The foliage of to-day will not be denser or of deeper tints to-morrow, and whether in upland or in meadow you will find no new birds. Those that came to stay are now busy with their nests; those that tarried for a while, en route for more northern homes, have long since left us. June is a month of fixed facts, but they are none the less interesting because of this. What transpired a year ago, this day or week or month, or even half a century ago, is now being or will be re-enacted. But all was not reported then, and much has been slighted since, so that the danger is slight indeed that the record of any June day out of doors will be a twice-told tale.
~ Charles Conrad Abbott
(Days Out of Doors)
Happy Summer Solstice!
Wishing for you a summer full of the weather you love, Karma! 🌻☀️🌻
Summer has arrived – the longest day of the year and now we begin our slow crawl toward Winter. I wonder why the U.S.A. does not celebrate the Summer Solstice like European countries do and embrace it? (I’ve heard/read that parts of Europe are in for a hot spell.)
I wonder about that myself – apparently in Europe the summer solstice is associated with the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Perhaps because of the separation of church and state here the custom didn’t take hold, although Christmas, associated with the winter solatice, eventually did. Interestingly, celebrating Christmas was officially outlawed in parts of colonial America during the 17th century by strict Puritans.
It’s amazing there is such a different mindset over here for Summer – at least we can agree on the association of Christmas and the Winter Solstice.
At the Ford Estate, they have a meadow (Jurgen’s Meadow), which, when created after taking out some wooded areas, is situated to see the setting sun on the day of the Winter Solstice. They just recognized that fact yesterday on their Facebook page, showing a sunset photo. I know Henry and Clara Ford traveled in Europe so I wonder if they were there for any Summer Solstice celebrations and that is what prompted creating Jurgen’s Meadow?