Summer Solstice

This is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun is farthest north. Also called summer solstice, this day marks the Ancient middle of summer, Astronomical beginning of summer, and the nativity of St. John the Baptist. Observed mainly by Northern Europeans, Summer Solstice is celebrated in many places by festivals, bon-fires, feasting, singing, and Maypole dancing.


I would say this calls for a Day in the Sun! There is so much darkness and winter in these parts. I can fully understand why my Northern European ancestors celebrated the summer solstice. As if the sun knew this was it's special day, it began by shining bright in a pure blue sky. I got a cup of coffee and sat on the deck (in the sun, of course) to read the paper. There was an event calendar listing all of the activities going on in the state this week-end. Many, many things to do in the sun! Lenny and I chose to drive out to Buffalo Lodge Lake (a small lake 25 miles east of here). We stopped at the Memorial Diner in Granville to pick up ham sandwiches and chips for lunch. The drive out to the lake is on bumpy gravel roads that were washed out in many places by the spring flooding. I was glad we were in Lenny's big pick-up truck- my little Honda would've suffered an injury, I'm sure! Lenny threw a few casts in the water from shore while I reclined in my lawn chair (in the sun) with a book and a Diet Coke.




















Next on the agenda for the day was the Bottineau County Fair with my brother Darrel and his wife, Teresa. The sun shone on us all evening as we rocked to the music of the Johnny Holm Band.
















North Dakotans were out singing, drinking beer, stamping their feet, clapping their hands, eating foot-long hotdogs and cheese curds. Old people were doing the polka and young ones were rapping and swaying to the music. After a spirited performance by the band of "Summertime Blues" with the crowd jumping up in the stands, dancing and singing along, I turned to my brother and said, "Aren't you glad to be alive?' He smiled and shook his stapled together head an emphatic "YES"!

My day of celebrating the sun was a definite success!