Photos Above - South Norwood Lakes
Thanks to Rose for the birthday gift of Devotion, The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
🌹🎶 August Adventures 🎶 🌹
Harvesting and Holidaying Our Voices
There's a soft blanket of summer cloud drifting above quieter August streets here in my part of London town. The summer heat has mellowed, the long days are gently shortening, and there's a Autumnal crackle in the breeze.
Today marks Lammas / Loaf Mass, dedicated by Celts to the long-armed, multi-talented God Lugh/ light as Lughnasad. Nasad has been translated as both assembly and death, as Lugh dedicated the festival in memory of his mother Earth Goddess Tailtiu. John Barleycorn and Grain Goddesses, such as Demeter and Ceres, represented by Corn Dollies are mythical parallels. As the cutting of the grain feeds humanity, harvest rituals honour the relationship between giving and receiving, life and death - flowers were worn and buried at the end of pilgrimages to symbolise the end of summer. Ushering in the harvest season, this festival is seen as a time for thanksgiving and encourages us to be mindful of respectful stewardship of natural resources.
At our recent Community Conversation, a passionate volunteer told us about the The Felix Project, a food redistribution charity which intercepts food that would go to waste and ensures it gets to food banks, charities and schools across London. In 2024, the charity created 38 million meals for 1200 community organisations and their main production kitchen in
Poplar generates 5000 meals a day. This inspiring organisation is one of many attempting to break the socio-economic inequalities of the food chain.
Our Story, a spectular 50-minute film narrated by David Attenborough underlines how our human story and the story of our planet are intimately intertwined. A 360 immersion in the majestic beauty of Earth, the film resounds with his passionate call to create a more sustainable future. Using the example of how whales have been saved from extinction, he believes the future chapter of our collective story must be written by "not only an intelligent species, but a wise one too."
Telling our stories and listening to those of others helps us to build empathic connections and share resources. Our voices act as the threshing ground to help us define, delineate and debate our knowledge and experience. Used generously, they can communicate the wisdom we need to face the challenges and harvest the joys of our world.
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Photo: Busy Bee at Hitchin Lavender Fields
🌹🎶 3 Steps for a Vocal Holiday 🎶 🌹
"As far as I can tell, every great advance — whether in an individual life or the world at large — has come from dreams and attempts. Devise more dreams. Make more attempts." - James Clear
1. Dream and Act Differently
Whether you're on holiday or staycation, we can spark creativity by allowing space for the new, different and unknown by daydreaming, changing our routines or ticking off a whacky wish on our bucket list. We can take inspiration from the innovative approach children bring to life, such as making hats out of pants.
2. Gift your ears and voice a musical adventure
Voyaging through the sounds of different cultures and traditions widens our horizons. Two great guides to the musical universe include:
Podwireless - local music from out there Hosted by Ian A Anderson
Chris Rowbury's Monthly Music Round Up
3. Vocal Rest and Rejuvenation
Giving your voice a little holiday through periods of rest, quietness and listening can be really beneficial, as can treating tired voices with steam.
BONUS: Treat yourself to a singing adventure
Festivals, concerts, events abound in summertime.
If you're around the South London area on 16th August, I'd be delighted to see you at the Sparkle Chorus Workshop
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