Midsommer pleasantries

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Midsummer= Sunna high in the summer sky, peeking through Thor's oaks
Huge old oak trees, at Oaks Bottom Park, the site for Portlands Midsommer festivities.




Sunna shining through the sun hoop.
The two hoops represent, either the Moon and Sun, or a man's testicles. It's any folklorists guess, and Iam sure an elderly Swede would say ", Who knows what it represents, it's just what we do."
I like to think of it as the sun and moon, and I couldn't help taking a pic of the Sun shining through the garlanded hoop. It was glorious!


A happy cock for the top of the pole!
So, if the two hoops on either side of a large phallic pole don't give you a clue about the whole fertility aspect of this, then the big red cock on top should. The male force in nature is being venerated whether all these nice Lutherans want to admit it or not. Really though, the ones I talk to know exactly what's up with the pole, and don't mind a bit.



Mr. rooster, looking majestic



Up it Goes!



Our local Midsummer Maypole being raised
Midsummer has come and gone. The day of our local midsummer festivities was wonderful, we attended, along with others from our local Sons of Norway lodge. The sun shone, people laughed, children sang and danced around the Maistang. It was cool. No surstrumming to be had Iam sad to report.
But there was a beer garden, and lots of good stuff to eat, booths to shop for Scandinavian doo-das, and trinkets. oh, and an IKEA booth. They were handing out free yellow frisbees, with the blue IKEA logo on them. I snagged two as they will be fun at Summerstar, to fling around in the parking lot while I work at the check in gate.
I hope everyone had a good midsummer, and are preparing for the hot days ahead. There's some new ironwor to be put in here, so I'll try to post them soon.