The Longest Day Of The Year

'The festival of the summer solstice speaks of love and light, of freedom and generosity of spirit. It is a beautiful time of the year where vibrant flowers whisper to us with scented breath, forests and woodlands hang heavy in the summer's heat and our souls become enchanted with midsummer magic."

~Carole Carlton

Mrs. Darley's Pagan Whispers

A Celebration of Pagan Festivals, Sacred Days, Spirituality and Traditions of the Year 

Summer, is here, faster than I thought it would be. This year is really moving along nicely. That means that in just 90 days, we will be starting autumn. If you've been reading my blog, for any length of time, or just happen to know me... at all... you already know how excited I am right now. Summer is a necessary evil, an annoyance to endure, until we to get to autumn, with it's earthly beauty, and colorful celebration of old age and death. Autumn, the one season that I feel truly alive. 

While we are only on the first day of summer, the hot weather in the Central Valley usually begins in middle of May. Thankfully, we have only had a few truly HOT days so far. But I anticipate that as we round the corner from June to July things will change in a big way. Last year, on the 4th of July, the heat was absolutely unbearable. I thought I would melt, but that evening was downright dreamy. Alan and I watched the fireworks, from our front yard, which has been our tradition since we bought the house. It was so much fun. 

This year, however, we are planning to head back to San Francisco, to enjoy one of our, now old fashioned, July 4th traditions of watching the fireworks, as we drive along the Embarcadero. We haven't done that in years, and I really miss it, so as you might imagine, I am really happy to see my lovely city again. It's going to be fun, and I am praying that I haven't jinxed the trip by sharing our plans. That has happened more times than I can count. LOL. Hopefully July, and summer,  and whichever demon is in charge of spoiling fun will be agreeable this year, as we navigate through, as Stephen King puts it, "treacherous summer."

 A truly necessary evil.

There is something equally treacherous about the first day of the summer, also being the longest day of the year!

Summer Solstice 2019

Begins at 11:54 AM EDT N. of the Equator

As the sun is directly over the Tropic Of Cancer 

There will be 14.5 to 15 hours of sunlight

Sunrise: 5:48 am Sunset 8:43 pm PST 

San Francisco... we will be there soon!

Note: This is also the time of year I start getting myself back into the swing of blogging. I will be posting more often, as we move through the summer. New words. New photographs. Lots to share. Check back often for new content, usually a couple times a week or so. I will publish a new schedule soon. Thanks for bearing with me.

~Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Welcome To Summer :)

"Summer was here again. Summer, summer, summer. I loved and hated summers. Summers had a logic all their own and they always brought something out in me. Summer was supposed to be about freedom and youth and no school and possibilities and adventure and exploration. Summer was a book of hope. That's why I loved and hated summers. Because they made me want to believe."

~Benjamin Alire Saenz, Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe.

If it's 3:51 A.M. PST or later, it's officially summer 2014! Finally. I can last another 3 months until autumn comes back to me. I can. Although I seem to have a lot less patience in summer, than in the rest of the seasons combined! Maybe it's the heat, or maybe it's the HEAT, lol, who knows? All I know I am ready, really ready, to get back out with the camera and find the sun. Not that it went anywhere, no, I know it was I that went into hiding. But I am okay again, and summer is here. And so are summer nights. I love summer nights. 

Don't you?

And Now, A little music from one of my favorite summer movies, Grease!

         
Grease
Original Release Date: June 16th 1978






Summer Nights




I went to see the movie the day it opened! It was supposed to go for my birthday, which is on June 29th, but I couldn't wait! I had to go the day it opened! And then I also went on my birthday! LOL. God I loved that movie! John Travolta was the celebrity crush of the time! Everyone loved John Travolta, and so did I. He was hot! What seems like yesterday, also seems like forever ago. Time flies, one season at a time!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

Soon...

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do."

~Helen Keller

 

From the archives. I took the photo back in the august of 2010. It instantly became one of my favorite photos of all time. Many times I have considered taking this photo and putting it on canvas. Maybe one day, we'll see. I haven't been out with the camera for a while. I just haven't felt like it. I am not really stuck per se, but I am in a bit of a funk. Summer begins tomorrow, and I know I will be out more with the camera. If I don't venture out on my own, Alan is going to make me go. LOL. If all else fails, we are planting next week, so there is always the sunflowers, roses and tomatoes... right? Or perhaps I should take up watercolor drawing. Look how nice the sunflower photo looks converted to that form!

But first... the summer solstice.  One thing at a time.

I think I will be back to normal soon. :)

Mood: Quiet

~Me :)

Happy Summer 2013!

"Sweet, sweet burn of sun and summer wind, and you my friend, my new fun thing, my summer fling."

~K.D. Lang

It's here! Happy Summer 2013! My rose garden seems to be grinning ear to ear! Bee to bee? Rose to rose? LOL. Oh well, you know what I mean! It's happy... that's all. Just happy!

Summer Begins At 1:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time.

Today is also the longest day of the year, which is fine by me, because now the days will begin to get shorter. I can't wait for the those lovely shorter days of autumn. Happiness! But first, Saturday and Sunday will see the arrival of the 2013 Supermoon! It peaks on June 22, and 23rd and will be the biggest and brightest moon of the year! Go read all about it here! Now tell me, will you be joining in the fun of photographing this awesome event? I am going to give it my best shot, how about you?

 

 

 

Mood: Happy :)

~Me :)