Hurrah for the summer solstice! I have never been more ready for summer to begin.
Although light in snow, my first winter back in Nova Scotia since 2000 felt cold, dark, windy, and long. I celebrate getting through it. And I celebrate getting through it in my tiny house. Even when it was still cold and stark in March and April, at least I was enjoying the increasing daylight*.
Sketch by The Dad 40 years ago captures summer bliss for my 13 year-old self—listening to music through big clunky headphones while reading on a canvas camp cot in the backyard.
When I got back from Atlanta in May, the grass at the MBR property was long enough to cut, the nearby campground had opened, some of the seasonal folk were airing out their cottages, and the road was busy with RVs. Spring had arrived while I was gone, but it still wasn’t warm yet. My long underwear was off but my hoody-hood was still up most of the time well into June.
When budgeting for my first SLSR year, I’d expected not to run the woodstove in the tiny house past April. For next winter, if staying in the tiny house, I’m going to budget for using the woodstove 7 full months (November through end of May).
As always, we talk about the weather a lot here and the weather gives us a lot to talk about. A late hard frost this month impacted commercial apple, grape and blueberry crops as well as home gardens. Work on my lofty permaculture dreams did not start this spring. Instead, I’ve decided on some uplifting container gardening. That’s as good as it gets this year.
While listening to a podcast recently, I was struck when the guest expressed the amount of life he statistically has left, not in the number of years, but in the number of summers. In places like Nova Scotia that have such drastic differences in seasons, you’ve got to seize the opportunities in those good weather months. I’ve already had 53 summers—have I celebrated them, embraced them, enjoyed them as much as I could? No not nearly.
To acknowledge the solstice, my neighboUrs and I got together today to share food and conversation. The afternoon turned sunny and warm. If given reason to, I promise not to say one word of complaint about the heat and humidity this summer. But I make no promise regarding the black flies.
*I always enjoy sunsets but I definitely track the time of sunsets much more living in the country.
References:
- MBR: Minas Basin Retreat, the property where I am living in my tiny house. The Minas Basin is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy (with the world’s highest tides).
- SLSR: simpler living semi-retirement.
Neil says
Enjoyable and I even got a mention. The sketch from a sketchbook came out quite well. Read your blog on my iPhone tonight as the iPad is charging.
back is the new forward says
Thanks for catching that sketch and sending to me – it looks good on an iPhone too : – )
Jennifer Donahue says
I was in Colorado visiting my parents over the solstice weekend. It was lovely walking around in the evening with the sun still up at 8:30 but cooler than the 95+ degrees (35 degrees Celsius) during the heat of the day. It felt like Summer but then we got back home. Seattle has been mostly cloudy and 65+ degrees (18 degrees Celsius) so it doesn’t feel quite like Summer yet here in Seattle. Here’s hoping for a bit warmer weather soon for both of us.
Hugs!
back is the new forward says
Hi Jen! Great to hear from you. We’re in a hot stretch right now and I am thoroughly enjoying it : – )