Saturday in June

The daylight hours are lengthening still

It would almost be boring if it weren’t so delicious: days of sunshine, brilliant blue sky, fluffy white clouds, blissfully cool temperatures, and soft breezes. The windows are open to the sounds of song and bird wings; of seed-crunching and leaf-rustling. I can hear the scrabbling of claws on bark, and the chuckling of a squirrel somewhere. The turkeys are quietly quibbling, too, unusually subtle in expressing their feelings as they forage and leap to reach the seeds on the terrace just a few feet away from where I sit. From the water down the hill comes the prehistoric call of the cranes, and somewhere above, a hawk is keening. Elsewhere in the house I can hear my husband talking quietly to Eli who has returned to bed to be with him while I continue doing things the dogs don’t understand.

My coffee is cold.

I have a list of things to do today. I need to finish my annuals pots and move them to the terrace. I want to cut down a particularly brazen burdock that has invaded Dave’s fern bed and is now four feet high. I need to renew a prescription for Auggie and sort through a box of papers. I want to cut ferns to decorate the house. And I have dinner to make for friends.

I stopped along a country road on my way back from the nursery yesterday to capture this scene. Haying season is almost here; the sweetest smell on earth.

In the midst of all this serenity I feel overwhelmed by tasks undone. Managing our lives and property takes so much time and attention that I often feel my primary work—writing— goes undone. And yet, I enjoy the managing, and take pleasure from the improvements I make to our house and to the gardens. I enjoy cooking and making the house beautiful for company. I like having friends over, particularly on a cool refreshing night like this, sitting on the terrace, listening to the sounds of the woods, and talking. It will be cool enough for a fire, and I’ll put blankets out on the chairs. So far, the mosquitoes are quite minimal compared to our usual swarm.

And now, before the sun gets too high, while the green shadows are creating their morning mysteries, I will take my dogs for a little stroll in the summer air.

Happy Saturday.

”And all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”~Julian of Norwich

These posts are about finding the beauty in daily life, even amid the craziness, uncertainty, and anxiety. Reality is not going away, but these are the only days we get, so we have to relish their small beauties while we have them. If you are a paid subscriber, please know how deeply grateful I am for your support. The kindness and enthusiasm of your comments buoy me and keep me writing, but the paid subscriptions are an extra vote of confidence I truly appreciate. These posts will always be free, however, so if all you can do is share, that is helpful, too. Whatever you decide, I’m glad you’re here.

And now for your gratuitous dog and flower photos:

Eli on a ramble with Dad.

Auggie contemplates whether to join.