Today’s 365 Tao, Daily Meditations by Deng Ming-Dao reads “The summer solstice is the time of greatest light. It is a day of enormous power. The whole planet is turned fully to the brilliance of the sun.”

Every year, the cycle of the seasons rolls around and we look forward to June 21st as we celebrate the Summer Solstice, which officially signals the first day of summer. The sun reaches its zenith in the sky; it is the day of longest light and the shortest night. In Ireland it is midway between the seasonal celebrations of Bealtaine and Lughnasa.

In today’s newsletter from Brigit’s Garden (perhaps my most favorite garden in all of Ireland www.BrigitsGarden.ie), it recommends that the summer solstice “is a time for lighting bonfires, leaving gifts for the fairies in your Garden and ripening and harvesting crops.”

If you aren’t able to have a bonfire, then perhaps you might grill out this evening–sit around a fire pit or chimera–or at least burn some candles. Grilled vegetables, meat, fish or fowl are wonderful accompanied by a green herb sauce made from cultivated and wild weeds gathered from the garden. (/item/63498/salsa-verde-with-wild-weeds) With all of the seasonal salad greens and herbs and edible flowers, I prepare a huge festive salad to go with the grilled entrée.

As far as the fairies are concerned–I entertain them throughout the year–they have quite a few of their own gardens here. And I hang out shiny things for them throughout the season, which often go missing, so I know that they are about.

I have been gathering late spring and early summer herbs and flowers as they ripen and have been drying them, making herb butters, and infusing them in oil. Some will go into the kitchen pantry or freezer, while others will be used in the apothecary for salves and other medicinal formulas.

In addition, Brigit’s newsletter suggests: “It is also a time when the spiritual, which animates and weaves through nature, is revealed. It is at this time of year, the perceptive person will take a moment to look inwards and strengthen resolve as we begin to head towards the darker months.”

I will reflect today on our Mother Earth, the pull of the sun and moon and how it affects our growing season and the plants that we lovingly tend. I am so happy to be a gardener–without the sun’s radiant energy we would not have plants-so today I give thanks for the light, the warmth and the abundance of the season.

According to the Brigit’s Garden web site https://www.brigitsgarden.ie/news/42/58/When-is-the-Summer-Solstice, here are some Summer Solstice traditions: “The Summer Solstice is a time for lighting fires, especially on hillsides, leaving gifts for the fairies in your Garden, making a flower crown and harvesting wild herbs for syrups, meads, salads and teas. Herbs particularly abundant in the hedgerows right now include elderflower (make a cordial), St Johnswort (infuse the flowers in olive oil for a healing ointment), marjoram (add to your savory dishes), nettles (drink me!) and wild rose (add to your Summer salads).”

How will you celebrate the Summer Solstice?