It was funny to see the blog post I made on Midsummer's day last year at Panerotica- because I could just repeat it all over again for this one! Yes, today it has rained persistently, the skies have never brightened and the wet, grey mist never lifted. It's cold (I am wearing two sweaters and have just turned the heating up) and I hope any fairy that goes partying in the woods tonight has his so'wester and wellies on!

I was having a head-scratching conversation with the partner earlier about why it's called Midsummer's Day when it's actually nowdays reckoned to be the first day of summer - the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. I read somewhere its called 'Midsummer' because it's about in the middle of the growing season in Europe. Wikipedia says it marks the "Ancient middle of Summer, Astronomical beginning of Summer, and the nativity of St. John the Baptist". Are we any clearer? me neither.....