It’s that holiday weekend when we let the summerness begin, despite the calendar technically clinging to springiness. The summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year, takes place on June 21 at 5:13 a.m.

As a daylight aficionado, I always find it a bit disheartening that the first day of summer marks the start of shorter days, a lessening of daylight time. Of course, thinking in more worldly terms, my Aussie friends begin getting longer days on June 20.