walk barefoot on the cold, wet ground
accept the weather as it comes
rain soaks in, feeding the ground

We are now seriously in the midst of winter. We had the shortest day last week, and this is when I start to feel tired of the darkness. And rain. So I remind myself just how much good the rain is doing for the land, and I try to relax into this dark season, welcoming the sunny days when they come. And they do come – cold crisp bright days that make me tingle and feel alive.

I really should have made reference to Matariki last month. The seven Matariki stars usually appear in May or June and mark the beginning of the New Year. It is celebrated at the first new moon following the appearance of the Matariki star cluster, (known as Pleiades – and other names – in other parts of the world). This year, 24 June was the beginning of Matariki.

Matariki is the end of the harvest season. A time for people to gather together to remember the past and look to the future. This is the time when the darkest days of winter have passed and we look forward to the lengthening, brightening days.

So, we’ve just finished our annual celebrations and the star cluster is still visible in our skies during July. This is the time to start looking forward to the end of winter.