For someone who lives on the land the solstice has very real meaning. I'm not sure how important the solstice is for urban dwellers or if they even are aware of the event.
I was raise on a farm so the long days were very important. As a little guy I wanted to play more and work less. Success on a farm was closely controlled by the weather. Each activity was dictated by weather. Starting field work before dawn and watching the sunrise as a treat. On the other end I watched many colorful sunsets.
I also spent five years in the Arctic and that was a much more significant solstice. There was much more celebration of the solstice as we would find a high point and watch the sun. Of course, the sun didn't set. It just went lower in the sky and then climbed back .
Ancient peoples who were nomadic or those earlier people who were agricultural societies had there own solstice celebrations. It's interesting to know how the different cultures celebrated.
In Red Deer , Alberta today the sun rose at 5:14 AM and sets at 10:01 PM. I will try to stay up past my bed time to get a shot of 10:00 PM daylight.
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| North side of house 9:29 PM |
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| Looking south 9:45 PM |
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| Just before sunset 9:50 PM |
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| Just before sunset |
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| Directly west at 9:55PM |
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| In my yard at 10:00 PM |
So here's to all of you! Have a great summer!
I LOVE the long daylight hours! We were outside at our camera club meeting last night, still sitting outside around 9pm, but it was getting pretty dark. Today our sunrise was at 5:47am and sunset at 8:27...you get much longer days than we do!
ReplyDeleteYour days are hotter with much more direct sunlight. Our days are long so we get more sunshine to hurry things along.
DeleteHere in Bellingham the sun rose at 5:09am and set at 9:15pm. It is a long day at this time of year, but I would not be likely to catch many sunsets in your part of the world, Red. I'm usually nodding off by 8:30 or 9:00! :-)
ReplyDeleteHey, I've seen sunsets over the Pacific. Do you mean you'd miss them?
DeleteIt stayed light here in central Illinois until 8:45 PM yesterday and now the days will be getting shorter. It also has been very warm here in the mid 90s.
ReplyDeleteYou can have the heat for free! Yes, I understand you are going through a very uncomfortable heat wave.
DeleteIt sets an hour earlier here in Iowa.we were allowed to play outside as kids until the streetlights came on so this would have been fun.
ReplyDeleteWell if you're going by streetlight time it's after ten.
DeleteIn the Arctic kids were on the street all night. They napped.
wow! that really is light, yet, at 10:00 p.m.!!!
ReplyDeleteand how neat that must have been in the arctic!
I knew I'd get your attention on this one as I know how short your days are. You do get very intense sunlight.
DeleteHere in Oregon summer lasts about two weeks. It hasn't arrived yet, but they tell me it's on its way.
ReplyDeleteOh tell me another one. Your summer goes the same time all of them do. LOL Now when it comes to semantics that's another thing.
DeleteRed the longest day of the year is a sad one for me, it just means that our days will slowly start to get shorter and I love it being light out this late. It sure beats the heck out of our winters, where sometimes it's dark by 4-4:30 and we don't see the sun sometimes for weeks on end. I'd LOVE to see the solstice in the Arctic, that would be amazing!
ReplyDeleteAfter I finished posting last night I then remembered it was the solstice, maybe tonight I'll take photos late out at the farm... maybe a fire is also in order, hmmm sounds like that's one heck of a good plan!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers.
You never get sad until it really happens like the winter solstice!
DeleteWe'll never know the date you took the picture.
Hi Red - I watched the sun rise this morning and the sky was brilliant orange/red - I was going to go down to the river to capture it, however, was on my way outta town - nevertheless, beautiful. Our sun rose this morning @5:42 and will set tonight approx. @9:21 (according to the experts?.....however, last night it was still very light @9:50pm. I love it that you are so versatile on your blog - we just never know what Red is going to post about. WOW, so bright in your yard @ 10pm - mine was dark by then. Great Post.
ReplyDeleteHey the reason you never know and I'm all over the place is because I am a random chaotic!LOL
DeleteWow, that is a late sunset. Sunset was 8:26 here. That's a fun part of reading blogs from so many different places. Things like that are not always in my thoughts. I know it, but you brought it to life with your post.
ReplyDeleteLong days seem to energize you.
DeleteAhhh long summer days... I love it. It's my season. Frank and I sat outside to enjoy the evening of the solstice - until the mosquitoes sent us indoors.
ReplyDeleteWarm summer evenings a very pleasant.
DeleteMy "Energizer Bunny" house wren, was singing about 5am to celebrate the Solstice and he was still burbling after dark. He'd fall off his perch from exhaustion if he had your long daylight hours!
ReplyDeleteWe have house wrens and they start very early. I think they take a rest in the middle if the day.
DeleteWe set at 9:19 PM here..I should take a photo..I am always bummed out about the southward retreat of the sun. I enjoyed your evenings photos:)
ReplyDeleteAs I always say don't worry about a little thing like the days get a minute shorter. Worry apout it when it's the shortest day of the year.
DeleteI like the ending of the day coming. It singles it's ok to settle in and take a well deserved break. Not sure your long hours of day would suit me. :)
ReplyDeleteYou must tell us stories from the Arctic - how exciting to have spent some time there.
Long daylight seems to energize people.
DeleteArctic adventures seem a long time ago. I went there in 1963 and returned south in 1969.
I hate to see the longer daylight hours go...The adult and the little kid in me loves the daylight hours.
ReplyDeleteSunsets about 9:15 here right now
Linda
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