The Sun of Midsummer

The Midummer Solstice -

Here the time has come for the Midsummer solstice, a much celebrated period of time, during the longest day of the year. It's very scientific and astronomical. Many people celebrate it, particularly us pagans who worship the earth and the sky. It's a time for making rites and honour the life force of the sun, the powerful goddess of the sky. The sky mother. Sunna, as I call Her.

So what really is the Summer Solstice? Without going into details about myths and legends, I could point out that the sun itself has a position or we on the planet are positioned, around facing the sun full on. It's regarded as being the arc of the sun positioned around us, like a glowing ribbon. For some information on this, and to see graphics, visit the sites here:
Solstice
Summer Solstice

Midsummer's Eve is a much recognised holiday in parts of Europe. William Shakespeare wrote the famous play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" about the marriage of a man and woman, with lovers and fairies around the main figures. In "Lord of the Rings" the hero weds the elf princess on Midsummer. It's considered the time of the Oak King, the light one, in Celtic lore. Feast of Epona, the horse goddess, and the celebration of Vesta, goddess of fire, with many other fire festivals across Europe. The Scandinavians once used trees to decourate and dance around for fertility rites during the Summer Solstice. Not forgetting the most famous symbols of the solstices: the megaliths! Stonehenge always attracts visitors during the solstice.   

For some information: The Summer Solstice holiday 2011

Picture is "Midsummer Eve" by Edward Hughes

Pearl - Wolf of June

The birthstone of June is the Pearl. For those who were born in June, it's considered a "lucky charm" to wear pearls or the pearl to represent their birth month. Some realise that birthstones themselves are not always the same as the zodiac, which are seperate. There are zodiacal stones as well as birthstones.

Zodiacal stones

For those who were born in the month of June the Pearl is the traditional birthstone. The June birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Pearl is associated - loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the June Birthstone Pearl are modesty, chastity and purity. The healing properties of the June birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the heart, spleen, stomach, intestine & ulcer problems. The Pearl is also used to enhance personal integrity.

This information comes from this site: June Birthstones from Birthstones

The "Pearl Wolf" might as well be the totem for this month, whoever was born in June, whether is is those born under Gemini (21 May - 21 June) or those born under Cancer (22 June - 22 July). Now this is my interpretation.

June born Gemini people are fun but phony.
June born Cancer people are loving but heavy.

June is the time of the Summer solstice and other celebrations, including modern ones like Father's Day. June has the longest daylight hours of the year. The month "June" was named after the Roman goddess Juno, and Her Greek counterpart Hera.

Another gemstone for June is the Moonstone.

June Birthstones from Bernadine

The above picture is "Wolf's Cry" by artist Manthos Lappas.