Sunday, June 20, 2021

The Longest Day...






Happy Summer Solstice!  It always seems to me that this special day should be a national holiday.  We officially ring in the start of astronomical summer later tonight with today marking the longest day of the year.  According to my calendar notes, the sun rose this morning at 5:58 a.m. and will set at 8:32 p.m.  Starting tomorrow, daylight will be on a slow decline, continuing until the winter solstice in December.  



 Sometimes we need all the daylight we can get...


And, sometimes, that's still not enough...




Happy Summer, dear friends.  I hope it's a good one for you all.  Stay cool!








16 comments:

Quilting Babcia said...

I love seeing freshly baled hay in the fields in the early morning hours just as the sun rises over the mountain and bathes them in light. This afternoon there were two little fawns grazing next to some of our bales not far from the treeline where their mother(s) had undoubtedly hidden them right after birth as they do every year. And those little sweeties will be "pruning" our blueberries and rhodies next winter I suspect. I hope the cast has come off by now.

Gretchen Joanna said...

I really needed the long day today; I started work in the garden late, and worked until dark, which was almost 9:00. Tomorrow will be the same. Our heat wave came in the last weeks before summer, and fried some things while I was away. Other plants merely bloomed profusely and now need deadheading. The plum trees want their solstice pruning to keep them short. So I'm glad the next-longest day isn't shorter by very much.

Happy Summer!

mamasmercantile said...

Happy Summer to you too. Lovely photos.

kat said...

Happy Solstice to you Mary. I am always aware of the solstices and equinoxes, they are such key turning point of the year. I guess a lot of town folk simply don't notice them or the moon phases any more; we are so disconnected from the natural cycles these days aren't we? We have a longer day than you here on the English south coast - sunrise was at 04.44 (when, sadly I was awake!) and will set at 21.15, you are quite a bit further south than we are.
Enjoy the light and warmth.

acorn hollow said...

Happy summer I love the long days no the heat but thankfully here it is not usually horrid for long stretches.
Cathy

nookworm said...

The summer start is also the start of my journey alone now that my Mister has departed. The joy of sunshine and warmth and living critters will boost me and keep me well. Thank you for being my blogging friend.

Lady Locust said...

I actually enjoy each season but will be glad the days will be shortening a bit. W are supposed to be in the triple digits for the next week!

Granny Marigold said...

Interesting to see the difference in the times of sunrise and sunset. Here the sun rose at 5:06 ( when I also was awake and just waiting for 6 o'clock so I could get out of bed and not wake my DH too early) and sunset is 9:20 tonight. Because of my early start I've been very productive so far and now I'm going to go play in my garden shed where it's delightfully cool. My thermometer says 32C now at 2 PM.

happyone said...

It always amazes me that the days start to get shorter already on the first day of summer!!!
Happy Summer!!

Olde Dame Holly said...

I loved that picture taken from the tractor at night! Work such as haying does not wait or care about daylight!

Prims By The Water said...

The First Nations Canadian Indians always have a fireworks display for the Summer Solstice and we can view it from our dock. A wonderful tradition we enjoy here in Michigan across the river from our Canadian friends. Janice

TheCrankyCrow said...

Happy Summer...although it feels far from summer here in Nod. We did not even get to 60º today (and the wind was frightful so it felt even colder) and tonight we will be down to 40º....brrr. I, too, am finding the differences in day lengths amongst your commenters.... Here, sunrise was at 5:18 and the sun is to set at 8:52. I haven't quite wrapped my head around how the different time zones figure in but, all in all, days lengths are definitely different around the globe. Why is it that hay smells sweeter at night? ~Robin~

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Ah - the only thing you need in that last photo is a little table and a cool beverage (and maybe a good book). I'm happy it's summer and plan to enjoy every moment of it.

Debra said...

Hello! Been thinking of you and hoping your wrist is all better now. Some sewing perhaps? Your photos remind me of those wonderful old postcards-the colors are perfect. Thinking of you :)

Eggs In My Pocket said...

How pretty your photos are.. Yes, sometimes, no matter how long the day.........there is always need for just a little more daylight. Love the chair under the tree!

Megan Schetsche said...

How lovely to see all the green. When you had the longest day, we had the shortest. I'm telling myself already that the sun is peeking over the horizon a moment sooner every morning. Wishful thinking but I do hate getting up in the dark. Enjoy the winding down on the season, and good luck with that harvest!