11:29PM June 16th

As I write this blog post the sun has not yet set. It is VERY light outside. I took this photo off the back porch to show you just how light it is:

Having endless summer days sounds like a good thing--you have hours to enjoy outside (softball, hiking, biking, gardening, etc.) every evening even if you don't get off work until 5PM. The downside is that it's hard for your mind to shut down. At 11PM you glance at the clock and think "HUH? 11?!! It looks like it's only 7! Why aren't those children in bed? Why aren't they sleeping?  Why am I still doing chores?

WHY IS IT STILL SO HOT? WHY WON'T THE SUN GO AWAY? I HOPE IT's CLOUDY TOMORROW! It's not uncommon for the northern population to go manic as the summer solstice approaches. When you add in our recent heat wave (a string of hot days already and more to come), it's not a happy picture.

And when the sun does finally set? We have a few hours of dusk and then it hits the sky again. That's great if you are a cabbage or pumpkin, not so good if you are a sleep deprived caregiver.