Pines & Limes

” It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine… it’s summertime! “

~ Kenny Chesney

Summer officially starts on the summer solstice, which this year falls on Sunday, the 21st of June. The summer solstice is the time when the sun appears to be at its highest point in the sky. The sun appears this way in the sky due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis and its rotation. This is the longest day of the year, when the northernmost part of Earth sees (in some places) 24 hours of daylight, while the Southern hemisphere is plunged into darkness. The longest day occurs in parts of Alaska and the Nunavut region, where the sun looks like it doesn’t set. As we get closer, we’ll learn more about Yule (Winter solstice), but for now, we are going to get into the lore and fun facts about the history of Litha, or midsummer, both names for the summer solstice.

The word solstice means “sun standing still”, this is because it looks like the sun is standing still due to how high in the sky the sun is. Another name for the summer solstice is Litha, which comes from Old English meaning calm or gentle. Throughout the world, in many ancient cultures, people tracked the sun’s movement and created myths and places to honor the sun. One of the most popular places that is talked about is Stonehenge, one of the many places where the sun aligns with man-made structures. The Heel stone at Stonehenge is a good example of this; on the summer solstice at sunrise, the sun will perfectly align with the stone. These are all examples of how humans marked and celebrated the passing of time.

This time of year is surrounded by multiple myths. According to modern folklore, the Holly King and the Oak King are brothers who fight over certain parts of the year (Summer vs Winter). The Oak King rules over the brightest parts of the year, spring and summer. He is said to be at his most powerful at the summer solstice. The Oak king is normally depicted as a man wearing a crown made of oak leaves and branches with acorns in it. During this battle on the summer solstice, the Oak king loses and hands the sun over to the holly king, leading to a time when the nights start getting longer and the days get shorter. There are many traditions to go with these myths and stories. Common themes around this time are light versus darkness, death & rebirth, honoring the sun, and the balance of forces of nature.
This time of year is a great time to get outdoors and observe the natural places where you live. Below is a list of some things you can do to celebrate this time of year.

• Light a bonfire (If it is allowed in your area, always check fire safety laws) 🔥
• Watch the sunrise & sunset to honor the sun 🌞
• Dance outside in the sun 💃
• Wear yellow, Red, Orange, or Green (these colors commonly come up to honor the sun and trees)
• Make sun tea (Water, tea of your choice– I love black tea- and a jar to put the water in. Let it sit for a bit; add sugar or honey or drink it black)☕️
• Enjoy outside, go on a hike, go swimming, read a book outside, something-outside!! 🌳

Celebrate the sun and go outside, we have only a few more weeks before things start to get cold and dark again, so make the most of it!! I hope you enjoyed this and learned something!!

Remember, get out there and have fun!

~ Flora 🌸