Summer solstice is the longest day of the year but very few know how the day came to be…
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A very long time ago in a faraway place, a pair of explorers set out to greet the rising sun.
What fun it would be, they thought, to meet up and greet the sun as he first appeared. Interesting fact: in some places the sun is considered masculine and the moon feminine. Either way, perhaps the sun would enjoy a piece of cake and a nice cup of tea.
The pair thought about a craft that would get them to the sun. It must to fly higher than birds, above the mountains and beyond the clouds. It must also be fast enough to catch sun as it burned away the darkness and the stars.
The explorers built a beautiful airplane.
They designed it with a pair of wings, a powerful engine and colorful paint. Built from scraps of wood, wire and screws they skinned it with sheets pulled from the laundry. Tires came from an old wagon. Power came from a giant rubber band made from the sticky sap of the Dragonroot tree found on McNamara’s Point. They painted it orange and yellow to match the colors of the rising sun.
The explorers rolled the plane out to the field where friends and neighbors gathered in wonder and disbelief. With a few words of adventure and daring they wound the rubber band and jumped in. The airplane bounced down and rocked the field and took flight. On board was a Chocoberry cake and a thermos full of Brizzlebark tea.
They flew past the birds, rose above the mountains and ascended through the clouds. The sun was just ahead cresting the horizon as they approached. They were sure they could catch up.
They waved, hollered and waggled their wings but the sun didn’t notice the little craft.
The explorers realized their plane wasn’t enough to greet the sun. As he faded in the distance, they headed home. Discouraged but not defeated, the adventurous pair hatched a new plan over cake and tea.
What could go very high and very fast? They read books and took notes and made sketches. They built a few models, made a few tests and devised something entirely new.
The explorers designed a rocket.
A rocket would surely catch up to the sun. It could go faster, further and higher than an old bi-plane. They were so confident that they boiled more water and baked a new cake.
Built from a dismantled shed, in fact, a few dismantled sheds (which made the neighbors quite unhappy), the makeshift rocket stood tall on a homemade launch pad out in a field.
Upon the rising of the sun the explorers climbed into the rocket and counted down. 10, 9, 8, they counted. At 3, 2, 1 the rocket rose from the pad in a flourish of fire. It soared past the birds (who were quite surprised), blasted past the mountains and soared through the clouds into the sky.
The explorers were certain the sun would see their fire and pause for tea and cake but they never got close. The sun missed the glowing streak of light trailing behind him as he brought light and heat to all below.
Soon the rocket ran out of fuel, a combination of carbonated water, refried beans and a spark generator, and fell toward earth. Bed sheet parachutes deployed and as the rocket floated home the explorers scratched their heads over cake and tea.
Perhaps the sun doesn’t want to meet anyone, they thought. Perhaps he’s not very friendly. Or perhaps he’s much further away and faster than we think. What can we build that the sun will see? Maybe there’s nothing that can go fast and far enough. Then again, perhaps it won’t have to.
The explorers had one more idea.
One morning the sun rose but it was not alone in the sky. There was, besides the birds, the mountains and the clouds, a lone object floating in the distance. It did not soar across the sky nor did it blast out of the clouds. The object just hovered, bobbing slightly, waiting. It was a large craft, painted bright orange and yellow. It was bulbous on top like an upside down teardrop. At the bottom hung a basket. In the basket were two explorers wearing flight caps and goggles. One held out a piece of cake, the other a large cup of tea.
The sun they say, paused for some time that day, a day which became the longest of the year. This day we now call the Summer Solstice. He greeted the explorers with a smile and extended his fiery tendrils, careful not to burn the balloon, and enjoyed a piece of Chocoberry cake and a cup of Brizzlebark tea. No one had bothered to greet the sun before and he was quite touched.
After cake and tea the sun smiled and winked at the two explorers and continued its journey around the world. The pair smiled at each other and followed their new friend across the sky wondering about the moon and what kind of cake and tea she would like.
So that, my friends is how the Summer Solstice came to be…
By the way, if you didn’t know, the Summer Solstice is also called June Solstice because it occurs this month on the 21st!
