The Sapling Oracle - Summer Solstice '24

the sun is at its peak

On the 20th of June at 21:51 BST, in the Northern Hemisphere, we reach the midpoint of the light half of the year, the longest day (and shortest night) and the beginning of astronomical Summer.

Photo by Aaron Burden

Traditions

Celebrated this year at Stonehenge from 19:00 BST, 20th June to 08:00 BST, 21st June. Experience it here on the Stonehenge Skyscape website or watch it live on the English Heritage YouTube channel.

Midsummer (23rd-24th June) traditions are celebrated across Europe, Northern Europe most especially. Many festivals take place, including feasts, bonfires and concerts.

Wildflowers by Yoksel Zok

However, as someone living in Scotland, while I appreciate the historic and cultural significance of Midsummer, Summer has rarely started in earnest by this time of year so the name feels a little wonky - we even had to put the heating on this week!

Seasonal Tarology

The Lovers, The Sun and The Chariot from the Lilifer Tarot

The summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) falls as the sun moves from airy and mercurial Gemini to protective and intuitive Cancer. In tarot terms, that’s moving from the indecisive Lovers to the surefooted Chariot.

Look out for:

🍓 Full Strawberry Moon, 22nd June 2024 🍓

Midsummer Oracle - Basil

24. Basil - Seed & Sickle Oracle

There are almost as many stories about basil as there are variations of the plant. While it’s seen as bringing good fortune to travellers (Tudor Britain), this also extends to being used as a ticket to heaven (India) or as a sign of being a welcome place for travellers to visit (Italy).

As an oracle for this month, Basil suggests a change of scenery or mindset. Perhaps take the opportunity of the Solstice to check in with and adjust your plans where necessary for the second half of the year. Remember to look to your community and see where you can work towards common goals rather than always doing everything yourself.

Isabella and the Pot of Basil (1867) William Holman Hunt

And, furthermore, her brethren wonder’d much
Why she sat drooping by the Basil green,
And why it flourish’d, as by magic touch;
Greatly they wonder’d what the thing might mean:
They could not surely give belief, that such
A very nothing would have power to wean
Her from her own fair youth, and pleasures gay,
And even remembrance of her love’s delay.

Isabella or The Pot of Basil (1818) - Keats

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Seasonal Ingredients/Recipe

For a lot of foodie people and farmers alike, June can come as a bit of a relief after the “Hungry Gap” of April and May (sometimes drifting into June) when the winter crops have finished but the spring crops aren’t quite ready yet.

Seeing fresh, local produce back on supermarket shelves is enough to have me nearly weeping with excitement (I definitely shed a tear or two when I saw Scottish strawberries were available in time for my birthday and the solstice).

Scottish strawberries and Spanish cherries

Mazarin Almond Cake

This Scandinavian almond cake has quickly become a firm favourite in our house, and a summer staple. The ground almonds give a light but subtly chewy texture to the cake, and an almost macaron-like crust to the top which stands it apart from a classic sponge cake, but without giving an overwhelming almond flavour.

Ingredients

• 150g unsalted butter

• 200g ground almonds

• 150g caster sugar

• 150g icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 medium eggs

• 100g plain flour

• 50g cornflour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• cream and fruit or your desired cake topping/ accompaniment

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4.

2. Grease and line a 23cm round, deep cake tin with baking parchment.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine ground almonds and sugar.

4. Add the butter and vanilla extract and mix.

5. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing after each addition.

6. In another bowl, combine the flour, cornflour and baking powder with a pinch of salt and gently mix into the batter (take care not to overmix).

7. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

8. Cool completely in the tin then transfer to a serving plate.

Mazarin almond cake topped with lightly whipped cream and fresh fruit.

What’s New at Sapling Tarot

It’s my birthday! - Solar Return video

Watch the colour come back to Scotland in this springtime vlog.

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Thanks so much for being here, I hope you have a beautiful solstice and I’ll speak to you again soon! x