Today is the Summer Solstice, and I suppose it is somehow appropriate that an hour after I went to bed Hilary awoke and refuses all of my entreaties that she sleep. I’ve given up now of course, and she sits in her swing and I count down the moments until it is time to get up and get breakfast ready for the clients, a little more than an hour from now.
Most of the world, or rather the Northern Hemisphere, think of today as the longest day of the year, but of course that doesn’t apply here. We have just as much sun today as we have had for the past six weeks or so, 24 hours. Today the sun will reach it’s highest point in the northern sky. More significantly for me, it marks that beginning of the slide towards the sunset and the winter.
In this land it is hard to get away from the fact that winter is just around the corner. We’ve not had a great spring this year, it has felt more like October with overcast skys and snow flurries and rain. Flights are missing just like it was fall. But on the other hand, the wildflowers seem to be back on their schedule after the late year last year. We went for a drive to the water lake last night and I noticed that Arctic Poppies have begun blooming and that on some hills the Arctic Dryad are already abundant. Yesterday we actually had a great deal of sun, but now the sky promises more of the fall weather, it is overcast and cool, and looks foggy up top.
But things are looking up. Hilary has just closed her eyes, so perhaps I can squeeze in fifty minutes or so of sleep. Then pancakes.
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6 responses
It’s good to see the frequent references to clients in your posts–I take it the House is doing well.
The longest day of the year is for me as well, southerner that I am, more significant for its “turning point” aspect, the long, slow slide down to the other side–that and the young blue jays and grackles out of the nest.
Oooh! Any way you can send me some arctic poppy seeds Clare? I’m happy to send you something southern Manitobaish in return 🙂
I always imagine it sunny there when you have 24 hours of daylight. I never think of cloudiness or snow flurries. I’d love to see a photo of Arctic Poppies. Glad that Hillary fell asleep, and hope you found time for a couple of zzz’s yourself.
Another beautiful, reflective post, Clare. Such a strong sense of place and awareness.
Here, of course, we’ve just passed the shortest day. I’m not waiting for summer, though: I’m going to seek it out.
Like Pete we’ve just had the longest night, it’s just before 8 AM, the sun is not far above the horizon, and the rays are shining through the fog throwing long shadows. We’ve just had crumpets with berry jam for breakfast!
Hi Pamela,
We’re doing alright, business is slowly increasing. We still haven’t reached the break even point yet but I guess these things take time. We’ve been very nicely received critically. Some people have been most enthusiastic with their praise and that’s been really nice.
Anita, I’ll gather some this fall, although my track record hasn’t been very good for having them germinate down south.
Robin Andrea, in general this time of year it is sunny (and today was/is gorgeous) but lately we’ve had ever increasing amounts of rain and cloud.
Thanks Peter, it does seem strange, in someways that winter is settled in elsewhere in the world. It is something that I have to keep reminding myself.
Duncan, ditto for you, of course I can’t imagine winter at all for Australia. I had to go and put some chokechery jelly on a slice of toast after I read about the crumpets.