Good morning Cynthia. Still Friday night where I am but it is morning in your neck of the woods. Hope you have a safe trip and the boys are lucky to have your support! Yay!!

First question:If you are looking for the mathematical equation for the answer, then my brilliant answer is about the furthest from correct as you can get and still be on the planet! If not then, besides July 4th being my birthday every year, this year was a little more far out!

Second question: Just happens to be my favorite time of the year. Sun moves into Cancer and I can garden till 11:30 pm in this part of the country! I love it! A midsummer night's dream! I hear in some parts of the planet, they really celebrate in style.....

Oh I so love the summer.........seems so long ago and far away.......*sigh*

Ginny

Hmmm...I think corrections are needed!!

Nancy.

I can say the the aphelion is the opposite of the perihelion, and both terms are related to the more general terms apogee and perigee. Most gardeners probably know what helion refers to.

Also, aphelion is the opposite of what one might expect, given the time of year.

Have I said too much, or not enough?

ThinMan

Hopeless. I can never stump you guys! No need for clues-other than the one I sneaked in my first paragraph-heck, you didn't even need that.

Well Cyn mark one up on the wall, you stumped me.

Annette

On a planet, far, far away....

You are all clever with your clues-making my job so easy!

Annette, re-read everyone's posts. All good clues. I love TM's clue that it is not what one would expect to be the case in summer. July feels like we are practically on top of the sun...

Funny, Bobbie!

Cynthia

Two weeks earlier: My German ancestors celebrated with bonfires. I like to sit out in the night quietly celebrating the warmth and basking in the scent of my blooming garden

OK, I was fooled - I was thinking about some trying to replace GMT....maybe I should have danced naked around a small bush? A small bush very far away so that no one could see me??? lol.

Nancy.

Ok, stars for Ginny, TM, Bobbie, and Nancy. ****

The aphelion is the point when the Earth is at its farthest point from the sun. I agree with TM that seems counterintuitive when we have our long summer days here in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Northern VA, it sometimes feels as though we are living on Mercury! The word aphelion comes from Greek: Greek prefix "apo" (meaning "away, off, apart") and "helios" (sun).

Congratulations all.

Oh and the other occurrence is the Summer Solstice (again here in the Northern Hemisphere). Chuck and I were married on June 21st as well-first day of summer and longest day of the year-not sure if he still considers that a good thing-ha! ;) Anyway stars for Ginny, Nancy, and Bobbie on that one **** and wishes for delightful celebrations in a little over six months. Something to anticipate as we light our way through the Winter Solstice!

Has anyone else heard the weather people on the news referring to it already being winter (as of Dec. 1)? According to our folks, it is now meteorological winter. Hmmm, can't quite get used to that. Still like to think of winter as starting on the 21st or 22nd with the shortest day of the year. After that, my dad always used to point our that the days "are getting longer." Ever the optimist.

Cynthia

I think I would have liked your Dad - always a half full glass!! Thanks for the mind stretch, Cyn.

Nancy.

Yes, he was a wonderful person. Unfortunately, my mother was the counter-balance or maybe counterweight would be a better term. Still, thinking of him always makes me smile.

Cynthia

Astrology and nature buff that I am, I'm afraid that was another easy one Cyn! I was thinking yesterday as I was heading home that I used to walk these roads on my way home from school before Christmas and it was already getting dark. I think we were in school till 4 pm at that time. =:/
Dad used to remind me as well about the days getting longer. Another optimist. :)

Fun trivia Cynthia. Late night last so late start to my day. On to Nancy's question. :)

Ginny