same to you small_ruminant. full moon tonight!

And here is a version of Lord of the Dance that is different from the one we sang in the Episcopal masses when I was growing up.

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun;
I was called from the darkness by the song of the earth,
I joined in the singing and she gave me birth.

(chorus)
Dance, then, wherever you may be!
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I'll lead you on, wherever you may be,
I will lead you all in the Dance, said he!

I sleep in the kernel and I dance in the rain,
I dance in the wind, and through the waving grain,
And when you cut me down, I care nothing for the pain --
In Spring I'll be Lord of the Dance again!

I see the maidens laughing as they dance in the sun,
I count the fruits of the of the harvest, one by one;
I know the storm is coming, but the grain is all stored,
So I sing of the dance of the Lady and the Lord.

We dance ever slower as the leaves fall and spin
And the sound of the Horn is the wailing of the wind;
The Earth is wrapped in stillness and we move in a trance,
but we hold on fast to our faith in the dance.

The sun is in the south and the days lengthen fast,
And soon we'll sing for the winter that is past,
Now we light the candles and rejoice as they burn,
and Dance the dance of the sun's return.

They cut me down, but I leap up high!
I am life that will never, never die.
I'll live in you and you'll live in me --
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he!

The moon in her phases and the tides of the sea,
the movement of Earth, and the seasons that will be
Are rhythm for the dancing and a promise through the years --
The Dance goes on through joy and tears.

*dances naked under the moon with bells on his heels*

Way too cold for that here. I spent solstice evening on the beach but wore 2 pairs of pants, 2 sweaters, a knit hat and a scarf and was still cold.

/me suspected this would bring jonmc's naked self out of hiding.

...and MARS! Don't forget to watch for it close to the full moon tonight (all over the globe.) (Your last chance to see it this bright till 2016.)

I wish I were able to get down to Stonehenge again...

Mars definitely is amazing close to the moon. I was outdoors at work last night and watched the moon and mars dance throughout the night.

The joy of winter Solstice and the return of the sun to the north. Sorry to you folks in the southern hemisphere, but not really. The sun is most welcome here.