. Hoping to make the cake I had planned. And then maybe I'll do a small ritual for good health.

It's supposed to be way too hot here today (94°F; humidity 60%+).

I started to chicken out with my original plan to infuse a lemonbalm honey last night when I got to thinking about the food safety risks. Might send someone out to get me a high proof alcohol to do a tincture with instead.

[phantomwarrior12]

One of my D2 buddies who is blissfully unaware of my love of Shaxx: Oh, the lore entry for the helmet has Shaxx and--

Me: *giddy girly giggle* I'm gonna go read it!

Rest of the chat: *starts laughing*

[xentari94]

So I am actually loving the new Hunter Solstice set. I think is gorgeous honestly and not too over the top. The one thing that of course pops out for me is the mohawk on the cloak. Whether it was intended or not, it’s just really nice and I can’t help but think of Cayde. So as such I am using Cayde’s Duds shader on it and it is perfect.

🥲❤️❤️

[heathergorse]

It's the summer solstice!

Its almost the Summer Solstice, as the wheel of the year turns once again. Beltane seems just a blink ago and so the solstice racing up may have caught you out, or perhaps you want to do something to mark the turning of the wheel, but rituals and the like seem too much or you just don't have the energy or the resources for them this year. If so, read on for a few ideas of marking this important moment in the year.

Litha

The solstice is also referred to in the wheel of the year as Litha, which is an Anglo-saxon word that we have JRR Tolkien to thank for popularising! Tolkien turned Litha into Lithe in his Shire Calendar and so if you're looking for something really easy to do to mark the day then you could read some Tolkien, or perhaps have a hobbity meal!

Sunrise

The Solstice is inevitably focused on that moment of sunrise and the problem about sunrise at this time of year is that its early. Really, really early. So early its basically late. You don't necessarily have to get up for sunrise where you are though, you can mark the solstice on YouTube before you've even gone to bed (if you're in the States) with this live stream from the king of all ancient sites, Stonehenge. Coverage starts at 11pm EST on Monday 20th June, so get comfortable and celebrate the solstice live from Stonehenge!

The solstice day bottle

I believe that each day can be filled with enchantments, if we only look for them, but some days definitely make it easier than others, like the summer solstice! You can capture and preserve a little of that Enchantment with a small bottle or jar.

This is one I did for Ostara this year, collecting daffodil petals, and it reminds me of their beguiling beauty and magic each time I see it, so why not do the same for the solstice?

Get outside and collect a few growing things from the day, it doesn't need to be a special container, any sealable bottle or jar will do, just keep it small; remember when collecting anything from wild flowers think bee, not me.

You could add petals, leaves, seeds and berries, anything that captures your eye when you're outside and feels full of the enchantments of solstice.

Keeping it small will also make it easier for you to display somewhere that will remind you of the days of the sun as the year turns back towards darkness now. That way you'll always have an enchanted memory of the day to remind you.

Make a flower crown

If you have more time available and access to flowers you can safely take or have permission to take, you could make a flower crown. No need for tools or crazy floristry skills, you can make a flower crown entirely out of flowers, watch the video below for inspirations and how to.

As always when working with flowers outside, think bee, not me. Don't strip out all of one type of flower, just take a very few of lots of different types at most.

Alternatively, you could make a crown out of purchased flowers!

Visit your tree or pick one

Did you pick a favourite tree like I suggested at Beltane? If so solstice is a great day to visit it! Spend time with your friend, notice how their colours and shapes have changed, press a hand and be grateful or give them a hug if you can. Tell them anything you want to, but especially remember to tell them how wonderful they are. Do they have something to say to you? Remember to listen!

Don't have a favourite tree yet? Then solstice is a great day to pick one! Choose one that is local so you can seem them often and when you do find out all you can about what type of tree they are. Find out all you can about your new friend.

Eat seasonal food

Seasonal food is a great way to mark the solstice and the days of abundance to come, as the first seasonal fruits and vegetables are often appearing about now. What are they near you? Strawberries? New potatoes? Corn on the cob?

Whatever they are you can celebrate the solstice by making them a part of your solstice meal. You are eating what was made by sun and soil, the celestial and the earth connected together. What a great day to celebrate that!

Go outside!

There really is no stop on the wheel of the year that is more outside than the summer solstice; it's the very longest day of the year, that's about as outsidey as its going to get all year.

If you're able and you have no other resources, simply go outside, find a patch of green and pause. Feel the sun. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Be grateful for the moment. It doesn't take any more than that to simply mark this point on the wheel of the year.

[publiusmaximum]

I am posting this at 1:47pm PST, 21 December 2022. It is the exact moment of solstice.

We've made it through the longest dark.

Blessed be.

[every-captain]

Just reset my altar since December is tomorrow, but I also went through and sorted/organized all the random fucking dried herbs and flowers that I have been collecting for the last 6 years I've lived in Illinois.

This is a FRACTION of what I have in boxes back in my home state (I miss my books and all my good witchy stuff so much) but it felt good to have a whole jar just full of yellow rose petals for example lol.

Hope everyone's looking forward to a cozy winter season.

[i-do-trash-fanfictions]

Thera isn't someone who's really enthusiastic when meeting someone even her friends, like running up to wrap them in a hug kind of deal. But with Eva Lavante? Oh my gosh Thera will get so excited when she's on her way to the Tower and she knows Eva Lavante is there. Like with Solstice this year the second she transmatted into the Tower she outstretched her arms and exclaimed "EVA!" And just ran to go hug her. Because the only time she sees her is when a holiday comes around so she gets so happy to see her. Eva to Thera is like that favorite grandma or other family member you only see on family reunions. Even back when Thera was kind of mute she would still crack a rare smile and hug her.

And they always take a day to catch up where they'll just sip tea and talk about what's been going on, how Ann is doing, and if they've tried any new recipes lately. Thera always looks forward to seeing her.