Litha – The Journey

I was in Vancouver for Litha on June 21st. The summer solstice is a time to celebrate abundance and for gratitude for that abundance. It is also a time of transition – days are now getting sorter, rather than longer.

Vancouver is a beautiful city. And the residents are very kind. They are welcoming hosts to throngs of guests here for the 2026 World Cup. And they were welcoming hosts to me and my friends. I am grateful for the abundance in my life and my good fortune.

This is also a time of transitions. As I age, my list of old friends grows shorter. And as I age, it seems harder to make new friends. In this trip to Vancouver, I was able to travel for the first time with a current friend, who then introduced me to two of her old friends. I am fortunate to be able to count them now as my new friends.

And we like to eat. I’m not going to run through the whole list for the four days. Below are a few representative pictures. But that leaves out the éclair pastry filled with duck liver mousse, the poached halibut with mussels, artichokes, Rouille sauce, and the creamy mashed potatoes. And the various liquors. The bar tender at Boulevard was generous in the time he spent explaining Canadian whiskies to us (British Columbia refuses to import any US liquors).

Raviolo, Rochetta cheese, egg yolk & morels at St. Lawrence

This may be hard to see, but the hand model is supporting the giant soccer ball near the stadium.

We took the gondola up Grouse Mountain just north of Vancouver. The weather was fine and the view amazing. Listening to the locals, we seem to have been graced with exceptional weather for Vancouver.

Above are a few miscellaneous photos of Vancouver neighborhoods. On the right is Granville Island. I highly recommend Vancouver for a visit. They have good public transportation, great parks and lots of greenery across the city. Downtown is surrounded on three side by water. But the biggest draw is the people. They are so kind, so proud of their city, and so generous in their welcome of visitors.

It seems early because it is early. Normally on June 21st, but in leap years it falls on June 20th. We have leap year because the year is really only 365.24 days long. Every four years we add a day to balance out. But 0.24 times four is 0.96, not 1.0, so every leap year the solstice is 45 minutes earlier. This year will be the earliest in 228 years. By 2100, we’ll be a whole day off, so no leap year in 2100.

The point is that June 20th is Litha, or the solstice. The longest day of the year, and traditionally celebrated with a bonfire. The neo-pagans are always wanting a fire. I can’t build a bonfire in downtown Honolulu. But three friends and I went to the Big Island of Hawai’i and hiked the Kilauea volcano crater. Amazing terrain from barren lava fields to older dense forests outside the crater. That’s another view at the top of the page.

And that was my prep for Litha. The eight celebrations of the Wheel of the Year each provide a time to reflect and to reset. My relationship with J continues to evolve. I did someone a favor this week and they commented on my kindness. I very quickly said that J would not allow any other behavior. She is more and more a comforting presence and a test of “what would J do”, than a subject of grief. Though there are certainly things that catch me off-guard and knock me on my ass. But not so often anymore.

The power has been out in Chinatown for three days. So no traffic lights last night. Lots of road flares to direct traffic. That seems to be in the spirit of things. And while I reflect on Litha, I need to eat. In the center are quail Scotch eggs delightfully presented by Podmore. On the right are samosas, pakora, and fiendishly hot pickles from New Kamana Kitchen. I may only have a small candle, but the pickles set the night ablaze.

June 11th is King Kamehameha Day. These people have not forgotten that they were a kingdom. On the left is the Royal Hawaiian Band, a state entity. In the center are pa’u riders, an art restored to prominence to celebrate royal traditions. And on the right, a float honoring Kamehameha and his entourage.

Finally, what a difference a year makes. On the left was last year on June 21. Off the coast of Labrador, in the ice. On the right is the Aloha Tower in Honolulu. Can’t help wondering where next June will find me.

Tag: Litha

Litha in Vancouver, British Columbia

Litha seems early this year