by Edward Atkinson Hornel & George Henry
Now is the solstice of the year
Winter is the glad song that you hear
Seven maids move in seven time
Have the lads up ready in a line
Join together ‘neath the mistletoe,
By the holy oak whereon it grows
Seven druids dance in seven time
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming
Praise be to the distant sister sun,
Joyful as the silver planets run
Seven maids move in seven time
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming
Ring out these bells
Ring out, ring solstice bells
Ring solstice bells
~ Ian Anderson
♫ (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) ♫
I saw your comment over at Eliza’s blog, then I came over here to see what you chose for solstice. Happy solstice to you, and hope you experience warmth and comfort from your family and friends during your first winter holidays without dear Tim.
Thank you so much, Karma. My winter holidays were as warm and comforting as you had wished for me, especially having my dear sister here with me, who I hadn’t seen in two and a half years!
Sending you light and love on the Winter Solstice.
(I’m going to have to google the significance of all of those 7s)
Thank you, my friend. I found this about the 7 gifts of Druidry online and am curious about what you might have found.
https://druidry.org/druid-way/what-druidry/the-seven-gifts
Wishing you and your family love and light as we move towards a new dawn, turning the corner to a new year. 🙏🏼 💙 🫶
Thank you so much, Eliza. Wishing you and your precious loved ones the same, always. 🙏🏼 💙
I hadn’t heard this song before, so thank you for sharing it. There’s something somewhat mystical about the winter solstice … particularly when it kicks off such an unusually warm spell here. One can only hope the worst of winter has passed (though we know how much longer Old Man Winter hangs around!)
The song is off one of my favorite vinyl albums, Songs from the Wood by Jethro Tull, which came out way back in 1977! It’s full of mystical songs about the woods and the seasons, and now that I found it on Spotify I’m listening to it often once again. I hope your winter turns out to be a mild one!
Blessed Alban Arthan to you!
Thank you, Elisa! I hope your Yule was blessed, too!
This was something new for me Barbara, so thank you for sharing it with us. I know that Winter officially arrived this morning around 10:00 a.m., but it has been feeling like Winter here since Thanksgiving. On the bright side, starting Monday, we gain more daylight, even just a few seconds, but we’re slowly creeping toward Spring (a very happy thought indeed).
I was a Jethro Tull fan in my wild teens but this song is from one of the group’s more mellow albums. The sun is setting later and later down here, but the sunrise is stuck at 7:27 am. I’m sure it will be getting earlier soon, though. It feels like winter temperature-wise, but no hint of snow, of course.
Funny, I can’t tell you one Jetro Tull song. 🙂 I read the other day that we gain 50 minutes of daylight for the month of January as a result of the Winter Solstice. I’ll give you some of our snow if you’d like – it snowed this evening and another one or two inches of snow is expected Sunday night into Monday. We will, however, be 54 degrees next Friday (if that makes any sense) – perhaps I will be able to put in an appearance at the Park as I’ve not been there since Friday, December 26th due to all the ice, plus very gusty winds.
Not even Aqualung? It was their best-selling album which came out in 1971. It was a blend of hard rock and acoustic – I always liked how Ian Anderson incorporated the flute into rock songs.
I know it’s hard to enjoy snow when it comes along with that treacherous ice. My grandchildren went to CT over the holidays to see their other grandparents and they got snow! They were so happy to go sledding with their grandfather – Finn was still talking about it yesterday. 🙂
No, no not “Aqualung” either. How did I miss all of this great music Barbara? I might have still been buying 45s in 1971 and I had a transistor radio and a small phonograph player in my bedroom – hopefully the latter came with ear plugs as I don’t see playing it otherwise. I only used the transistor with an ear plug.
We’re getting more freezing drizzle tonight into Monday and early Tuesday morning. It’s been awful since Thanksgiving. That’s exciting about your grandchildren enjoying the snow. I think Connecticut got a lot of snow if I remember correctly. You and I have discussed enjoying the snow when we were young. I fondly remember making snow forts in the front yard and tobogganing with my pals.
Very cool and interesting painting you found on the Seven Druids, Barbara! Nice combination.
Leaning into the next cycle with nature.
Thanks, Teri! I’ve been wanting to use that song for solstice for years but only found the perfect painting last summer. Looking forward to Groundhog Day now. 🙂
Peace be with you, Barbara, on this Christmas Day 💙🎄
Thank you, Teri. I hope you and Yorkie had a peaceful Christmas, too. 🎄♡