Yesterday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, a time that marks the beginning of summer. Unfortunately, it rained the whole long day. Again.
A non-rainy day in summer, on Daggett Lake, Minnesota.
But here’s a fun children’s poem by Robert Louis Stevenson (published in 1915) to help celebrate summertime.
Bed In Summer
In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown-up people's feet Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day?
This year’s summer solstice officially began on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 – it’s the shortest night of the year. The night before, Tuesday, June 20th, the sun set at 9:14 pm in Crosslake Minnesota, with lingering twilight until 10 pm.
Near Crosslake Minnesota – 10 pm on 6/20/23.
I decided I would drive up my friend’s cabin near Crosslake Minnesota after a fun visit with our son and his family Tuesday night. I left the south metro about 8 pm.
Driving by myself, up north, at night, I reasoned; 1- I was excited to get up there so I could sleep on the porch and wake up by the lake on Wednesday, 2- I have a reliable vehicle, 3- my friend was expecting me so if anything happened, she’d be concerned (she was sound asleep when I got there!!!), and 4- the sun set late so there was more light than usual that evening.
Looking out on Lake Mille Lacs – 9:30 pm on 6/20/23.
Since the shortest night of the year was the next evening, I expected it to stay light late but, little did I know I’d have twilight for almost 45 minutes after sunset. Only the last half hour did I drive in the dark. Of course, that was when I was making many turns on back roads to get to her cabin, but I made it, and I felt good!
A large family of Canadian Geese.
Nature abounds up north. Of course, there is always deer, and I saw several including a mama and young doe. We heard many loons the first night – we thought there was a convention right off her dock. We laid in our beds listening to their distinctive calls. We saw 20+ goslings swimming in a row between Mr. & Mrs. Canadian Geese – that is one large family. We saw the resident eagle fly by several times, and we heard (!) 4 racoons under the porch where we slept. They woke us up each night. The first two nights we didn’t know what kind of animal was under there…it’s not a good place for animals to be. Finally, my friend saw the culprits outside the cabin at 4:30 in the morning of the third night…a mama raccoon and her three babies. That’s a problem that needs to be solved…
Me on a jet ski, on Daggett Lake in 2014.
We enjoyed sunny, warm and comfortable weather, by the lake. We did take out the jet skis one afternoon. We sometimes forget we are in our 70’s! But, we did well (after calling her 10-year-old-granddaughter to remind us how to start them!) We trolled along the shore to look at the cabins, then took a couple speed rides across Daggett Lake.
It’s amazing to see all the cabins, all the docks, all the boat lifts with boats in them, on this one not-so-large lake, and then multiple it by 15,000 lakes in Minnesota. Whew! That’s a lot of recreation.
My drive home was not as exciting as my drive up, but I am grateful for the time we had up north, and for a different way of experiencing the summer solstice.
Today, June 20, is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. Let’s celebrate the beginning of summer. Here are a couple of prayers/readings I hope you enjoy.
Outside my window…freshly washed window!
**Creator God
who breathed this world into being,
who is discernible within
the harmony of nature,
the perfection of a butterfly's wing,
the grandeur of a mountain range,
the soaring eagle and hummingbird,
thank you for this world
which you have created.
Thank you for summer sun,
which reminds us
that your creative breath
is still alive and active.
Thank you for the warmth of your love,
sustaining this world...
your garden
+++++++
{Creator God}
**Your creation
Rolled into a sphere
Packaged in sunshine
Gift-wrapped in love
Given to us
Thank you
***For the first showings of the morning light
and the emerging outline of the day
thanks be to you, O God.
For the earth’s colors to be drawn forth by the sun
its brilliance piercing clouds of darkness
and shimmering through leaves and flowing waters
thanks be to you,
Show to me this day
amidst life’s dark streaks of wrong and suffering
the light that endures in every person.
Dispel the confusions that cling close to my soul
that I may see with eyes washed by your grace
that I may see myself and all people
with eyes cleansed by the freshness of the new day’s light.
***Celtic Benediction by J. Philip Newell
“On this day the length of time with sunlight is the longest.”*
Sunrise over Lake Superior, 2016.
Here are some excerpts from, A Summer Blessing, from the book entitled The Circle of Life.*
Blessed are you, summer, season of long days and short nights, you pour forth light from your golden orb, energizing the earth and calling forth growth.
Blessed are you, summer, with your generous gift of heat. Your warm breath animates creation, encouraging all growing things to stretch towards the sun.
Blessed are you, summer, you call us into playfulness, encouraging us to pause from work. You renew our spirits.
Blessed are you, sacrament of summer, natures’ green season, sweet echo of spring. You speak to us in living color as you renew the earth with symbols of life for our bodies and souls.
Blessed are you, summer, with your firefly evenings you minister to the child in us. You feed our hunger for beauty.
* The Circle of Life by Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiederkehr
Yesterday was the summer solstice – so summer has officially arrived here in Minnesota. It was nice to wake up and see the sun peeking through the clouds this morning after many days of rain. There is no guarantee that the sun will be out for the summer solstice, and it wasn’t yesterday, but I’m happy to see it today.
A view from our window at dusk: the honeysuckle vine – that grew back after being trimmed back this spring – and a clematis climbing the pergola.
Some of my flowers are blooming – they, too, like the bright sunshine after days of rain.
Cardinal Wyszynski Clematis
I don’t remember the name of this clematis growing up our back deck.
Jackmanii Clematis.
I’ve started noticing ways to celebrate the summer solstice. This year I learned of a special yoga session offered at the local, organic blueberry farm in town. That sounded like a great way to enjoy the longest day of the year. So my friend and I, not knowing what to expect, went to check it out. We are familiar with yoga from classes, but we wondered what it would be like outdoors, with strangers.
Beautiful sky over the blueberry hill.
It was great. The weather cooperated, and we were outdoors listening to the birds, surrounded by nature, on a small hill overlooking beautiful blueberry bushes with fruit, with a beautiful sky overhead, and no mosquitoes, all the while doing our yoga stretches on the farm.
Photo of deck flowers taken about 9:15 p.m.
It was a fun way to celebrate the summer solstice.
