The summer solstice dawned damp and grey, through the morning and into the afternoon rain fell in sheets, soaking the ground, puddling and splashing. I quietly despaired, solstice celebrations in the sunshine would not be had. Late afternoon, a sudden change, clouds clearing, sky brightening, sun coming out. Celebrations back on!

Our solstice celebrations were not eleborate, we ate a meal outside, candles lit, enjoying the late sunshine as day faded into evening and slowly into night. We drank a little, flowers all around us and we lit a fire in the chiminea to ward off the dark of the shortest night of the year. A small celebration of the start of summer.

As the light faded from the sky we popped around to the front of the house to watch the strawberry moon rise, a full moon on summer solstice will not be seen again until 2062, in 46 years time. This is the first time it has happened in both mine and my husband’s lifetimes, the last time was in 1967. Mackerel clouds obscured the moon a little here, but it was still a beautiful site, shining through the dark shadows of clouds. A full moon rising as the solstice sun set.