Summertime

(June 21, 2011) Summer begins here at 1:16 p.m. today.

The first day of summer — the summer solstice — is the longest day of the year.

The word solstice comes from the Latin words for "sun" and "to stop," due to the fact that the Sun appears to stop in the sky. The Sun is directly overhead at its most northern point at "high-noon" on the summer solstice, creating more sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere on this day than on any other.

On the solstice, we also hit the longest day of the year. From today on, the days begin to get shorter.

Summertime is a great time to start a blog. It's a more relaxing time, more laid back, with lots of fun activities to share.

Community organizations and individuals interested in joining the 60-plus bloggers appearing online at Recorder Community Newspapers' websites may call me at (908) 832-7420 or e-mail panderson@recordernewspapers.com. I will be happy to explain this free 21st century communication tool. Blogging is simple; all you need is an e-mail and Internet connection device.