Mid-June is here. The planting is done, including the row of begonias in the back garden. They provide a welcome splash of red and white to go along with all the green. The begonias will bloom from now until the first hard frost hits. They never get leggy; they always look good. Begonias are not showy flowers, but they are perfect for the backyard, which is part sun/part shade.
The days are long—it’s not dark until nearly 9:00 p.m.—and last Saturday the night was warm enough for us to sit on the patio until late into the evening. Here is the view from inside the gazebo, looking out into the garden at dusk.
As the darkness settled around us, we heard a wood thrush’s song, one of the benefits of living by the edge of the woods. What a treat it is to hear that beautiful song.
Slowly, our solar lights came on, and my favorite is the glowing moon.
More darkness, and then there were fireflies, little points of fairy lights blinking on and off, on and off.
An enchanting evening, and how lucky we feel to have all of this in our very own backyard.
***********************************************************************
Listening
Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds: Situation
Yesterday, as Clif and I were coming home from doing errands, I heard the song “Situation” on the radio. The song’s rock/funk sound immediately drew me in. But who, I wondered, are Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Cloud? I had never heard them or the song before.
Turns out that Johnny Blue Skies is the alter ego of the country singer Sturgill Simpson, who apparently wanted to branch out and try something completely different. And The Dark Clouds is his band.
The official video is a lot of fun, beginning with Dr. Johnny Fever from the delightful 1970’s television sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. From there, the video goes to dancers—some real, some not—from around the world. It seems to me that, without being preachy, Simpson illustrates how dance and music unite us, regardless of culture.
But watch and listen for yourselves. And if your knees are limber enough—mine certainly aren’t—go ahead and groove to the music.
Notes From the Hinterland 
I envy you that lovely shade garden. If my flowers can’t take full sun, they’re toast. I have a few spots that get minimal shade, but the chucks nibble most everything there before they can root.
Too funny as I envy full-sun gardens. We always want what we don’t have, don’t we?
In a perfect world, I’d like a little of both.
Those solar lights are cool! Might have to look into getting a few of those.
They make our backyard magical!
We are missing the long days and nights of Stockholm, but the shortest day is nearly upon us here and in any case it never gets as dark here in the winter.
Long summer days are such a treat, but I don’t mind the shorter days of summer.
Tranquil nights! A wonderful time of year. 👍🏼
Just lovely!
Love those petunias! The center is like a black hole, lol. I need to remember to watch for the lightening bugs tonight, thanks for the reminder. We’re quickly approaching the longest day of the year!
I’ve still got some planting to do and I’d best get to it. Love your negotiation hedge, so cheerful.
Love those petunias! The center is like a black hole, lol. I need to remember to watch for the lightening bugs tonight, thanks for the reminder. We’re quickly approaching the longest day of the year!
I’ve still got some planting to do and I’d best get to it. Love your negotiation hedge, so cheerful.
PS, do you use the Merlin bird app? I absolutely love it and think you would too!
I haven’t yet, but I have been thinking about it.
I was immediately drawn to those petunias. Yes, the longest day is coming. Hope you see some lightening bugs.
What is so rare as a day in June? I keep saying that to myself on the perfect days we’ve had lately.
Such lovely days!
*begonia
I liked your moon lantern and the musical track too. I hope that you have many delightful summer evenings sitting in your gazebo.
Thanks! We are in the gazebo every warm evening.
No fuss begonias are the best! At this time of year, I also enjoy my day lilies that bloom for sooo long, with very little help!
Yes, yes! I have come to love them.
Oh, my, that’s quite a hot mess! I loved WKRP, and I hope to be able to dance again, as my back recovers. I watched “Footloose” the other night, and its message is pretty much the same: dancing, music and the arts are for everyone, and bring people together. Your yard is a little private heaven!
Yes, for everyone, and they stretch across cultures, bringing us together. I am certain humans must have an “art” gene. 😉
Shall go back up as envy you more than a tad at the moment with darkness descending around 5pm and there barely any newborn light when I open the curtains at about 7am . . . at least it is almost always above nought degrees here . . . love the look you have at present . . . enjoy . . .
Many thanks! Summer in Maine is short but oh so sweet.
I haven’t seen any fireflies yet, here in the Philadelphia region. Their numbers here seem to have dropped over the last several or more years.
I feel lucky we still have them in central Maine.
You have warmer evenings than we do at the moment. I liked the wood thrush song
Lovely to be able to sit outside in short sleeves. The wood thrush has a very sweet song.
Lovely flowers and the solar lamp is so cute. I like the name too, glowing moon.
You are so fortunate to be able to watch fireflies from the comfort of your own property. They are wonderful, ethereal things that I’ve seen only a couple of times in my whole life. And the thrush song is magical too. Life in your part of Maine is great!
With fireflies, hummingbirds, and wood thrushes, summer is sweet in central Maine.
The sort of night you describe generally isn’t possible here; the heat and humidity arrive and lingering outside isn’t much fun. But there are occasional nights when the breeze or the light remind me of midwestern nights: tranquil, quiet, and so, so enjoyable! I do miss the lightning bugs! As a child I would capture them in a peanut butter jar, add some grass and water drops, and use them as ‘nightlights’ in my bedroom before turning them loose in the morning.
Perhaps you have nights like that in the spring and fall?
We like to joke that we get one week in April and one in October!
Not much relaxing outdoors at night, I guess.
You’ve created such a beautiful space to spend your summer evenings in. I could happily sit there every night until bed time 🙂
Thanks so much! We love it.
It really is such an enchanting time! Dusk lasts so long, and the fireflies are out!
It absolutely is! And by a funny coincidence, I’m thinking of using the word “enchanted” in today’s post. Great minds…
A wonderful word, especially this time of year!
Oh, yes!
How lovely everything looks Laurie – enjoy!
Many thanks!
Perfect family night at the little house in the woods. 🙂
Sure was! For the most part, it has been a lovely June.
That gazebo is a backyard changer. How sweet! The video with the song was fun! Love adding the aerobics from the ’80’s!
A backyard changer is right. We wouldn’t be able to sit on the patio at night without it. Glad you liked the video. Quite a change in musical direction for Simpson.
Is your glowing moon a new ornament? I love that you have natural fairy lights …
No, I have had it for a couple of years. It was a birthday present from Eldest Daughter. Yes, those fireflies are special.
Lovely to see Dr Johnny Fever again 🙂
I hadn’t thought about that show in a long time.
I love the moon light!
Such a lovely birthday present.
Your garden looks so peaceful, the perfect spot for these long summer evenings. Enjoy those splashes of colour from your begonias!
Thanks, Jacqui! Our happy place in the summer. If you lived closer, I would invite you over for wine and book talk, my favorite kind of talk.
The begonias and the rest of your garden is very beautiful. It doesn’t get dark at night here during the summer.
Thanks so much! You are farther north than we are. In Maine, it stays light out until 9:00 in midsummer.
All looks lush and green there, Laurie! Soon you will have fireflies?
We have fireflies! We love seeing them.
Your garden looks fabulous Laaurie and so lovely you can sit on the patio in the evening and enjoy the fireflies! ✨️ Thank you for sharing the video too, it’s a wonderful dance-track 💖💃 xxx
Many thanks! That patio is our happy place when the weather is warm. Glad you liked the video. Dancing around the world!
Oh, your garden, your garden! The petunias are scrumptious and I’m enchanted by the photo of your patio and flower bed. Thank you also for showing your directional signs: they bring back happy memories of reading your terrific novels!
If my backyard looked like that, I’d never leave home. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Thank you, thank you! We spend a lot of time in that backyard .