gather: Pentecost Picnic

Picnic in the greenhouse, lanterns, first-fruits harvest - and a subscriber poll!

Photo by AmyBeth of Rainy Day Bees!

Hi folks! My name is Kristin - I’m a Pacific Northwest artist, farmer, & mom sharing art and reflections inspired by the sacred & the seasonal, place & past. I explore the agrarian heritage of the liturgical calendar and how our varied homes, landscapes, & lives reflect it.

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For the past few years, I’ve hosted a Liturgical Life group. We’re a diverse gathering - of all ages, from a variety of denominations, learning alongside each other and working to graft the traditions of the liturgical calendar into our own varied circumstances.

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Here in the Pacific Northwest, we’re accustomed to a rainy spring - usually dotted with days of warm weather that almost lull us into a false sense of summer’s arrival. Making plans for outdoor gatherings is a toss-up, but after months of indoor celebrations during the colder winter & early spring, I was committed to getting us outside to savor the nuances of Pentecost - a feast that leads us from Eastertide to Ordinary Time…from mystery & celebration, out toward expansive movement and growth.

Pentecost is a time to be outside in our world, to joyfully encounter the first fruits of this season in our own landscape, and to share in it all with our neighbors. It’s a feast of wind and fire and earth.

Bare bones & setting up for the picnic…the little wagon had streamers for the kids to run around with, evoking the wind-like movement of the Spirit!

As our group’s Pentecost picnic date approached, and I saw the weather forecast get rainier and chillier, my husband offered up a great idea. Over the winter, we’d lost the top to one of our greenhouses, wrecked by a storm. Just the day before our picnic, David & the crew got a new cover put on the greenhouse - which, having sat open to the weather, was not yet tilled up or planted.

So, David suggested we set up in the greenhouse…we’d have cover from the rain, and we’d also get to enjoy much warmer temperatures! It turned out to be the perfect space for an outdoor picnic on a rainy day…a bit like getting to have our cake and eat it, too.

We moved a few picnic tables inside the greenhouse for a big family-style dining experience, had a craft set up (Pentecost lanterns!), a delicious spread of picnic bites, and also a bit of “first fruits” harvesting.

Here’s a peek into our gathering…a little bit like a photo album of memories. I hope it spurs some ideas for your own Pentecost gathering next year!

Also: I have a poll for Paid Subscribers at the end of this missive, so please be sure to let your voice be heard in that!)