Mary Oliver – We Are All Meant to Shine!

“Tell me what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”

The summer solstice took place this weekend and the above reading of the poem The Summer Day by Mary Oliver seemed so fitting for this weeks Mojo Monday. Ahhh summer. It may not be just like it was when we were children and had summers off from school. Except for the school teachers out there, most of us work through the summer, taking vacations here and there. Maybe we go tent camping or travel to lakes, oceans and rivers and stay in cabins or resorts.

Did you celebrate the Summer Solstice? Did you do happen to do anything special that day?

My first day of summer was partially spent at nearby Whiskeytown Lake, a favorite place to relax, swim and play with the family and friends.

In the early evening we headed over to partake of some of the Sundial Bridges’ 10th Anniversary celebration. On the solstice there was a flash mob dance to the song Happy right on the bridge at 6:45 pm. That was then followed a couple of hours later by an astounding performance by Bandaloop on the Sundial Bridge. They performed their aerial dances to the accompaniment of a local orchestra.

Last night watching these amazing athletic sky dancers perform, while local musicians played skillfully I felt in awe, of not only where I get to live, but the ingenuity and creativity of us humans. It was a perfect evening and I felt inspired and happy that it is summer. While I don’t get the summer off, there will be regular lake trips, outdoor water aerobics at the local aquatic center, growing veggies in our garden, the wedding of a dear friend, a trip to Ashland with my hubby to see a play and a family camp trip to the coast. I find myself wanting to soak up all the goodness around me and simply marinate in it.

What summertime happenings bring you happiness? Do you have any special summer plans?

Here are a few videos from the Bandaloop performance. I wanted to share as it truly was a beautiful thing to witness.

Here is a video showing the first performance by three Bandaloop dancers. This video captured the whole performance.

This next video is the second performance with four Bandaloop dancers who dropped from the top of the dial. This video capture a portion of the performance.

This final video was the grand finale featuring the woman in white and the dramatic long white scarf that floated and danced against the darkened sky so very beautifully.

Wishes for a summer of love.

In closing, consider this
rephrased question taken from Mary Oliver:

Tell me what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious summer?

Autumn Beauty Collage - photos by Michelle Fairchild — Autumn Beauty Collage – photos by Michelle Fairchild

I find beauty and things to delight me in every season. Our natural world is an artists dream. Just look around and you can see how Autumn knows how to put on a show. She is vivid and rich, the hues of yellow, orange and red sometimes shocking even in their glory.

Already this season our family of four, while on a weekend jaunt out of town, stopped in Suisun City at Larry’s Produce. I am almost reluctant to share about it publicly, thinking it might be better to keep it a secret. The market is already a wonderful place to pick up produce during the late spring and summer months, but it becomes even more festive in my eyes in the fall when the pumpkins, squash and gourds arrive. Here is a sample of the delights to be had at the outdoor market.

Larry's Produce - Photos by Michelle Fairchild — Larry’s Produce – Photos by Michelle Fairchild

Living in Northern California in a more rural area there are also farms that transform into festive destinations in the month of October. Just this past Friday I went on a field trip with my daughters 2nd grade class to a local farm where we went on a train ride, a wagon ride, picked pumpkins right off the vines, bounced on a trampoline, shot corn cobs out of air cannons, wandered through a corn maze and watched little piggies race.

Hawes Farm - photos by Michelle Fairchild — Hawes Farm – photos by Michelle Fairchild

Not only are the images about Autumn stunning, but so can be the words of writers who wax poetic about this season and its golden abundance. Here are some delightful reads for you to enjoy.