Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital

Summer and Solstice 2010
 
Summer began several times before the official calendar day this year, early morning, June 21.

I especially enjoyed the summer day on June18: clear air, blue sky with cumulus clouds, and low humidity, a gift of Boreal winds from the North Land.
 
Soon after the temperatures jumped into the mid-90s F with high humidity. Unseasonably and uncomfortably hot. The heat of July and August in the mid-Atlantic region.
 
Yet, in the early morning of June 21, when the temperatures were in the low 70s, there was a fine feeling of summer in the air. On a morning walk in Spring Branch Forest, I looked up and saw the leaves of a tall American Beech shining with Solstice light.
 
(see attached photo-image)
 
Reflecting later, some lines from a song came to mind:
 
May the lights in The Land of Plenty
            Shine on the truth some day.
 
                               Leonard Cohen*
 
Best wishes for Summer Solstice in Northern hemisphere places and Winter Solstice in Southern hemisphere places.
 
salud,
 
Lorne Peterson
Spring Branch stream valley
Eastern Piedmont hills
mid-Potomac River region
 
*from song “The Land of Plenty” on the CD “Leonard Cohen  Ten New Songs” (2001)