Today was Summer Solstice, sometimes called midsummer. This year is especially momentous since it will be followed shortly thereafter, on June 23rd , by the largest “supermoon” of the year. For those in the northern hemisphere, it is the first day of summer. To be clear, Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, not the warmest, as I can attest to when I walked on the Vancouver Sea Wall today.
I am joining the Summer Solstice celebration by reading (and singing) the poem that is considered to be the first poem written in English. As it happens, the song is about this very day. “Sumer is icumen in” is a medieval English rota, or type of vocal round, from the mid 13th century. Celebrate with me and sing along.
Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweþ sed and bloweþ med
And springþ þe wde nu,
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteþ after lomb,
Lhouþ after calue cu.
Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ,
Murie sing cuccu!
Cuccu, cuccu, wel singes þu cuccu;
Ne swik þu nauer nu.
Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu!
Lady Budd 
I can hear you singing and am joining in!
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I knew you would be! Ah…I can hear your lovely voice across the cable wires! Hugs! 🙂
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Hugs back as ever 🙂
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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What a cheerful happy song. I wonder if the skies will clear enough for us to see the Supermoon?
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I am crossing my fingers – you never know in Vancouver! But, clouds or clear, I can still howl at the moon…. 🙂
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Gosh, I might hear you. I will listen out!
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🙂
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I grew up in England, and we used to sing this song in school, Rebecca. Love the photo. 🙂
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What a wonderful song to sing! I can only imagine what it would be like to have children singing in all directions! So much fun. I confess that this is the very first time I heard about it. I just happened to Google the question – what was the first English poem ever written? Amazing what you can find out when you ask a question.
It was very interesting trying to take a photo of Stonehenge without people. What a remarkable place!!!
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Beautiful voices, here is wind, rain, a bit of the sunshine, certainly not the warmest, but I have no complaints as the worse are in Geneva (the freak storm), flooding in Calgary and India….! it is the longest day indeed. Thanks again for such a lovely post. Summer is around.
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No complaints here either! Vancouver has a bit of a cloud cover, but it is a wonderful day to head out on the Sea Wall. The Dragon Boat races are on and I can hear the drums calling me in the distance. Happy Summer! Flowers, sunshine and delicious ice tea! Thanks for your visits – they give warmth to my day…
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In England the network breakfast programme had it’s weather forecast broadcast from Stonehenge
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I saw a couple of photos of the Stonehenge celebrations! WOW!!! And I thought there was a lot of people the day I visited. It was fun trying to figure out how to take a photo without people in it.
This is my excitement for the day – I just found out that there is a Woodhenge just a few miles away from Stonehenge. I learn something new everyday!!
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Thanks to the movie Sarah, Plain and Tall (with Glenn Close), I can sing along. Happy summer, Rebecca!!
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Wasn’t that a great miniseries! “The past steps on the heels of the present whether you like it or not.” Sarah, Plain & Tall.
But I confess, I forgot that this song was in the movie…:) Happy, happy, summer to you, too, my friend.
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Maybe it’s time I pull out the DVD and watch it again. I saw it a handful of times when my girls were young, but it’s been a dozen years. Loved it.. Thanks for the memories!
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You had the DVD? I had mine in VHS. Times do move along. Happy Summer!
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I loved the choral group. Great singing–worth listening to over and over. Great art work, too. Great addition to your post. I am sure you took the photo as well. Great phtography
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Thank you for all of your “greats.” Your comments and presence made my day even greater!!!
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Cheers! 🙂
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I am celebrating our connection!!!
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We were at the beach today and the waves were a bit bigger. The moon was definitely huge! Lovely sight 😀
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It was a cloudy today in Vancouver! I am hoping for clear skies tomorrow! Keeping my fingers crossed. Thank you so much for joining the dialogue – looking forward to the adventures ahead! 🙂
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Yes it’s quite very warm and sunny now in Greece and it’s the season we’re all waiting!:D Yes cheers to more adventures – see you around~
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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Happy Mid-summers day Rebecca, well done on marking it with a great post !
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Thank you! I’m hoping that we see the moon tonight, but it looks like clouds are in the forecast for Vancouver! Never mind – we know the moon is beautiful whether we see it or not! Thank you so much for your encouragement! 🙂
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I hope you got a good view 🙂
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Alas!! Rain clouds – but I know that there will be a great many people who have taken photographs. And that is the next best thing to actually seeing the real moon. 🙂
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Well, I’m a little behind, but it’s now almost 11 pm here on the east coast and still cloudy from a day of rain. I’ll be up for a bit and will hope to see the moon before I close my eyes. The recording was beautiful. I may have to revisit and see if I can get it down to sing along. Thanks so much.
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I thought I heard you singing through the cables!! Alas, the moon has been hidden in the Vancouver rain clouds. But I know that it is still shining down from the heavens – and that gives great comfort. 🙂 Thanks for you comments and visits!
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