That Summertime Feel
June 21, 2009
Nothing but sunshine has graced our skies for the past five days. All of a sudden it is summer.. as simple and yet as marvelous as that.
After our long extended winter and cold wet spring I still find myself marveling that I am finally living the summertime dream.
Don’t get me wrong, I love our varying seasons.. fall being my favourite. I even enjoy much of what is our winter, but summer… ah, summer is that special time when everyday life just seems to take on that softer, easier feel.
After an initial slow start, my garden is taking off.. at warp speed. The power of the sun astonishes and humbles me. It’s like watching high speed photography. I look away and when I look back I swear there is new growth, a new shoot or a new bloom. Mother Nature playing catch-up… ya gotta love it. :-)
Today, June 21st, we celebrate the summer solstice.
Yes, it is now official. Summer is here…. the time of warmth and light.
fun solstice facts:
- The official time for the 2009 summer solstice is June 21 @ 05:45 (universal time)
- The solstice happens at the same instant for all of us, everywhere on Earth. But our clocks say different times.
- Solstice (sol + stice) is derived from Latin words meaning "sun" + "to stand still."
- Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
- With the summer solstice, the sun is at its maximum elevation.
- South of the equator, winter begins.
- This time of year, between planting and harvesting, was (and is) the traditional month for weddings.
- This date has had spiritual significance for all cultures for thousands of years.
- Stonehenge was built to follow the sun’s yearly progress.
- If you stood at the Sphinx on June 21 and gazed toward the two pyramids, you’d see the sun set exactly between them.
- At the June solstice, Earth is positioned in its orbit so that the North Pole is leaning 23-and-a-half degrees toward the sun.
Happy Summer Everyone
June 21, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Your flowers are so lovely… mine look a bit ragged right now. I think the rain and heat is getting to them. But my recently planted fern, astilbe and hosta are doing well in the shaded recessed area by the front porch.
Yes, today is the longest day and Father’s Day at the same time. It seemed to be light here at 5:30 this morning and the sun won’t set until almost 9 pm. Today, I have enjoyed the wind.. it brought down the humidity as it is from the north and made the 85 degree temperatures manageable.
Have a great week!
June 21, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Happy Summer Solstice to you…I love this day…always have…thanks for the history. When Ty was in elementary school, for about 3 years in a row on the evening of June 21st we would head down to the ocean with junk food and watch the sunset…on the longest day. A great memory for me. Our welcoming of the summer ahead.
June 21, 2009 at 7:50 pm
- And everything inside the Arctic Circle is lit for 24 hours while everything inside the Antarctic Circle receives no sunlight at all.
June 21, 2009 at 8:41 pm
didn’t know that about the pyramids.
like the looking at the sunset on this longest day.
June 22, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Happy summer to you and yours, too. After the crummy weather you endured, it’s only fair that the good weather is bringing up lots of flowers — even the dandelions!
June 23, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Pretty cool post. I just came across your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked browsing your posts. In any case
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you post again soon!
June 24, 2009 at 3:39 am
By way of comparison:
Winnipeg:
29°C | 16°C Thu
31°C | 19°C Fri
29°C | 18°C Sat
Wollongong:
17°C | 7°C Thu
14°C | 6°C Fri
12°C | 7°C Sat
No wonder I am feeling cold. We are not expected to make your minimum temperatures for most days. Enjoy your summer.
June 24, 2009 at 7:19 am
Thank you wmmbb for the kind wishes and for the interesting comparison. With our now summer, I have often thought of you and your opposite season. What an interesting universe we live in. :-)
July 5, 2009 at 6:43 am
Neat facts; especially about Stonehenge. We have had a disappointing summer thus far; really wet and cool!! The water at cottages is very cold! Well, we’ll take whatever…it’s better than shoveling the white stuff!
Hope things at work settle down and the virus gets under control. Also hope it doesn’t resurge in the fall.