A Lammas Story
by Lady Adria Moonrite

He paused
and sniffed the air
She paused
and gazed into the face of a sunflower
And though were rows apart - No words need be spoken
He harvested an ear of corn
She cut the stalk of the sunflower
In unison,
they laid down their tools
took off their work gloves,
Turned
and looked into each other's eyes

It is time
He wiped his brow
She cleaned her hands on her apron
They strolled to each other
Hand in Hand
They walked thru the fields

And the cry rang out
"Come one, come all!"
"Lay down your shovels,
your hoes,
your rakes,
Come one! Come all!
It is Time."

At the edge of the fields, they gathered,
Each with an item of the first harvest.
And sat they did
upon the MNother's back
upon the bones of their ancestors
And they ate and drank
Giving thanks for the goodly harvest
And one at a time
each one stood
and told of the happiness and sorrow,
of the feeling of breaking the ground
and planting the first seed...
that had brought them this goodly harvest.
They told of the sweat, of the blood, of the tears, planted in the fertile
ground.
They spoke of the hot summer days, and cool summer nights, Of the loves
lost and loves found.

And as each spoke the others listened
and reflected
upon this the first harvest.

Reflected upon their deeds, their desires, the events in their lives,
(shared and unshared)

For this is the first harvest
so Pause
and Reflect.

After each had spoken of their intent
for the continuance of a strong harvest
for the coming winter...

The Lord and the Lady
stood and walked into the fields
And each of the tribe stood with that
of their first harvest...
with flowers,
with corn,
with herbs,
with fruit... (with the past and the lessons learned)
and walked thru the fields
scattering that of this first harvest
and in unison sang praise to the Goddess and the God
Scatter the seeds in honor of the waning God --
Scatter your love upon our Mother Earth
And rejoice and give thanks to the
Harvest King and the Queen of the Land.

Recognize the gifts they have provided
and become resolute
Resolve to continue the cycle of life.