Summer Solstice 2020

Honeysuckle

Perched between two fierce wind storms, on an early morning the air laid low and soft wet light burst with color. If this spring's taught me anything, it's to take no opportunity for granted. Indeed, grab each one as it comes whizzing by however you might, whenever you can.

No moment ever comes again. As tropical storm Cristobal roared north across the continent, tracking farther west than any storm on record before it, I took the sublime light for everything it offered.

Veronica (Speedwell)

In some parts of the ancient world, on summer solstice folk built bonfires intending to hurl fire toward the sky. They thought that'd encourage the invariably slipping sun to keep burning bright. Of course, what those people believed was hooey.

Summer's tipping point arrives around here this Saturday at 4:43 PM. We call summer solstice "the first day of summer" when in fact, as the world spins the season's all downhill from here. Go figure.

Flox, maybe. Dunno, it grew on its own

Spring 2020 was cool overall and notably wet. Record setting May rains, third year in a row. Sounds like a trend. As midsummer 2020 approaches, in many respects it still doesn't look much like summer.

As yet, honeybees have only the salvia.

Salvia

Bumblebees feasted on all the lupine they could get while the getting' was good. The hyssop that'll sustain them lags behind.

This…

Honeysuckle

…turned into this:

Honeysuckle

But no hummingbirds come. Or if they do they're here then gone, unseen.

On the other hand, our annual crop of fireflies has emerged. They float and crawl all the day around everywhere, awaiting only some magic signal sent on exactly the right warm evening for to dance.

Firefly on Black-eyed Susan

Last night, a few lit for the first time this season. By Saturday, the firefly bacchanal should be in full swing. Neither will these fires persuade the sun not to fade, but I'll be out there watching just the same.

A week ago during Cristobal, even a last lupine held firm. Now, those're all gone to seed.

Lupine

Maybe solstice will bestow abundant riches and after that - for a while at least - everybody eats. We'll see.

From this vantage it seems we reached our tipping point some months ago during the dark of winter, not that anyone noticed. Despite the sun's high point strength, it's still pretty damned dark. Now here we are, on the cusp of yet another appropriated Pagan high holy day.

Many of us alone, working individually together with what we've got, as best we're able. Hoping like hell to get fat before another long, cruel winter sets in.

Hover Fly (or Sweat Bee) on Spiderwort

#summersolstice #midsummer