Longest Day of the Year

Today, Friday 21st June 2013, is the longest day of the year as some would like to call it summer solstice. It means that we are already in the middle of summer with very little sunshine to have shown for it. The other thing it means is that from today, the days will slowly start to get shorter and shorter in preparation of winter. Deep joy. Just as summer starts, it goes again. And when I say "just as summer starts" it is very loosely used. The fact is, we have, and have had, about a week of brilliant sunshine and then it goes back to dull, miserable cloud and rain... Tell me again why we all stay in England and not flock to the Caribbean?

Today, the sun rose at 4:52AM - the earliest it had risen the whole year and the earliest it will ever rise again until next year. The day marks when the sun is at the highest peak in the sky. We have to wait until winter solstice for the days to gradually get longer again. And when is this I hear you ask? Well, the official day of winter solstice is 21st December. A whole 6 months to wait... And even then we'll probably still be blanketed under a sheet of cloud and drenched with drizzle...

For many, the summer solstice is not complete without a trip to Stonehenge in Wiltshire, the historic landmark, to watch the sunrise as it makes it way up the sky. It has been a tradition that has dated way back to a time that none of us could probably imagine- immemorial. I have never been but I know that my cousin is a very religious solstice goer and has been to many summer and winter solstices in her time. I think I should put it on my bucket list because who doesn't want to see a beautiful sunrise?

Have any of you celebrated summer solstice or even winter solstice by going to Stonehenge? If you have let me know in the comments what the atmosphere was like. I'm very intrigued by this custom.

Hopefully, the sun might actually make an appearance today and if not today, sometime in the very near future because I know that I am not the only one that is sick and tired of waking up in the morning to such an abysmal sight. I don't want sticky, humid crap with a layer of cloud overhead. I want brilliant blue skies with glorious, warming sunshine so that I can lay in the garden and sunbathe whilst telling my Dad that he *must* do a BBQ.

One can hope and wish.

It's Friday, get out there and do something fun with your evening. It's officially the weekend and let me know what your plans are! Mine are unexciting and involve moving my entire life from Cardiff back to London... Fun.

Love you all lots, and I will talk to you tomorrow, as always,

Nicole

xxxx