FWIW the solstice isn't always on the same day.

How much would the apparent position of the sun at sunrise (at it's northern apogee) have shifted in relation to the "heel stone", since the henge was built, I wonder?

7

7 what?

precisely

Just a quick question… is Mrs North a bit… well.. different? Weird might be a better word..

Not too weird, but definitely not normal. 😀

Not too weird, but definitely not normal

hah! 100% of 5 solstice (or thereabouts) babies are a druid short of a ritual!!

the research thus far is looking unfavourable for Mr Woppit…

Bit of a small sample… not to mention, imprecise.

What are the parameters of "normal" that we are measuring against, BTW?

hmmm… I was going to write 'the majority of solstice (or thereabouts) babies'

You've researched ALL solstice babies? 😯

see my disagreement with tootall earlier in the thread

Nerp… don't see the connection. Perhaps I'm being *ahem* obtuse…

I found the smell, glazed-eye appearance and general unwashedness of the raggle-taggle army of drum-bashing fraggles to be indicative of their state of mind as a collective. Those I did interact with were, to a man/woman, wasted or lashed up.

Regardless of your issues with my data collection, it was a gathering of muppets and most disagreeable on several levels.

you are always being obtuse why you rejoice in being an @rse is known only to you …that is not an invitation to share or reply thanks.

Junkyard – Member
you are always being obtuse why you rejoice in being an @rse is known only to you …that is not an invitation to share or reply thanks

Hi. You're still here, then?

Erm… "interacting" with me… ❗

TooTall – Member
I found the smell, glazed-eye appearance and general unwashedness of the raggle-taggle army of drum-bashing fraggles to be indicative of their state of mind as a collective. Those I did interact with were, to a man/woman, wasted or lashed up.

Regardless of your issues with my data collection, it was a gathering of muppets and most disagreeable on several levels.

I suppose, to play "opposite advocate" for a minute, they WERE "worshipping" something that is demonstrably there….

TooTall – Member
I found the smell, glazed-eye appearance and general unwashedness of the raggle-taggle army of drum-bashing fraggles to be indicative of their state of mind as a collective. Those I did interact with were, to a man/woman, wasted or lashed up.

it was a gathering of muppets and most disagreeable on several levels.

hmmm.. deffo a lot more in tune with mother earth and ancient rites and the sanctity of worship than your humble self by the sounds of it then

erk.. I realise I've gotten a bit offended by your reaction.. and have got the bit twixt me teef and all..

you like your history and worship clean and polite and sober.. do it in a church

the types that gather at Stonehenge like it grubby and rhythmic and bawdy and enhanced with mind altering concoctions..

life does in fact go on.. as is a very salient point of the celebration.

Thank you for filling in the time between meetings today. Your stand for the great unwashed heroes of our land was most laudable.

I'm going, just for the fun of it really and I'm only about 5 miles away. Briefly considered not taking Monday off and going straight into work. Then I realised I could get fired 😀

Whatever happens, it'll be more fun than arguing on the net 😉

Hmmm, plan now aborted. 🙁 However, in my head I will be somewhere special …

Thank you for filling in the time between meetings today. Your stand for the great unwashed heroes of our land was most laudable.

It was my pleasure. Ironically I was just out riding this evening and there was some second generation new age travellers (genetically engineered super chavs) up on the common tearing around on their pitbikes and quads..
I fully expected sods law to occur and that I would get seriously done over and mugged for my bike after championing their cause all day..
Lawless heathens.

CG – There are simply tons of quiet spots in that region to enjoy the solstice. Why not go up one of the White Horses, say Uffington, and watch the sunrise in peace? 😀

Simon – good idea! Haven't been there for a while. 8)

Are you still in Brazil?

Yep – still here having just watched my first Brazil match in the country 😀

So where will you be spending it then Simon?

A Druidh and some stones….

Now peace…

…off!

My eyes are shonky – where is that please?

Tursachan Chalanais

Of course, Isle of Lewis!

Looks like I will be celebrating in Belo Horizonte where I am living right now – there is a spot up on a hill that looks over the city and I should be able to see the sun from there 🙂

I shall be stuck on a plane bound for Indonesia.. 😕

I fly to Oz on 21st June. Guess I get to pas one solstice by looking forward to summer again!

I found the smell, glazed-eye appearance and general unwashedness of the raggle-taggle army of drum-bashing fraggles to be indicative of their state of mind as a collective. Those I did interact with were, to a man/woman, wasted or lashed up.

I don't know why everyone thinks that Cambridge has the cream of British academic. I went to Cambridge one night in the second week of June and do a man, every student I came across was utterly drunk. It mystifies me that the colleges have such a high reputation.

CG – There are simply tons of quiet spots in that region to enjoy the solstice. Why not go up one of the White Horses, say Uffington, and watch the sunrise in peace?

Thanks Simon, now it'll be frigging packed! 😀

Mr Woppit – Member
Yes I know. Irritating, isn't it aren't I?

There you are, fixed it for you.

No, CountZero, you're not at all irritating. Don't be so hard on yourself.

"I know you are, but what am I?" 😆

Thing is, you can be anywhere really and some amazing things happen. This is yours truely, who got up around 5am, and went to the 12 Apostles stone circle in Dumfries to do a ceremony, only to find there were cows in the field. I had to do a very quick change of plan, and ended up at Lincluden. It was cloudy, but just as the sun came up, I had an amazing window of 10 minutes, and took this photo among others.

Also, Stonehenge was built to mark the winter solstice.

Cobblers. There's been general agreement since Stukeley observed the heel stone/summer solstice alignment in 1720 that Stonehenge is aligned in one aspect towards the summer solstice. Some other henge appear to have been aligned to the winter solstice and some appear to have not bee aligned at all. Which suggests they were used in multiple ways.

No, we agree that "spiritual" doesn't mean anything…

Well, you've obviously missed the huge academic literature in which the idea that a flexible and syncretic spirituality increasingly typifies people's belief as opposed to a doctrinaire adherence to any single religion and its institutions. Of course, this is primarily limited to the Western nations.

I'm disdainful.

So far you're showing a lot disdain towards being right about anything. 😉

Personally, I'm usually pretty happy around the time of the solstices. And the equinoxes for that matter and if they've inspired me to get out into the countryside at first light then great. If I want to be surrounded by vanloads of humanity in an uproarious and euphoric state of mind then I know where to head and if I don't then there's plenty of alternatives 🙂