I have made several attempts over this month to sit down and write some observations about the month of August and now it’s the very last day. Better late than never.
Lughnasa as this month of year was called in ancient times was one of the most important festivals of the year. A time of gathering together and celebrating the hard work of the summer and the start of the harvest season. Mountains were climbed in veneration of the god Lu who lends his name to the festival. Dancing merriment and feasting were also associated as well as stories and legends.
There is a stillness in August a rest after the peak growing time reached in July. It’s a quieter time, a time to observe the beginning of the autumn cycle. A crispness in the morning and a gradual change in the colour palate from green to yellow gold red and brown. Summer can stretch out and meander here but always with the promise of woollen jumpers and warm fires not far ahead. It’s a time to plan and think about preserving pickling and jam making. Jars and bottles collected over the past few months will soon be put to good use and shelves and presses will be filled with fortification for the darker months.