Tonight I'm going to gather with a hundred or so of my chosen family at the beach in Galveston to celebrate the solstice with drumming and dancing under the full moon for a few hours.

I can't think of a better way to spend a hot summer evening in Texas!

That sounds so fun! I have a friend who does the same thing in Northern California.

Well, that gave me a pang of nostalgia.

Dang ! I thought this thread was going to involve using a garden hose on annoying mormons.

Down here in Aussie it's the winter solstice. I can understand why this was celebrated in Europe. It's cold at night where I live, almost freezing on clear nights, but still 22c, 72f, daytime. I am looking forward to longer days.

Oz, I'm looking forward to shorter, cooler days. I HATE the heat!

Last night was incredible. There was a crowd of at least one hundred people on the Seawall in Galveston with a cool breeze blowing off the Gulf of Mexico. All of the drummers were circled up and drumming their hearts out as the huge full moon rose over the water and the sun was setting over the city directly opposite the moon rise. Those not drumming were dancing inside the circle adding their energy.

I sat and soaked it all in surrounded by several much-loved ones and felt at peace -- a perfect evening in a not-so-perfect life -- and felt grateful for being able to just "be".

I am so jealous. I really wish DF and I could have managed the trip.

I like that idea.

That sounds cool... at least it's built on a real celestial event that's meaningful to our lives and actually affects it.

However, what if the Earth got hit by an asteroid and changed all of the celestial events?