Typo and Carielle sit awaiting the arrival of the others at the end of the dirt road leading to Four Mile Point. Sitting next to each other on the tail gate of Typo's truck, staring into Carielle's lovely blue-green eyes Typo smiles as the others arrive. all standing in a circle and smiling at each other Typo leads the small group in a prayer to the Lord land Lady. "Lord and Lady bless all who have come here to join in your love and light." Typo smiles and turns toward the east. leading the group to the edge of the Caloosahatchee river, he turns and motions for the group to sit on the soft sand around Elenya and Red Deer. they sit in silence as they listen to the seagulls flying carelessly overhead >>>looking up to the Florida night sky watching the low level clouds floating lazily by. the warm summer breeze of the jet stream ruffling the hair of the participants and carrying the soft sent of the palm trees looming overhead. A single gull lands near the center of the group looking intently at Red Deer. as Red watches the gull with interest Typo stands and inhales deeply the warm humid air. he motions the others to stand and all look toward the east. Typo kisses Carielle and takes the Golden Pentacle from her backpack. tracing a pentacle over a small candle he removed from his own backpack he hands the small blue candle to Bronwyn and waits...

...as Bronwyn catches her breath. She has been running to get here, late as usual due to the million family tie-ups and computer malfunctions that help knit the fabric of her existence. Bron catches Typo's eyes with a silent plea for forgiveness at her tardiness. Smiling, he shrugs his shoulders and looks to the luminous moon hovering above. All is OK.

Taking the candle, Bronwyn gently strokes its length. She moves her right hand in a circle above it in gestures ancient and mysterious, then gently blows on the wick. Magically, without aid of match or flame, the candle is alight. Lifting it to the east, she invokes:..>>>> "Hail spirits of the East! We call you, come. We sing you the song of the winds that blow from the sea, we breath the sunrise in your shadow. Join us on this hallowed night as we celebrate the fullness of our Mother, fullness that fills and overflows from our very souls. Be here with us now!" The candle flares upward as the Eastern guardians join the circle, speaking to each celebrant in the secret language of the Ancient Ones. Bronwyn passes the candle to the next one to invoke and all turn to the south...

...Carielle, red candle in hand, smiles at Bronwyn and steps to the south position in the circle. She holds the candle toward the moon and intones as the wick bursts into a bright flame, "Welcome, Spirits of the South, and Blessed Be! Let your energy of creation join our circle as we celebrate the Full Moon." Carielle pauses for a moment, feeling a gentle heat radiate from the candle, bringing the Element of Fire into the circle. She turns to Typo, her red hair picking up the light from her candle, and awaits his invocation of the West...

...Typo smiles largely at Bronwyn with a soft forgiving gleam in his green eyes, silently his eyes tell her there is nothing to forgive. Typo takes his sea green candle from his pouch and holds it aloft, "Spirits of the West, we welcome your presence to this circle. we ask you to grant us your loving graces as they flow like the river before us." the warm summer breeze kicks up a bit and Typo holds his candle towards the river the wick lights at once. Typo smiles softly as he moves back to his place in the circle. he hands a brown candle to Cloud and waits silently...

...Cloud accepts the brown candle, and steps to the north. She kneels on the soft ground, finds a spot where no plant is growing, and plants the candle securely in the earth. Cloud remains there a moment longer, both hands flat on the ground then straightens, feet squared, feeling like something with firm roots in the soil, speaks:

*Hail, guardians of the north, first earth of Earth. Be the ground of our being, steadfastness beneath our feet as we come together this night of the moon's fullness, the sun's, and your own. Keep our hands steady and our eyes clear as we borrow the power of magic time, according to free will and for the good of all. Blessed be*

The candle seems to have lit itself, and it remains at the north point, burning steadily, as Cloud returns to the circle to await...

...as Elenya and Red Deer move about the circle. Each of their friends is greeted with a pair of warm hugs and a wish for peace on this Midsummer's Eve, and is left with small sprigs of rosemary and basil. As the scent of both herbs mingles with those of their surroundings and hangs in the humid evening air, Elenya and Deer step to the circle's center.

Once there, each sets about their tasks in preparation for invoking our Lady and Lord. Elenya lifts a copper bowl, earlier filled with fertile water from the Caloosahatchee and placed here. Although the rich silt has settled out on the bowl's bottom, the water remains a rich, earthy color. In the meantime, Deer sets alight the charcoal in a small raku censer and then opens a small wooden box which contains small chunks of clear resin and sets it by the censer. He is overjoyed with the incense given them for this evening - resin obtained this day from a dear friend, a Dawn Redwood whose forbears were ancient before the dinosaurs. Having finished these preparations, Deer stands and faces Elenya.

With the aromatic water, she anoints first herself and then her Deer. "Mother, here is the water obviously Your blood, teeming with life. On the Moon of Midsummer's Eve, may it not only purify us but fill us with the life which flows from You to us and then returns." Elenya then tips the bowl so that some of the dark water spills upon the ground and places it at the circle's center.

Deer picks up the box of resin and the now hot censer. He pours the entire contents onto the glowing coal, and almost instantaneously - without even a hint of smoke - an intensely pungent aroma fills the circle. "Father, here is the sky sensibly your breath, fired by the heat of Your passion. This Midsummer Moon may we know not only the passion of lovers, but that of partners and of parents." He then replaces the censer by the bowl of dark water.

Elenya raises a silver candle, and Deer a golden one. Together, they walk to the candle warding the circle's southern quarter and, in honor of the Lord at His zenith, light their altar candles. They return to center and place the candles - silver by the water and gold by the still glowing incense. Facing each other, hand in hand, Elenya and Red Deer gaze deeply into each other's eyes. Without a work spoken, those gathered never-the-less *hear* their invitations to our Lady and Lord to bless and join our circle this night. As they conclude, "So mote it be," is heard from the lips of all. Elenya and Red Deer then resume their places among the circle of friends and wait, until...

...The soft hoot of an Owl is heard in the distance... and a soft swirling breathe of air circles the group standing on the earth of Florida. As each look up, they seem to see the images of six who stand in circle, with tall pines surrounding them... each holds a candle whose flame defines the shadowy form. At the North point of the shadow circle, a small woman, in flowing green robe, raises her arms and calls out...

"Blessed Be my brothers and sisters ... we who have joined in circle in the hills of Pennsylvania, send you greetings and blessing through the portal of sacred space created this night in the name of the God and Goddess of the Mead Moon... and with another soft hoot, the shadow circle fades, and the moon and stars shine clearly and brightly upon the circle of friends... who have just been well blessed and warmly thought of by another circle opened on the web...

...as Typo steps to the center of the circle a flock of seagulls circles overhead, gliding across the moon and clouds silently watching the proceedings below. one lone gull lands inches from Typo's feet and looks up at him. Typo looks upwards at the large clouds floating effortlessly above as he speaks "Welcome my Lord and my Lady on this solstice. as my lords light is at its strongest and my Lady's love for her consort is at its fullest we ask your guidance and wisdom to impart all here at this circle. I declare this circle open with the love of the Gods." Typo walks over to Carielle and taking her hand smiles. he stands waiting for the petitions...

...Carielle steps forward smiling at her beloved husband. She gazes at the beauty of the full moon and thinks for a moment as a heavy night breeze ruffles her red hair. Carefully she draws a symbol on the sandy ground and quietly asks, "Mother, Father, patience has never been a strength of mine, and lately I find myself lacking even the little that I had before. There are desires that I wish to fulfill; help me to find the patience needed to work for the time necessary to accomplish the tasks I set for myself."

Carielle pauses for a moment more, her heart speaking more than words could, then she moves to Typo, placing a kiss upon the hand she takes, and she waits for...

...Red Deer, who kisses Elenya full on the lips before stepping to the circle's center. The large piece of blonde amber about his neck nearly glows, riding the crest of the solar tide. And his triangular moonstone, on this same night when the moon rides full, gleams with its own iridescence.

At the circle's center, Deer pauses to retrieve the wooden box. The clear resin within also glows with the energies awash in a gentle evening breeze. It looks almost like quicksilver as he turns the box about in his hand. "The remainder of this gift - water of life of one whose forebears' sap I constantly wear - I shall save for a special time. Thank you to and for the friend who gave it."

Deer then turns to face his beloved. "Mother and Father... tonight I ask for naught. This Litha, I give You thanks. On the third day preceding the solstice, Elenya and I celebrated our nineteenth anniversary - our first round of the moon upon the ecliptic. As we enter the time of our lives this night represents upon the wheel, I am grateful for all that we have together. You could not have led me to a more wonderful partner."

Red Deer stands for a long moment, arms raised in greeting to the night, before returning to Elenya's side...

...Elenya looks into her beloved's eyes, gently wipes back the tears that have flooded her own. She releases Red Deer's hand, and slowly walks into the circle, her auburn hair aglow in the moon's bright light. In the center of the circle, she places a bunch of fresh lavender spikes, their fragrant flowers filling the sea air. From her pocket she pulls forth a Scotch Bonnet shell, borrowed from the shores of North Carolina on last moon's journey. Elenya places the shell in the warm, crystalline sands beneath her feet, and remembers... Words do not come easily tonight for her heart is full, so a quiet prayer is offered to the Lady and Lord, one of gratitude and appreciation for the many blessings she has received. Elenya returns to her place in the circle and awaits...

...Typo walks slowly to the center of the circle and pauses, he turns to Carielle and with a slight smile he turns his head skyward, the moon now almost directly overhead the circle shines bright and full in the sky. the clouds showing there reverence and refusing to cover it. Typo reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small silver pentacle. he kneels down on the soft brown sand and with his fingers he digs a small hole and places the pentacle within. covering the hole with sand he stands once again and speaks, "Lord and Lady, I have come to you this night for your wisdom and guidance. show me the right path to take, lead me to the future that is to be me mine and Carielle's with an open heart and mind. light my way so I may make the correct decisions to bring happiness to my home." Typo turns toward Carielle with an unusually somber look on his face, he walks over to her and looking deep into her soft blue eyes, says, "Although I have been told that I shall never be blessed with children, please prove all of them wrong and grant Carielle a child of our own to raise and love in your light. Typo wipes a small tear from his dark green eyes and stifles a cry as he walks back to his place in the circle and waits for the remaining petitions...

...and Bronwyn steps forth out of the shadows. Her face is grave, her heart heavy. She tilts her head up to the luminous orb of the full moon, feeling the tremendous surges of both solar and lunar power at this time. As the moonlight bathes her face, she breathes a silent prayer of healing, that she may be released from what attaches her to feelings of loss and inadequacy. Then turning to the altar, she places a stem of Bluebells of Scotland on the gentle earth before it, murmuring her thanks for the gift of music that she has been blessed with, ending with, "As you will, so mote it be..." ...and she hears a whispered reply... "My daughter, I am with you always..."

...Typo steps to the center of the circle and seeing no further petitioners he smiles and gazes skyward. "Lord and Lady we thank you for your attendance at this circle and for listening to our petitions, we ask that you grant all the worthy causes put forth this night and shine your light upon all. Our circle remains open but never broken. Our group may part but are never parted from you."

Typo walks to each quarter and thanks all for their attendance and bids them farewell. as he finishes his walk around the circle, the lone seagull that has watched the whole ritual flies away to come to rest on a nearby palm tree, its soft calls blending with the sound of the rolling waves. the small group gathers and walks back down the beach to Typo's truck. letting down the tailgate, he opens the box waiting there. handing out the pizza's he has had in the warmer box they sit on the soft ground and enjoy pizza. as Typo turns on the radio from his truck, Lorrena McKinnett's "all souls night" is the only sound to be heard. under his breath can be heard "so mote it be."