How are you spending the summer solstice?

[Front-Ranger]

I think they're question marks because I copied and pasted from the newspaper's newsletter.

So, you're asking for a ritual or observance of some sort? Here's something you can do. Observe where the light comes in a certain window at noon or a time of your choosing. Hang a special image there on the wall, or make a little mural or something. I have a painted turtle shell (by a Native American artist, that I'm hanging in the light of the summer solstice.

[Jeff Wrangler]

S/he's right, mainly because it stays warm and nice out for quite a while after June 21, so we don't have to start dreading short days until Labor Day, at which point it's like someone flips a switch. (Although personally, I tend to start dreading it as soon as I get catalogs with sweaters on the cover and I see a school-supply aisle in the store.)

I'm with you there. Department stores start putting out cold weather merchandise as well.

[serious crayons]

So, you're asking for a ritual or observance of some sort? Here's something you can do. Observe where the light comes in a certain window at noon or a time of your choosing. Hang a special image there on the wall, or make a little mural or something. I have a painted turtle shell (by a Native American artist, that I'm hanging in the light of the summer solstice.

I guess my ritual is watching where/when the sun falls on my balcony or directly into the wall of windows in front of it. Around the winter solstice I get about 10 minutes of direct sunlight a day; the rest of the time the sun is behind another wing of the building. It emerges from the side of the building in February, then keeps moving until, in summer, I get direct sun from about 2:30 on (would be longer but the roof over my balcony blocks the sun when it's at its highest). Then the daily question becomes when will the sun go behind the huge tree so I get some shade on my balcony and it's not too hot to sit out there and read.

I've had to slightly adjust my custom since a huge limb broke off the big tree at the forefront of my view. Actually, what broke off is more like one of five trunks; the tree is, I would guess, about 12-15 feet in circumference at its base. I fear for the health of the rest of the tree -- if they took it completely out I'd still have a nice view of the park behind it but the loss of that massive tree and its dappled shade would change everything.

[CellarDweller]

Or, as Chrissi and I would sadly call it, Shorterdays. 

bring on the shorter days! 

[Jeff Wrangler]

bring on the shorter days! 

Your coffin comfortable, is it?

[southendmd]

bring on the shorter days! 

Shut up, Chuck.

[CellarDweller]

[CellarDweller]

Your coffin comfortable, is it?

 

You're talking to someone who has an apartment that gets sun all day long.  In the late afternoon, the sun beats the windows, and with the blinds closed and blackout curtains, it still gets warm.  Add to it that I'm on the second floor so the heat from the apartment below me rises up to me.

Because of this, my A/C runs nearly 24/7 to keep it at comfortable temperature.  During a heatwave, the A/C can maybe get the apartment to 78F during the heat of the late afternoon.

From September through May, my electric bill monthly is maybe $50.00 - $65.00 a month.

Last summer, due to the heat waves, my electric bill (for a 1 bedroom apt) was $405.00 a month.

[serious crayons]

Last summer, due to the heat waves, my electric bill (for a 1 bedroom apt) was $405.00 a month.

Wow! That's a lot. I keep my AC set at 77 and it only exceeds that in late afternoon on really hot days.