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Wednesday 20 June 2012

Happy Summer Solstice !!!

In the Northern Hemisphere, June 20, 2012 is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, June 20 is the Winter Solstice.
In early celebrations, The Celts & Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy.
The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li , the Chinese goddess of light.
Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June.
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the word "solstice" is derived from the Latin word "solstitium." "Sol" means "sun," while "stitium" means "to stop," as the sun appears to stop its seasonal progression across the sky before it begins to recede southward in the ensuing months.
Signs of summer as if we need to know ? LOL
  • Temperatures rise.
  • The water levels in ponds, lakes, and rivers drop.
  • Lightning bugs brighten the night sky.
  • Nature’s efforts in the spring to fully bloom prove fruitful as the green leaves of various trees shake and rattle in the cool summer breezes and
  • Flowers bloom in gardens.
  • All this information is found on the net ....
    Happy Summer Solstice to everyone and may all of your gardens bloom beautifully !
    I wanted to post some pretty plants and happy wildlife in our garden here : )

    My favorite rose which was created in the 1700's Zephirine Drouhin .. suits the dedication for Summer Solstice for me : )
    This little bird not much bigger than a Hummingbird is amazing .. as tiny as they are they chase off squirrels and other birds if they feel these creatures come too close to there territory .. the male sang for weeks to establish it and then the female calls to her babies morning till night as she brings their food .. they are truly amazing little birds and the first time we have had them nest here !


    Our stunning Black Swallowtail butterfly that stayed the whole winter in our fridge was a tiny miracle to us all. We will never forget the thrill of seeing it come to life like this.


    Not only do we have "Mr. Chips" but "Little Chips" as well but I haven't been quick enough to get a picture of them both together !


    Yes ... he can be VERY naughty .. but I can always buy more crocus bulbs !


    "Baby Bunny Boots" was not alone , there were two little ones .. but "baby" was a bit smaller and came more often to our garden .. I think he/she felt relaxed and protected here, and no .. I don't mind the nibbles!  I can always get more plants  !
    Seeing these gorgeous creatures in the garden has been absolutely wonderful for us : )

    11 comments:

    Lisa at Greenbow said...

    Happy Summer Solstice to you too. I hope you have a great day and a great summer. Happy Animal Wednesday too. Sweet photos of your garden densiens.

    Unknown said...

    Good information here Joy. That rose is gorgeous, is it fragrant? You are a true gardener inviting all of nature to enjoy your gardens like you do!

    RURAL said...

    A true animal lovers heart, I can always get more, it's more important to have the creatures here.

    So....naughty laugh on my part, what about the Raccoons, can you always get more roofing? Teh he.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    Nadezda said...

    Joy, Happy Summer Solstice, here in ancient times Slavs jumped over the fire This day they called "Ivan Day", some of them tried to find the fern flower!
    Great photos, I remember and love your "home" butterfly from freezer.

    Patty said...

    Happy summer solstice to you too! It is amazing to see the butterfly that you raised. He/she is quite a beauty too. Lately I have been seeing the yellow swallowtails- not as striking but beautiful.

    Rose said...

    Part of the delight in gardening is in seeing the wildlife that enjoy our gardens as well. How nice to have some wrens and to be able to release a butterfly--that's amazing! I always think chipmunks are so cute, though I might not think so if they were nibbling on my garden:)

    Happy Summer Solstice to you, too!

    Nadezda said...

    Joy, your garden guests are very nice! Happy summer!

    CanadianGardenJoy said...

    Hey you wonderful bloggers !
    Thanks you so much for stopping by ... I am SO waiting for a rain day that I can use visiting all of your blogs and say hello to each of you !

    Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

    What a lovely post, Joy. I am so in love with those little critters. Don't you adore when they visit the garden? I think that's my favourite part of gardening. Sure they can be naughty, but like you said, you can always buy more bulbs. These critter 'naughty' moments are precious.

    Anonymous said...

    Hi Joy!!!
    How exciting to have the wren choose your garden to nest in ~ I love when I get a new bird in mine too. I've never seen this little one before. I wish we had ANY wren here but I've never seen one. All these creatures know a good place (and people) when they see it! I think it must be easy for them to figure out who appreciates having them and who doesn't. I agree with you ~ I'd rather have them & replace the plants.
    I also have to tell you how fabulous your blog header photo is!! Wow. Shows how terrific your garden is ~ so many plants & thoughtful design. Hope your summer started on a good note!

    GRACE PETERSON said...

    I agree, Joy. Having critters in the garden is such delight. I wish we had chipmunks but our cats make sure that this doesn't happen. I love your attitude.

    Would you believe I have never seen a lightening bug? We don't have them here in the Pacific Northwest and I haven't traveled much. I'll have to put "see lightening bugs" on my bucket list.