Summer Solstice 2011 HNT

The change in the weather around here has been incredible. May and June were cold and wet. Lots of flooding. Not much sunshine. Too many gray days, both meteorologically and psychologically. But as of yesterday, that has all changed.

I’m currently sitting in a city park, stealing wi-fi from somebody. It’s 81° with a slight breeze, and it's going to get warmer. There’s only a couple of small harmless clouds in the sky. I’ve got two squirrels sneaking up on me, hoping I’ve got something to feed them. With plenty more around playing tag. There’s a group of kids from a nearby daycare who have just arrived with their…(I’m drawing a blank as to what you’d call these girls—babysitters?). The tennis courts across the street are full. Mostly kids just screwing around, but there appears to be an intense battle between a husband and wife. Ooh, look! A bug on my screen!

Up the hill comes the parking police in his hunter orange vest. Other than being outside, walking the entire downtown area all day, I don’t think I could do that job. Fortunately he’s turned down the street towards the tennis courts. I’ll have to keep an eye on him. You guessed it—I’m illegally parked.

It’s a grand and glorious summer day in Montana. Not too hot, even by Montana standards. It’s green all over. Good thing I don’t really suffer from allergies! The sky is amazingly clear. I can see the mountains that form a wall on the north side of the valley. Thirty miles away, and yet they look like you could just reach out and touch them. I’ll have to make a trip out there soon.

Sadly, I rarely take the time to kick back and absorb days like this like I am today. Maybe I was compelled to do it after reading Britni’s post about her lazy day in Boston last week. A carefree, relaxing day which she dearly needed. I’ve never lived in a big city where one has definite places that are carved out of the urban jungle for just sitting back and unwinding. Around here, that’s pretty much everywhere. Perhaps I’ll force myself to do this at least one afternoon a week. Maybe hitting a different park each week. Maybe do some arrangements for the soul band while I’m at it. Or even, Lord help us, practice my horn! All in all (despite the bad year last year, the lack of any real money, no love life, a chronic disease, and the fact I just dumped a swig of Diet Coke down the front of my shirt), life is pretty good. It’s a good thing I don’t complain much!

Yesterday was the first day of summer. It looks like it’s going to turn out pretty nicely after all! Every year I force myself to get up before sunrise (which officially was at 5:34 AM yesterday) and take a picture of me and the sunrise. This year was no exception. Click on the pic to see what the first day of winter 2010 looked like at sunrise!


And for shits and giggles, sunrises from prior years too! Gotta run—I see a hunter orange vest headed back my way…


2010 & 2009
(I apparently don't change my "crack o' dawn" look much, do I?)

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No Mystery Guest this week, and you know what? I’m OK with that. For today. Don’t let it happen next week though, OK?

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Summer always brings out the best for “…the Other HNT” too! Stop by and check them out. Leave some comments. Support your fellow HNT buddies! NSFW, as usual…