The grand day of summer solstice

We are at the pinnacle peak of Sun days! This is summer solstice and no where does it better than Palmer, Alaska. This is the revel of glory in the midnight sun. This is when one weeds at midnight and plays all night long, despite the fact that there is no night! June 20 in Northern Hemisphere is the calendar day with the most visible and most lengthy light. It signals that summer is officially here along with all the abundance of energy, fire, ignition, inflamed passions, supercharged batteries and light without ceasing. We have tons of plans and adventures for solstice time…..tasks, trips, fishing, swimming, boating, ball games, festivals, markets, hikes, gatherings. We anticipate it for many months and as the light and apogee accelerates, the energetic buzz gets louder and louder.

The “Less than great” Day AFTER Summer Solstice—Many of us are barometric. Many of us rely on the natural light level to determine our daily attitude. It is not recommended frankly, but it happens to many of us strongly affected by nature or influenced by the weather. For those of us that feel the barometric impact, the day after summer solstice is a very bad day. The sunlight trend has been critically reversed. It is simply because the unexplainable dread and fear about growing darkness becomes real. Factually it is nothing to worry about for many months but because the ever growing sunlight trend has been abruptly reversed, some become unmoored with underlying sadness. It’s a curious thing and few discuss it or admit it. We pass the threshold of ultimate light and suddenly we are confronted with the specter of ultimate dark. Despite the fact that these light tide cycles are both rhythmic and constantly predictable, fear, chaos and flailing illustrates the awkward, rocky-stumble through the boulder field of remaining summer sunlight. Calculations are made about how many days are left before the sun sets again at 10pm, 9pm, 8pm, 7pm, 6pm, 5pm, 4pm, and the ultimate 3pm. We try hard not to think about it but it is like a splinter in our thumb…we worry it and it becomes more than it should be.

We Have A Choice—Since acknowledging this sad weakness, it is important to announce that we have a choice how to handle this out-of-control grievance and worry. It seems like this could be symbolic of our life as a whole. Shall we focus on the future fear and the worry and— in the process—cheapen and destroy the peace of our present existence? Or should we swallow the fear and celebrate what is in front of us? Obviously the later is the way we should go.

Appreciate the Time Right Now in Palmer!—Look at our mountains! Value the full hanging flower baskets that hang up and down main street. Appreciate the daily watering trucks that irrigate all the little gardens and plants. Enjoy the tourists wandering around. Check out the great selection of local shops and restaurants in Palmer. Smile at the beautiful post office garden of poppies. Watch the playing puppies in the green spaces and parks. Perk up at the occasional cracks and bursts of thunderclouds. Try to ground yourself in this immense summertime beauty. Try to regard this as a season which is important to the full cycle of life. Acknowledge the dark heavy feeling has a place but it is not going to steal the joy from the soul of summer.

Lots To Love—There is live music in Palmer all weekend at all the places. The Palmer Ale House is having a tremendous season of music on weekend evenings. Friday Fling is fun. There is a large arts festival and picnic to the west of us. There are equine activities. There are runs and hikes. There will be so many sun parties this weekend celebrating Solstice!

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff on the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222