"Summer officially arrived in the Northern Hemisphere on June 20th, the earliest start to the season in over two centuries.

The summer solstice — the exact moment when Earth’s north pole is most tilted towards the sun — happened at 3:51 p.m. ET, according to the National Weather Service. The phenomenon marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of Astronomical Summer." NPR

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Hot, hot, hot!!! It now feels like Summertime is definitely here!

Since the start of Meteorologist Summer 3 weeks ago https://pbase.com/britestar/image/174617248 , our flowers (Petunias, Calibrachoa, Geraniums, Cosmos, and Marigolds) have grown full.

However, with the arrival of Astronomical Summer, these will now undoubtedly slow down due to the extreme heat. My Zinnias, not in this photo, are just starting to bud and will continue their flower show into July and August. After suffering from being indoors during Winter, our old Hibiscuses (also not in this photo) are now finally leafing out nicely from being on the deck. However, extreme heat will probably prohibit them from properly flowering. That happened last Summer, which was the hottest Summer on record. Many are saying that Summer 2024 will be even hotter.