This year Tim & I celebrated the summer solstice at home, just the two of us. I spent the day preparing side dishes, potato salad, cucumber salad, etc. Unusual for me as I’m not fond of cooking, but it can be fun once in a while, for something special. There was anticipation in the air because when I went to buy salmon in the morning, the fish guy (a butcher sells meat, who sells fish?) was excited because he had some rare wild white king salmon to offer me! His enthusiasm was contagious and so I bought it.
When Tim came home from work we cooked our dinner together, poached salmon with dill sauce, drank some mead one of his coworkers brewed, and listened to my new summer solstice playlist. The salmon was very good!!! Then we were off to feed the kids’ fish and cat, and then we went to the beach to watch the sunset. Returned home and had some more mead while we watched the movie A Midsummer Night’s Dream by candlelight. ‘Twas a lovely evening!
Sounds (and looks) like it was a magical night!
Lots of magic in the air! 🙂
I agree with Janet — it does, indeed, sound like it was a magical night. Your photographs are lovely.
Thanks, Laurie, I was hoping the camera would capture some of the scenery nature was creating…
A wonderful way to spend an evening together. Solstice or not!
It was a wonderful change of pace – it’s nice to have a solstice or equinox as an excuse to change gears and push ourselves out of the little ruts of routine we sometimes get stuck in!
Sounds beautiful. I can feel the magic of your evening shimmering through the computer. We had a fish guy (fish salesman?) come right to the house the other day offering his catch. We’re having some tonight.
Fishmonger! The word popped into my head so I looked it up and it fits, although its use is primarily British… How lucky are you having a fishmonger come right to your door! What kind of fish did you buy from him? Magic shimmering… I love the words you choose, Kathy! Wishing you some shimmering magic along with your fish dinner, too!
Gorgeous photos and a lovely way to spend an evening 🙂
Thank you, Val! It was lovely and the photos came out better than I dared to hope!
Hi Barbara,
What a lovely place to watch the sunset, sounds like an absolutely perfect evening.
We are fortunate to live near the sea, a blessing that I appreciate every day – just knowing there’s a place to go and be nurtured whenever needed, and in all seasons…
I believe everything was done right – and nature smiled down on you.
The photos are lovely – there is a richness of color that can only be found during the summer season.
I hate the summer myself, but that time of day – settling between light and dark – I always associated with comfort and relief: it symbolizes the time of day when it finally starts to cool off.
Thank you, Aubrey, I think you’re right, each season has its own color palette…
Summer used to be my favorite season because I enjoyed going to the beach with my children so much. And apparently I was getting enough Vitamin D to make me feel physically well, better than the rest of the year. But the older I get the less tolerant of the heat and humidity I become. Now I can’t pick a favorite season – I seem to love the changes each season brings.
Dusk in the summer always makes me think of when we attend Shakespeare-in-the-Park, which always starts at dusk. If the day has been very hot I love being able to sit there into the night without even a sweater on…
How great to tune into the season like that! Thank you for sharing it, and the lovely pictures….
I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures, Melissa! It does seem good to acknowledge the change of season – life can get hectic so doing something a little differently when the season changes is a great excuse to break up the daily routine…
A fishmonger. But I think someone already answered that. 🙂
It sounds like a really lovely way to celebrate the first day of summer. Your sunset is wonderful.
Thanks, Robin! 🙂 From fishmonger to sunset, a lovely day!
Good pics and feelings.
By the way, a fishmonger comes to our street too, and we’re far from the sea and out in the sticks.
Thanks, Paul! It always amazes me how far inland fresh fish can be delivered – you’re lucky to have a fishmonger visiting regularly…
Love your photos Barbara and the simplicity of your solstice celebration..
Thanks, Rosie! I’m a believer in simplicity!
What a perfect day. As I read each part of the post, the picture of the sunset makes it more so real for me. That was nice for you to make a special dinner for Tim and looks like it turned out to be just as beautiful as the sun set image . Extend my Happy Father’s Day greeting to your husband. It’s always been my dream to live close to the beach, to gaze at the sun when it rises and sets as you walk along the seashore with the love of your life. Thanks for sharing.
Tim said, “thank you very much,” for your Fathers Day wish! 🙂
We do feel fortunate and blessed to be living a mile from the sea, which means we can even walk down to the beach. (Although when I think of tsunamis I get a little nervous about it.) Each moment we have together is all the more precious after Tim’s brush with death in 2007, when he survived a heart attack. I’m happy you enjoyed this post…