How to Make the Most of These Longer, Summer Days

Yesterday, June 21, marked the beginning of summer. It's also the longest day of the year, as we say hello to the summer solstice. The term, solstice, comes from the Latin word for the phrase "sun stands still." This all means that the sun is directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Cancer right now. At winter solstice, about December 22, the sun is overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn, signaling the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Interestingly, on June 21, the sun rises in Anchorage at 4:20 AM and sets at 11:42 AM, giving its name, "the land of the midnight sun." As I have family living near Anchorage I can tell you they are more than ready for summer fun after living with barely any daylight hours in the fall and winter months. I know my Alaskan nephews and their dad take full advantage of the added sunlight, fishing in their many lakes until it's almost dark.

When we did live in Florida, we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by returning to western Canada, where we spent our honeymoon. I remember gazing out my motel window at 10 PM that August night, noting the streets full of shoppers, amazed how it was still light outside. "Don't these Canadians ever go to bed?" I asked.

On the other hand, in the fall, the further south you go, the more daylight hours you have. I remember when I lived in Florida and how it was almost daylight when the neighborhood trick or treaters would knock on my door. Then, when we moved up north, the kids had to use flashlights to make their rounds. I took those fall evenings for granted, not realizing how different it was up north.