Wednesday, June 20, 2012

IN WHICH BEAR OBSERVES THE SOLSTICE

The solstice happened a few hours ago. Just after 5:00 p.m. local time. Here is the sun at about 10:00 p.m. — heading to bed.






But it was much brighter at three o'clock this morning, when I checked it. I would have taken a picture then, but I didn't want to wake J. (You drop a single tiny pin on a high pile carpet, or click a camera in another room, and J is instantly wide awake — not a good thing, for her, as she won't get back to sleep.)

 J has been busy writing haiku and drawing pictures related to the solstice. And thoroughly enjoying the day. (Actually, we conspired on the haiku.)

We also spent time looking at solstice information on the computer. J focused particularly on the Egyptian Goddess Isis (pr: ee-sat). Her tears for her dead husband caused the Nile River to overflow its banks and nourish the earth annually around the time of the solstice. (Until, of course, the Aswan High Dam was put in place to generate electricity; that completely changing the natural ebb and flow of the river. But it allowed for agricultural irrigation, which some people say was not as good as the annual flooding, which brought water-borne nutrients to the land.)

How did you celebrate solstice at your spot in the world?

23 comments:

About Last Weekend said...

Gosh I didn't know it happened - I must live in a hole. Note to self to take more notice of what is happening around me and not keep my head down and just doing mindless carpooling. Those photos of the sky are amazing by the way. That is a very lyrical reminder of my times in Eqypt.

The Broad said...

Here in the UK we had an absolutely glorious day of sunshine to begin our summer -- here of course they call it 'mid-summer'-- which means that my husband and I often have a friendly 'discussion' about when summer begins! Many Brits think it begins and ends with the equinoxes in March and September. Understandable since it does seem as though there are only two seasons here!

Love your story about Isis -- many thanks -- lovely way for me to start the first day of Summer!

Rubye Jack said...

It was a gorgeous day wasn't it.
I did nothing special except watch the sun go down. Our view of the sunset here looks much like your's did in this photo. It's going to be a long hot summer!

Kristy said...

I spent the day and evening trying to beat the heat. We have been having a horrible heatwave.

Diana said...

I do believe I was a sleep. I didn't even think about it Bear. Early to bed and early to rise for me.
Your photos were very colorful, NICE!
Love Di ♥

DJan said...

I puttered in my garden enjoying the blue skies and lack of rain, for the first time in days. Here it happened at 4:09pm and I made note of it but that's about it. Happy Solstice, summer is finally here!

Sara Louise said...

Happy Solstice!
I will be celebrating the extra long evening tonight with a bottle of Rosé on my terrace here in Provence :)

Irene said...

We didn't celebrate it in the Netherlands. I think only the heathens do and they didn't invite me.

betty said...

Beautiful pictures! We didn't do anything special to welcome in summer; but I do hope you and yours have a great summer ahead!

betty

Inger said...

I'm very aware of the solstice as it usually falls on the 21st, today. Which is my birthday. I'm mentioning this, because in Sweden, like in the north of Canada, the longest day of the year really means something. In Stockholm, the sun would rise and the birds would sing around two in the morning. I just love it!! Thanks for this post.

lotta joy said...

I had no idea it was Solstice, or would have known what to look for had I been aware. Joe went deep sea fishing and I cleaned house, ironed and baked a home-made chicken pot pie. MY kind of enjoyment. Yep.

Rosaria Williams said...

Skipped it! Not exactly,I entertained friends and their children who helped out in the garden.

The Blog Fodder said...

I thought the longest day of the year was June 21st? It is 9:30 here and still some daylight. We are 450 km south of Kyiv which is the same latitude as Regina so we don't get the super long days like northern Saskatchewan.

Helen said...

Will you be sharing the haiku? Certainly hope so. I always celebrate Summer Solstice! Glad you do too.

Golden Eagle said...

Beautiful pictures!

We didn't really do much to celebrate the solstice; it was very hot yesterday, for one thing.

Cathy Olliffe-Webster said...

Ah man, I forgot!!!!
Sometimes I think the coolest moments of life just pass me by when I'm not paying attention. Good thing you were. Your photos are lovely.
(I like your Open Range sign pic too.)

Frances said...

Bear, I did not sleep so well last night (June 20) and now wonder if it was some sort of solstice phenom?

I guess I get another chance at those winks tonight.

xo

Chatty Crone said...

We celebrated the coming of summer or summer by being in the hot heat today. Lol.

Glad you enjoyed the day and where is your Haiku?

So you are so far up north - how do the hours of light and darkness divvy out?

Sandie

Irene said...

The solstice was on June the 21st.

Rob-bear said...

® about last weekend: What? A journalist not paying attention to what's going on? You could lose your journalist's licence for that, you realize.
Glad you liked the photos and the Egyptology. Thanks.

® The Broad: Thanks for sharing your experience. Let me guess about two seasons: one is cold (and sometimes snowy), the other one wet (but sometimes sunny). Glad you enjoyed the rest.

® Rubye Jack: Glad you had a good day. Watching the sun go down is a great way to celebrate the solstice. Hope it doesn't get too hot.

® Kristy: Too hot to be on the land, but the water's too cold to be in there (I suspect). Sigh.

® Diana: Oh, my! In bed at 8:09 p.m. is early to bed. Hope you slept well.

® DJan: Glad you got into your garden (as soggy was it was) and did a summer thing. The 4:09 p.m. at your place would have been 5:09 at our place, so that all fits.

® Sara Lousie: Rosé on the terrace; solstice en mode provinçal, je pense.

® Irene: Oh, dear. The solstice is something to mark (if not celebrate); it reminds us of what season is upon us.
And yes, it happened on the 21st in the Netherlands. Roughly 5:00 p.m. on the 20th here, would be around 1:00 a.m. on the 21st, where you are. It's all in the math. And Co-ordinated Universal Time.

® that corgi :): Hope you have a restful summer, too. We don't have major plans; as retired people, we're on vacation 12 months a year (except when I'm helping out at the church).

® Inger: Yes, for Sweden, solstice was on the 21st this year. (See my note to Irene.) Thanks for sharing your memories.

® lotta joy: If you didn't celebrate solstice in Florida, it's probably no big deal, since you're in the land of perpetual summer (more or less).

Rob-bear said...

® rosaria williams: Sounds to me like you did a very "solstice kind of thing." How can you be more summery than when working in the garden?

® The Bog Fodder: Yes, on the 21st where you live (see my notes to Irene and Inger).

® Helen: Glad you celebrate the solstice! Must be your inner Celt or Wiccan, or something.
The haiku is J's "intellectual property," so I don't mess with it. (Could cost me my marriage if I did. OK, not really, but, still, one needs to respect the intellectual property of others.)

® The Golden Eagle: Glad you enjoyed the pics. Maybe you can celebrate solstice in the winter (Dec. 20 or 21), or next summer.

® Cathy Olliffe-Webster: Oh, futz. Neither of my journalist colleagues were paying attention. Hope you don't lose your journalist's licence. (Don't worry; I won't report you.)
Glad you liked the pics. Thanks.

® Frances: Sorry you lost sleep. Don't know if that was a solstice thing. I usually sleep pretty well on the solstice, added sunshine notwithstanding.

® Chatty Crone: Well, Sandie, indeed, when you're hot, you're hot.
It's almost 11:00 p.m., and I can still see a tinge of sunset on the horizon. So there'll be something coming up around 1:00 a.m. or so.
Sorry, no haiku. (See my note to Helen.)

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

I discussed it with the family reminding them it would be the longest day and that we wee heading to winter again!

Rob-bear said...

® Heidrun Khokhar: Ah; here you are again. Thanks. yes; the longest day. And you're thinking of winter too soon. Let's try to enjoy summer first.