Monday, September 22, 2008

The Beginning of Fall

So today is the autumn equinox or the ushering in of fall. :-) There is a chill in the air this morning, but then we didn’t have such a warm summer this year here anyway. It’s a funny thing though, yesterday as we said goodbye to summer, it was one of the warmer, sunny days that we have had in a long time. Saturday was sunny too. As Brit Boy said, at least we got summer at the very end. :-) It was a beautiful weekend. And we got a bonus today too because it is sunny and beautiful outside right now.

I was doing a little research about the autumn equinox and I found that apparently on this day, at every point on Earth, there are twelve hours of darkness and twelve hours of daylight. And in the South Pole and North Pole, there will be changes. Those cute penguins in the South Pole will be celebrating the first appearance of the sun in six months. While in the North Pole, polar bears will be readying themselves for six months of darkness that is coming. So there is a lot of transition going on in nature on this day and we are all carried along for the ride.

Here in Wiltshire, down at Stonehenge, on both equinoxes and both of the solstices, the Druids and others go to the site and are allowed to go close to the stones and welcome the new season with their ceremonies. I have never witnessed it myself, but it sounds very interesting. Here’s a video that I found of part of their procession in the past. You can hear the wind in this video a lot. It has always been very windy down at Stonehenge, every time I have visited the site in the past.



On the days leading up to the ceremonies, Brit Boy and I have gone down on the way to Salisbury, past Avebury, which is another site with stones, and they are usually getting themselves ready for visitors too. So it’s always a busy time around this part of Wiltshire.

Happy Autumn, Happy Fall, Happy days to all!

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh how I'd love to be there! Thanks for the video!

Unknown said...

That seems like something worth experiencing. Do you have plans to attend in the future? Seems like we are both in the Fall frame of mind.

Anonymous said...

Hey...thank you for the video. What an experience.

I do love Fal. The leaves here in Alabama are just starting to turn.

Dori said...

Breeni Books,
Yeah, it seems like it would be so fun. I'm glad you liked the video. They keep coming up with more and more new info in the news here about the age of Stonehenge or what it may have been used for. It is constantly revealing itself. :)

Mekhismom,
It does seem cool. I am hoping that we can get down there hopefully for the one in the spring. I think it would be so cool to do it during that natural time of renewal. And yeah, I love Fall. It and Spring are my favorites. :-)

Tammy,
I'll bet that the view at your place there in Alabama near the mountains is just gorgeous when Fall comes.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful video - thank you!

I'm not sure I should be admitting to this even now... but it was 20 years ago, when my daughter was a freshman in high school. Maybe the statute of limitations is up - if that even applies on your side.

My daughter travelled with her choral group to England for an exchange concert. While she was there, they visited stonehenge.

And she brought Mommy home a rock.

From Stonehenge.

Even now, I think of the Chevy Chase movie where his vacationing family backs into the site and knocks it down, and I cringe.

Oh, dear.

I still have the rock.
It was too far for me to demand that she "take it back!"

The Silver Age Sara said...

It's a beautiful day here too which makes it even more lovely because it will be bitter cold soon.
I loved learning about the 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of sunlight and thinking about all the animals.
I got to visit Stonehenge many, many years ago and it was one of the highlights of my life. How lucky you are to live in England and thanks for sharing the video with us.

Elizabeth Harper said...

Nice bit of research John said...I just read your post aloud to him and he said most people don't know the part about the 12 hours of daylight and 12 of darkness.

I myself enjoyed the video. We stopped at Stonehenge back in May. It was sunny then too.

Gypsy at Heart said...

I'm so glad you got to enjoy such a pretty day. And thank you so much for teaching me about the equinox. I had no idea Dori. The Druid ceremony sounds like a whole lot of interesting fun. Someday I shall have to experience it. Until then, you enjoy for me.

Anonymous said...

Dori,
Thanks for the education. Very interesting. It was so windy, I could feel the breeze right here in Atlanta.

I'm curious to see and hear what happens during the ceremony.

Anonymous said...

oh no I've missed the fun! Planning to visit Stonehenge next month whilst visiting a friend living in Wiltshire. Oh well never mind. The area is very beautiful anyway it always takes my breath away:)

Unknown said...

Thanks!

I've always wanted to go to Stonehenge at the equinox, but never had the chance.

Who knows....

Lidian said...

Dori - That is a great video, thanks for posting it. It's cooler than usual here in Canada too, after a very rainy summer.

Jewelry Rockstar said...

Thanks for the equinox education. I share this my daughter, and she'll think I'm smart:)

Dori said...

Karen,
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. I laughed out loud when I read your story about your Stonehenge rock. :-) That is a funny story and I did love that Chevy Chase movie. LOL.

Mountain Woman,
It is cool to think about how nature affects all of us and the animals like that. It always just amazes me more about our world. :)

Elizabeth,
I'm glad that you and John enjoyed my post and the video. I thought the 12 hours of daylight and darkness was cool too. :)

Gypsy at Heart,
Yeah, I hope that we can go and enjoy the ceremony in the spring and I will tell all about it if we do go. And I hope you can experience it too someday. :)

Jacqueline,
I am intrigued by the ceremony too. I hope that we can go. From what I know they go there early in the morning and welcome the sun and celebrate in other ways. I am so hoping that we can go and I can get a firsthand experience. I will definitely share if we do. :)

Finally Woken,
I hope you really enjoy your trip to Wiltshire. It is a lovely place and Somerset is beautiful too. Have a great time!

Laane,
I hope you get to experience it someday soon. :)

Lidian,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. I think we shared the same summer in Canada and the UK. :)

Jewelry Rockstar,
I hope you enjoy sharing this with your daughter. :)

Audrey said...

Doesn't it feel like it's darker for MORE then 12 hours? I've lived here for 14 years now and I'm always amazed how suddenly the light seems to change from summer to winter and back again.

Dori said...

Audrey,
I agree. It does seem like a curtain drops immediately in the afternoons and it is dark here. My hubby and I were just saying that it seems that the very next day after the equinox you could already see the change in seasons. When I first moved here, it surprised me that at 4pm it was already nearly dark. :)

Karen ^..^ said...

This was absolutely beautiful. It made me so homesick for upstate NY where I lived during my formitive years.

I wish I were living somewhere where we had seasons, and so I could smell that delicious snap in the air when the seasons changed.

Beautiful post! Enjoy your autumn, and all the jewel toned colors the world brings for free, for our enjoyment and awe.

The Fitness Diva said...

This is absolutely the most gorgeous time of the year, with all the fall colors. The only thing that rivals it are some of the snow covered scenes of winter.
I also love that the fall seems to calm everything and everyone back down a little bit... and it's usually well needed!
Nice post! :)

*lynne* said...

oohhhh what I'd give to be able to walk among the Stonehenge stones! I visited once in '95, and I swear I felt the ley line vibrations :)

Dori said...

Karen,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm so glad you liked my post. Autumn is my absolute favorite...so much color. You have a wonderful autumn too. :)

Fitness Diva,
I'm so glad you enjoyed my post. You are right, it seems that this time of the year is when we regroup. I really love it. Thanks for visiting me. :)

Lynne,
Yeah, I think that it would be so cool to go close to the stones since they are roped off the rest of the time. I hope that we get to go down there in the Spring to see the ceremony. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Anonymous said...

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i learned how to make my blog more interactive and more on content. thanks.
can we be friends?
jaky

Dori said...

Jaky Astik,
You are so kind in your praise and I thank you so much. I am humbled by it. :) I'm glad that you enjoyed my site. I liked yours too. And to answer your question, sure, let's be friends. :)

Margaret said...

Thanks for the video. Stonehenge and Avebury are on list of sites I'll be visiting with my department. I can't wait!

Dori said...

Margaret,
I hope that you enjoy visiting both. They are truly favorites of mine. :-) Enjoy your adventure!