JUN 20, 24 .. A SPECIAL DAY FOR PATTI..THE 2024 SUMMER SOLSTICE..

FRIENDS OF BILL ..

Today, Patti celebrates eight thousand, eight hundred, eighty eight (8,888) days of continuous sobriety.

WOW AND CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL OF US MY DEAREST PATTI ..  

– – – – – – – –

Oh My.. Oh My! How The Time Flies Away!

It seems like “just yesterday” when we celebrated The Winter Solstice back on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at 6:27pm!

On that day, we began the “counting up” as we headed for the longest day of 2024, today, Thursday, the 20th of June, 2024!

And NOW! Here it is!

NATIONAL TODAY..

How could it be anything else?

The Longest Day (Summer Solstice) is observed on either June 20, 21, or 22.

This year, it falls on June 20, maybe because of the extra Leap Year day February 29th. The timing shifts because it depends on when the Sun reaches its northernmost point from the celestial equator.

It’s the longest day of the year. We hope you all enjoy it!

As the sun creeps up over the hills and into your town today, you’ll know it’s here. That blessed time of year when barbecues and beach trips reign, when work slows and summer holidays mean getting together with friends and family. Just thinking about it likely brings up the smell of fresh cut grass and the taste of cold lemonade.

The Summer Solstice signals the start of astronomical summer. As a result, the days get shorter as summer progresses. First it will be gradually but then it will be at increasingly larger daily intervals as the September equinox approaches and ushers in the beginning of fall. Because the Sun travels across the sky in its most elongated path during the summer solstice, that day has the most daylight hours.

We interrupt this to remind you that this applies only to those living north of the equator!

People have celebrated this day for thousands of years. Some of the earliest celebrants were the ancient Mesopotamians, Celtic Druids, Chinese, and Egyptians. All of these cultures had their own ways of celebrating that make even our craziest backyard barbecues look tame. When was the last time you had a multi-story bonfire and danced around it naked? That’s what we thought. But cultures have had good reason to celebrate since ancient times right up until today.

In the Neolithic cultures of Northern and Central Europe, the dates of the crop cycles were associated with the summer solstice. People in Celtic, Slavic, and Germanic cultures traditionally celebrated it by lighting bonfires to bolster the Sun’s vigor for the duration of the crop season and ensure a healthy harvest.

Numerous Neolithic stone circles appear to have been constructed around the Sun’s movement at solstices. However, because there are no written accounts from this time period, determining the exact purpose of these rock edifices is difficult. On the other hand, the stones appear to be carefully positioned to align with the Sun’s movements, framing solar motion on the summer and winter solstices.

Different tribes and religions around the world also observed June Solstice in cultural and faith-based traditions. In Northern Europe, they refer to it as ‘midsummer,’ while other neo-pagan religions such as Wiccans refer to it as ‘litha.’ Christians and Catholics used this day to commemorate St. John’s Day in observance of John the Baptist’s birthday. On the other hand, Ancient Romans counted the days leading up to June Solstice for the celebration of Vestalia, a religious festival to honor Vesta, the goddess of the hearth.

Patti and I thought that, in addition to the Summer Solstice, it would also be nice to also celebrate..

Celebrate the United States’ national symbol on American Eagle Day!

On June 20, we set aside time to raise awareness about the bald eagle and to preserve the bird’s natural habitat. The holiday is meant to educate others about the birds’ importance, and to explore ways we can ensure that the eagles continue to thrive for decades to come. In the 1950s, the bald eagle was at serious risk of becoming extinct. Loss of their natural habitat, hunting, and the use of pesticides that damaged their eggs caused the population to massively decline. The bird was classified as endangered in the U.S. in 1967. The bird went on to become a prime success story of the Endangered Species Act. The bald eagle began to repopulate and thrive, and in 1995, it was moved from the national endangered species list to the national list of threatened species—a major improvement! As of 2007, the bald eagle is no longer considered threatened and has a healthy population level. National American Eagle Day was launched by the American Eagle Foundation, a Tennessee organization focused on protecting bald eagles and their fellow birds of prey. Bald eagles like to live near large bodies of water, as they mostly eat fish, and are known for their beauty and grace when they soar through the air. They have been known as treasured symbols of the United States since the 1700s.

Bald eagles are powerful birds of prey indigenous to America. They symbolize strength, determination, and honor. In ancient times — that is, even before the European conquest — bald eagles roamed the great blue skies, witnessing the rise and fall of empires.

On June 20, 1782, the Second Continental Congress selected bald eagles as the national symbol of the United States. Back then, they did not have any threats, either from land or from the skies. More than 100,000 nesting pairs were dominating the U.S. skies during that era. But the story changed for bald eagles in the 19th century.

Poisoning from pesticides, illegal shooting, habitat destruction, lead poisoning, birth defects, etc., resulted in a rapid decline of the eagle population. In 1940, Congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which provided some protection for the birds. The law prohibited selling, owning, or killing bald eagles. But the population continued to decline, so much so that they were listed as endangered species by 1967. The main culprit was D.D.T., a pesticide used for eradicating mosquitoes and other pests. The chemical reached water bodies and fish on which bald eagles preyed. The D.D.T. interacted with the calcium secreting mechanism of the bald eagle and softened the eggshells. The result was soft eggs that failed to hatch or break under the weight of the incubating mother.

Rachel Carson mentioned in her book “The Silent Spring” the adverse effect of D.D.T. on the ecosystem. As a result, the U.S. banned the use of D.D.T., and this paved the way for the return of bald eagles to the American skies one more time. Fast forward to the present day, thanks to the vigorous conservation efforts, bald eagles are thriving with a population of over 300,000.

– – – – – – – –

Cap and Patti, hoping you all enjoy today, the longest day of 2024!

One more time our Dearest Patti !!

• ← JUN 19, 24 .. SAUNTER ONWARD.. POST NUMBER 2,600 HERE ON DOTNET..
• JUN 21, 24 .. THIRTEEN (13) NATIONAL TODAYS.. THE STREAK CONTINUES.. →