and so our days go by

We spent much of the day making lanterns, writing letters and preparing for a feast.
We make lanterns each year for the Winter Solstice but these lanterns have a different purpose.
During the community garden lunch last week, we decided to hold a gathering to symbolically farewell our old historic town, most of which has been or still will be demolished due to the earthquake back in February.
People need this pause; to grieve what has gone before.
With the cold descending and the long nights upon us, it is the time of the year to say goodbye and face the deep quiet of winter.
We gardeners know these things and so with the help of flames and music and silence, we will hold hands in the darkness and say goodbye.
The girls are really looking forward to it.
Sky wanted to find a way of lighting up some of the darkness and began on the lanterns in the midst of breakfast. The lanterns were her project.
Ruby has written letters, many to the demolished buildings where memories linger.
Being a girl who loves the dramatic, she will add these to the fire.
We will also each stitch a special heart to leave behind.
Inspired by Nickie at A Delight Filled Life, my plan was to make a lantern for the centre of the food table. I had planned to use modge podge for the vanishy finish but I didn't have any on hand. Instead I used standard pva to glue the leaves on and watered it down to for the couple of layers over the top.
It worked well: the effect is stunning.
If you want to watch a film illustrating the sheer desperate measures oil companies are going to in their last gasping breaths, as well as be stunned by nature's beauty, watch the film on this post.
Don't do it Canada.

1 comment:

  1. Very nice Lanterns! We look forward to getting to use ours over the winter solstice too (although mine got used last weekend).

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