As of yesterday, we had come halfway from the summer solstice to the fall equinox. This day is the mirror image of Groundhog Day, which is more or less halfway from the winter solstice to the spring equinox. From here on in, the days will become significantly shorter, just as they become significantly longer after Groundhog Day.
I find it curious that though much is made of Groundhog Day, with huge quantities of journalistic ink spent chronicling the doings of critters like Punxsutawney Phil and Weirton Willie, little or nothing is ever made of Groundhog Day’s summer equivalent. At most, we’ll see a passing reference to the “dog days of summer.”
Has this disparity come about because in early August most of us are too busy enjoying the summer weather to have any time or energy to talk or think about it? Or is it that we would rather not think about the shorter and cooler days that lie ahead? Alternatively, could this be because most of us (in Canada, at least) have just celebrated a long civic holiday weekend, and are in no need of a further event to celebrate?
Jon Peirce Editorial Services 