Midsummer's Eve

The solstice is an instant, not a day. It will happen tomorrow (21 June) at 3.58BST (2.58GMT). That is the moment when the northern hemisphere will be pointing exactly at the sun. I'll try to remember to look up. It seems to have finally brought a change in the weather. We had our first prolonged rain overnight and this morning. The wind has switched to the west, which feels much more normal - I'm sure the Atlantic will provide us with regular downpours 

The late frosts, cold spring and dry weather have limited the fruit set on many of our trees. But there will be some, it seems, and I hope more regular rain will help them look a little less care-worn. This is not a small tree and those are not low-hanging branches - those apples are above head height. The foxglove breaking through the canopy seems to have ambitions of a role in the Xmas pantomime. I was lucky to catch the bumble bee heading for the nectaries

The changed weather also makes for more interesting skies. The extra is the view west from just beyond the apple tree, over the roof of the brewery stables