Re: Happy Year 2000!

Arnhild,

Thank you for sharing with us the taking of a war signal and turning it into
a peace signal. What a wonderfully symbolic and meaningful way to express our
hopes for this universe in the coming century.

I was reminded by your descriptions of the fire signals of a wonderful summer
solstice celebration that I was invited to attend by the family I stayed with
in a farmhouse in Austria -- Lech, if I remember correctly. This was in 1977.
I was traveling with my 9 1/2 and 4 1/2 year old sons. I spoke German well
enough to get my automobile repaired at the auto repairwerkstadt so that I
could drive to the top of the Gross Glockners. [I was proud of that
accomplishment, having studied with a tutor for 10 weeks prior to taking this
trip during which I intended to spend the majority of my time in rural areas
of Germany and Austria -- staying mainly in farmhouses, and expected,
correctly so, that little English would be spoken.]

The family's neighbors all came, and we sat in a wonderful old arbor in a
vineyard. Everyone contributed to the food, wine and beer. Noticably missing
were young men and women from the ages of 16 to 25. Then I was told to look
across the valley to the mountainside opposite. The young people had climbed
the mountains and had lit bonfires high up on the mountainsides. They would
stay there and celebrate the solstice until morning.

I was pleased to be included in this special party -- as a stranger in
another land.

That this discussion group brings together so many people from so many lands
is one of its fine features.

Happy New Year to all.

Jeanne Hannah
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