Summer shadows shortened

© harrington

Hi! Ready for today's question? Here it is: "11.    On what day of the year are the shadows shortest where you live?" The answer is on the summer solstice, which, in the northern hemisphere occurs between June 20 and 22. The shortest shadows occur when the sun is highest in the sky. I'm sure each of you knew this and did well on this question. Gary Snyder doesn't mention short shadows in this poem, but he nails the sun straight high and blazing part.

Above Pate Valley

By Gary Snyder

We finished clearing the last   

Section of trail by noon,

High on the ridge-side

Two thousand feet above the creek   

Reached the pass, went on

Beyond the white pine groves,   

Granite shoulders, to a small

Green meadow watered by the snow,   

Edged with Aspen—sun

Straight high and blazing

But the air was cool.

Ate a cold fried trout in the   

Trembling shadows. I spied

A glitter, and found a flake

Black volcanic glass—obsidian—

By a flower. Hands and knees   

Pushing the Bear grass, thousands   

Of arrowhead leavings over a   

Hundred yards. Not one good   

Head, just razor flakes

On a hill snowed all but summer,   

A land of fat summer deer,

They came to camp. On their   

Own trails. I followed my own   

Trail here. Picked up the cold-drill,   

Pick, singlejack, and sack

Of dynamite.

Ten thousand years.

Tomorrow's question will be a two parter: "12.    When do the deer rut in your region and when are the young born?" Join us if you can. Rants, raves and reflections served here daily.