Summer, beautiful summer is here. At night June bugs, as large as small stones, whirr and rattle against the screens. No doubt they are attracted by the light. Some people don’t like the noise, but to me June bugs sound like summer, and I always look forward to their return. Also on the screens, fireflies blink on and off, on and off, little sprites in the dark night.
“Look!” I cry whenever I see a spot of light, and Clif and Dee duly look.
In a month’s time, the leaves on the trees have gone from a bright fringe to a deep mature green, and I love the sighing sound they make when the wind moves through them.
On the brink of blooming, my gardens are still mostly shades of green, which is a color, too, as my blogging friend Quercus once reminded me. But there are bits of color here and there.
Tomorrow—June 21—is the longest day of the year, the first day of summer, and one of the sweetest days. It is also the anniversary of my mother’s birthday, and if she were alive, she would be eighty-six. Happy birthday, Mom! Wish you were still here so we could celebrate it with you.
The weather this June has been absolutely delightful—a little cool, which this Mainer loves—with exactly the right amounts of sun and rain. Because of this, I’ve hardly had to water the gardens, and it’s no surprise that everything is lush and green. Unlike last June, we’ve not had to use Eva, our air conditioner, at all. Indeed, yesterday was so rainy and chilly—the temp didn’t get above 60—that Clif started a small fire in the wood furnace to take away the chill and damp. My kind of June.
The editing on my book Of Time and Magic continues. The deadline for the cover is next Tuesday. Even afterwards, I’ll continue to tweak and polish. I can’t seem to help myself. As long as I don’t add any pages, I’ll be fine.
The forecast for this week promises more delightful summer weather, with rain and sun and temps in the 70s. I know some of my blogging friends are enduring very hot weather, and I wish I could send a little of our perfect Maine weather your way.
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And now for something completely different, courtesy—surprise, surprise—of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.
This is not the kind of music I usually listen to, but somehow I find Monsieur Periné’s peppy music irresistible. The lead singer is so quick and cute that it makes me smile just to watch her.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Please, please FedEx some of those lovely Maine summer days to Central Texas! We’re in the mid- to high-90s every day, and in severe drought. I’ll be looking for the package…. thanks! 🙂
Sure wish I could!
Your garden is looking so lush and green Laurie and I love the splashes of colour. Wishing you a happy start of Summer and happy birthday wishes for your mother too 💜
Many thanks!
Loved that blue in your garden. Glad the weather is so perfect.
Such a lovely June this year!
Your garden looks really good, especially the blue little flowers, so pretty !
Many thanks!
Best time of the year.
It certainly is!
You provide a happy description of the weather in your part of the world 🙂 I enjoy looking at the flowers you have selected for us – that blue is exquisite.
Thanks, Anne!
Sixty sounds a wee bit cool for June, but I imagine you’re happy to have it over the 90s we’ve been getting! And you haven’t watered your garden yet?? Here I am, having to water every other day because we’ve gone from too-rainy to too-dry. Sigh.
My kind of weather! The sun/rain ratio has been perfect.
I so agree, Laurie. This June weather has been perfect, both for the gardens and for the gardens’ human beings! 😊
What a lovely June!
Tiny Desk Concerts is a treasure trove. I wonder how many of them have been recorded over the years. Maybe more than a thousand.
Yes, many! And you’re right. What a treasure trove!
Your garden is looking lovely. Just translated the Fahrenheit to Centigrade….well, up until Sunday it was the same temperature here…in winter! Things have got much cooler now as we hit the shortest day.
Good luck with your book editing and thanks for the music recommendation.
Too funny that our summer is like your winter!
Our June weather has been nice, too. A few hot days here and there, but mostly mild compared to past years. Your flowers are very pretty and I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Thank you. 🙂
My pleasure!
I love that song! I listen to NPR in the car and they played it recently. Of, course, by the time I got home I had no remembrance of what I had heard. Thank you for featuring it. Gorgeous pictures of your lush gardens, Laurie. That blue!
Many thanks! My pleasure.
xo
We could do with a bit of that rain. I hope that your final editing all goes to plan and then you can relax a bit. I enjoyed the music.
Many thanks!
Your flowers are beautiful! What are the yellow ones behind the hostas? I think I saw some like this at a park and I didn’t know then what they were. Glad progress is being made on your book!!
It is some kind of succulent. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name.
First of all …. love the music … watched for a bit but it serves as my background as I comment. Your images are matching your mood. Wonderful! Cincinnati’s June has been much warmer than normal … actually too many 90s with high humidity. YUK!
Oh, gosh! Hope it cools down soon. Glad you liked the music.
The weather has been delightful, I agree. The kind of June I remember back when.
Your mention of June bugs made me realize we’ve had not a one… kind of troubling. But fireflies have been magnificent this year. We had good rain last year and enough this year, so I think they are thriving. They are so magical to watch!
That is kind of troubling. Glad the fireflies are magnificent.
So beautiful photography 🌹🙏🌹
I’m envious of your fireflies. Only ever seen them once, somewhere in the US (Pennsylvania?), and was enchanted by them. They seemed , magical, mystical little things. Enjoy your editing!
Many thanks! Always thrilled to see the return of fireflies.
And what is so rare as a day in June?
You bet!
We are having a spell of quite hot weather and it is dry and sunny so I am having to pick and choose my times to walk Roo and work in the garden. With greenhouses watering is a daily job but Laura asked if she could do all the unes up on the veg patch because she likes being up there in the evening and it helps her unwind after work. I have flowers but most off the joy of my garden is from the different shades and leaf shapes of the trees – all sorts of greens and some purples. Thenm the other colours really zing out.
Wonderful that Laura likes this task! Leaves are beautiful, that’s for sure.
The only bug that truly ‘bugs’ me is the tiny black fly that seems to zero right in on the face, ears, and neck. When they are active, it’s like there’s a swarm out there. Nasty things. You have some beautiful color, and the cooler temps have been perfect for doing spring work. Glad you are enjoying June and Eva is getting a break. 🙂
Black flies are indeed nasty. There is something in my chemistry that calls to them, and at times in May, I have a black cloud around my head when I garden. So glad they are gone by June.
Delightful descriptions of your summer, including the June bugs – and I really like the music.
Love that deep purple/blue 🙂
So do I! Such a rich color.
Your writing not only brings your beautiful Maine summer to me but also, as I sit on my own patio, your post reminds me to inhale — there’s something sweetly blooming! — and listen — the birds are chirping like it’s dawn — and look — a lily surprise! I enjoyed every bit of your charming post.
Many, many thanks! The patio is a wonderful place to look and listen. Always so much going on.
I agree! In fact, this morning I just scrubbed (SCRUBBED) our patio table to make it even easier to hang out there!
Enjoy!
Your cool June sounds very pleasant, Laurie. I hope it will continue in a similar vein. I haven’t seen fireflies for many years but have always been fascinated by them.
Happy solstice,
Tanja
And a happy solstice to you!
Thank you.
Hi, Laurie – I am slowly attempting to get back to my blog reading. This was an excellent place to start. Although I could do without June Bugs, your garden is beautiful and your weather sounds perfect. And that Tiny Desk Concert — I absolutely loved it!
Many thanks! Glad you liked the music.
Wonderful garden photos. Love those blue flowers.
A present from my daughter and son-in-law for Mother’s Day.
Lovely.
what a beautiful garden! so lush!
You are very creative in your displays and envy your green fingers
Many thanks!
Love the music, beautiful garden colors and your wonderful weather!!🙂 At least we had great weather over the weekend in between our heatwaves.🙂
Glad you liked the music! Peppy.
Enjoy summer. Our June is more like November 😁
Lovely post🌹
Many thanks!
I’m sorry you didn’t have chance to celebrate your mum’s 86th birthday together. The garden looks lovely. I’m in Lancashire and the weather is just about right. Not too hot, too cold or too anything, really. Perhaps as well as we all have to be more wary about using heating or a fan at the moment.
Oh my gosh! you had a fire going … I am just so envious! The weather you are enjoying sounds heavenly … and your garden sure looks like it appreciates the sun & the rain!
Our cool June ended today with a high of 91. Someone turned off the refrigerator and turned on the blast furnace. 🙂 94 is forecast for tomorrow, and then should drop back a bit.
The music is good. I enjoyed it, Laurie!
Glad you liked the music. It’s turned hot here, too, but cooler weather is predicted for next week. Glad cooler weather is coming your way.
Thinking of your mother today, too.
Many thanks!
That is such a romantic account of summers and I am here for it. Your garden, too, looks so lush and beautiful! 💛
Many thanks!
Well done on the book, Laurie. Do we ever really finish editing? There always seems to be something to change on the next re-read. Love those blue flowers. They are intense but stunning.
I love the blue flowers-and the desk music! Your summer sounds delightful-here it is hot and dry. Born and raised here, but never a fan of temps close to 100 daily. Maine sounds so beautiful-best wishes with your book!