Happy Solstice!

Today is the Summer Solstice.

Summer Solstice is an exciting day in our house. For one thing, it is the true beginning of Summer (except this year as we are in the leap year cycle).

The real reason it is so exciting to our family is because Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. Here in the "lower 48" that doesn't really mean much. For us it is exciting because we have many fond memories attached to this mostly overlooked day. We spent 3 years in Alaska, the "land of the midnight sun" and the summers were fantastic! There were always lots of things to do during the summer... street festivals (like the Solstice Festival and the Midnight Sun Run), Community Band concerts held out in the downtown/ river park (which Husband played in), softball games, midnight baseball games (on the day of Solstice), playing at the Pioneer Park and riding the train with the kids, and always lots of time to dig in the yard. Since there was soooooo much sun, all of our flowers grew and grew and grew. We literally had to mow the yard twice as often as we have to here. It seemed like everyone in the building would be out working in their yards (at least all of the social people that we really enjoyed) at the same time and the evening intended for yard work would turn into a fun evening with friends. The kids would all ride their bikes in the parking lot, we would open the gates between fences and the dogs would run "free" back and forth like maniacs, the men would stand around and talk about whatever guys need to talk about, and the ladies would walk in endless circles around the parking lot pushing babies in strollers or guiding toddlers on tricycles. Sometimes we would be able to convince the men that they needed to do the pushing and the girls would sit and have a glass of wine together. What a great way to spend the evening!

So, for those of you who haven't truly celebrated Summer Solstice... go out and live it up tonight! The sun may have already set where you are, but go outside, close your eyes, and just imagine that you are basking in the midnight sun! I think I'll grab a glass of wine and head out there myself.