Midsummer Festival
Midsummer is something traditionally celebrated in Jorvik and is a time of great happiness and pride. Midsummer is the longest day of the year and the shortest night. It is also called the summer solstice. The tradition has a very long history that goes back hundreds of years. In Jorvik they build a midsummer pole commonly known as maypoles and light some midsummer bonfires.
These traditions might seem strange to some people, but they are very common in the Nordic parts of the world. This year Steve is in charge of getting everything ready for the midsummer party and he needs my help to prepare for the festival here in Silverglade.
The festival is held in different places each year, this year we are celebrating on Everwind Field, the field between Marley's farm and the Baroness's race track.
Hold on to your hats, here we go!
These traditions might seem strange to some people, but they are very common in the Nordic parts of the world. This year Steve is in charge of getting everything ready for the midsummer party and he needs my help to prepare for the festival here in Silverglade.
The festival is held in different places each year, this year we are celebrating on Everwind Field, the field between Marley's farm and the Baroness's race track.
Hold on to your hats, here we go!
Long poles, leaves and flowers for the maypole
I need to take the poles from behind Steve's barn and drop them off at the site of the festival north of Marley's paddock while Steve puts together the party invitations. To decorate the maypole I collect piles and piles of beautiful green birch tree leaves which I find in the area west of Silverglade Village and up by the winery. This time of year meadow flowers are in full bloom over at Everwind Field, which is perfect because I need a lot of them to decorate the maypole.
I need to take the poles from behind Steve's barn and drop them off at the site of the festival north of Marley's paddock while Steve puts together the party invitations. To decorate the maypole I collect piles and piles of beautiful green birch tree leaves which I find in the area west of Silverglade Village and up by the winery. This time of year meadow flowers are in full bloom over at Everwind Field, which is perfect because I need a lot of them to decorate the maypole.
Raising the Maypole
Normally there is no rush to raise the pole but people are starting to wonder why it isn't up yet. I hurry on over to the festival location to raise the maypole, cover it with the leaves and decorate it with the flowers, and hang up the flower wreaths.
Normally there is no rush to raise the pole but people are starting to wonder why it isn't up yet. I hurry on over to the festival location to raise the maypole, cover it with the leaves and decorate it with the flowers, and hang up the flower wreaths.
Tables for the Party
Steve is almost done with the invitations so I help him located some party tables. Barney has a lot of stuff behind his silo, surely there must be something we can use to make some long tables out of, long boards, saw horses that type of stuff. I ride over to Barney by the silo to the east of Steve's and ask him if he can put together some long tables.
Steve is almost done with the invitations so I help him located some party tables. Barney has a lot of stuff behind his silo, surely there must be something we can use to make some long tables out of, long boards, saw horses that type of stuff. I ride over to Barney by the silo to the east of Steve's and ask him if he can put together some long tables.
Midsummer Food
A Jorvik midsummer party is nothing without the food and this year the councilman in Silverglade Village is organizing the cooking for the big event. Now the tables are in place the food can be put out before the big event starts. I ride over to the councilman in the village and check with him that the food is ready.
A Jorvik midsummer party is nothing without the food and this year the councilman in Silverglade Village is organizing the cooking for the big event. Now the tables are in place the food can be put out before the big event starts. I ride over to the councilman in the village and check with him that the food is ready.
Midsummer Drinks
Good drinks are also a very important part of any good Midsummer Festival. Parade lemonade, four-leaf clover juice, firework cola, just to name a few! Of course the Baroness will provide some of her amazing grape juice which we can't possibly forget! Harold normally arranges the drinks for the midsummer party, so I ride over to Harold in Silverglade Village and check if he has this years drinks under control.
Good drinks are also a very important part of any good Midsummer Festival. Parade lemonade, four-leaf clover juice, firework cola, just to name a few! Of course the Baroness will provide some of her amazing grape juice which we can't possibly forget! Harold normally arranges the drinks for the midsummer party, so I ride over to Harold in Silverglade Village and check if he has this years drinks under control.
To build a Midsummer Bonfire
I think we have most of it under control. The maypole, food, drinks .....Wait! The midsummer bonfire! Tradition demands that a huge bonfire should be lit for the festival. Normally the local villages compete over who can build the biggest bonfire, but this year they all agreed to build just one big bonfire together here in Silverglade.
It was time for me to collect some dry branches and build up the biggest midsummer bonfire in human history! To do so I need to find the best, driest and biggest branches around but where are they? There is a little grove of trees beside Barney's silo I'll go and take a look there, that area is known for having a lot of dead and dry branches. Hi5! I found more than enough to build a gigantic woodpile at the party location.
I think we have most of it under control. The maypole, food, drinks .....Wait! The midsummer bonfire! Tradition demands that a huge bonfire should be lit for the festival. Normally the local villages compete over who can build the biggest bonfire, but this year they all agreed to build just one big bonfire together here in Silverglade.
It was time for me to collect some dry branches and build up the biggest midsummer bonfire in human history! To do so I need to find the best, driest and biggest branches around but where are they? There is a little grove of trees beside Barney's silo I'll go and take a look there, that area is known for having a lot of dead and dry branches. Hi5! I found more than enough to build a gigantic woodpile at the party location.
Light the Bonfire!
Take these matches and use them to light the bonfire. Come back to me later. I really hope I will be done with the invitations by then. I ride back to Steve and let him know the fire won't light, the wood seems to be too wet.
What? It didn't light? Hmm... Do you think the branches were dry enough? It isn't a real midsummer party without a roaring bonfire. Maybe we could pour some diesel on it? I trot on over to Barney by the silo and ask if he has diesel fuel or anything else that might help get the fire going.
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Diesel? No, No. You can't have diesel. Kerosene...... that is what you need!
Second Lighting
I take the matches again and return to the party site, this time I can't lose. I need to make sure I light the fire from the very edge of the bonfire and turn away so I don't get singed. Ho Ho! Now THAT is a real fire! I saw the smoke all the way over here. That bonfire will be appreciated by everyone, I can promise you! |
Midsummer Music
Landon, the shepherd outside of Silverglade Village to the north is the one who usually arranged for music. I ride over to Landon and check if he has his favorite musician coming again this year.
Landon, the shepherd outside of Silverglade Village to the north is the one who usually arranged for music. I ride over to Landon and check if he has his favorite musician coming again this year.
Aha! Landon we can sort this out, do you have a tape player?
Yes, I have a tape player with my favorite song, "Little frogs". What for?
I can borrow your tape player and take it over to the festival location and leave it under the maypole. I am sure this will be more than adequate for party guests to listen too. I am sure the tape player will save the festival, I'll just make sure Steve is ok with the changes.
So no musician? Disaster! No? Transistor radio with a tape player? Aha... I understand. Smart! That's how we'll save midsummer!
Invitation to the Midsummer Festival
Finally all the invitations are ready! Steve has written to everyone he can remember and some he doesn't. I grab the sack full of invitations and ride over to Derek at the Silverglade Post Office.
Finally all the invitations are ready! Steve has written to everyone he can remember and some he doesn't. I grab the sack full of invitations and ride over to Derek at the Silverglade Post Office.
Landon is not the only one who is forgetful. Steve forget that there should be a Jorvik flag at the top of the maypole and asked if I could ride over to the Councilman in Silverglade Village and ask for a Jorvik flag.
The councilman has plenty of flags and is more than happy to offer me one for the maypole. I ride over to the party area and raise the flag to the top of the maypole. |
Seven different flowers
There is a long standing tradition in Jorvik that continues today. Young girls, just like myself, gather together seven different meadow flowers and place them under their pillows. It is a tradition of midsummer that you will dream of the person that will be the love of your life! It is not taken too seriously though it is just an old tradition thing. Now you might think you can just grab seven flowers from the nearest garden, but No! They need to be proper wild flowers from the meadows, and be seven different ones! Surely I should be able to find seven different meadow flowers out on Everwind Fields.
There is a long standing tradition in Jorvik that continues today. Young girls, just like myself, gather together seven different meadow flowers and place them under their pillows. It is a tradition of midsummer that you will dream of the person that will be the love of your life! It is not taken too seriously though it is just an old tradition thing. Now you might think you can just grab seven flowers from the nearest garden, but No! They need to be proper wild flowers from the meadows, and be seven different ones! Surely I should be able to find seven different meadow flowers out on Everwind Fields.
Let's see. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! Seven different flowers for my bouquet and time to go to bed. I log off for the day and hope for sweet dreams.
A midsummer nights dream
First thing this morning I rode over to see Steve, who couldn't wait to ask me how I slept.
First thing this morning I rode over to see Steve, who couldn't wait to ask me how I slept.
Did you have good dreams? You don't need to tell me it is your own secret! Oh you do want to tell me?
I decided to tell Steve about the love of my life "whisper, whisper, whisper"
Ho, ho! So exciting! I promise I won't tell anyone. Good luck with your future love, my friend!
That would be good for you! Your are perfect for each other, I think.
Happy Midsummer!