Mabon 1999 Newsletter Editorial

Hello and welcome to another edition of the newsletter for NSW. I hope that you all had a wonderful Lughnasadh, whatever you were doing.

Did anyone manage to see the solar eclipse on the 16th February? We were out there with our bit of cardboard, with the hole in it, to watch it safely. NSW had a 56% eclipse, and Western Australia was the place to be, with a 98% annular eclipse. The sunset two days later was a blood red colour, followed by the tiny sliver of the cresent moon rising on the horizon.

As Autumn approaces get out and watch the Sun as he starts to age, and prepare to pass into the underworld for Winters rest. Our days get shorter now, and we wait for daylights saving to end.

Summer is on the way out. The cricket is nearly over, our grade final is on the weekend of the Autumn Equinox. Football pre season trials are over and we have had the first round of games for this year’s premiership - this means Winter isn’t too far away - freezing days, cool winds... We have already started to have the odd day of cold southerly’s reminding us of the changes to come. At the moment we welcome the cold southerly’s blowing up the coast, before too long the wind chill factor will increase, and we won’t be so comfortable. Ah, I love that the wheel of life is constantly turning to new seasons and experiences.

It wont be long until the leaves of Autumn grace our trees and earth. The changing colours are magnificent to look at on the liquid ambers and our wisteria will once again shed its summer shade to reveal long skinny twisting branches. The cuckoo, his mate, and their baby (yes, we saw him in our fig tree in late February, He’s small, and his head colour and tail markings have not yet fully developed, but they will have by the time Winter is over), will head north soon. We will be partially relieved to lose the noise of their calls, but will think about how they are faring and will hope to see them again in spring.

What happens on your balcony, or in your backyard during Autumn?

Blessed Be
Adrianne Harris
NSW Co-ordinator