It’s here, it’s here! Don’t blink - summer has arrived! Breathe it in. Our garden poppies are beginning to bloom, 6 weeks later than usual. Breathe it in. There were four species of butterflies floating and fluttering around the yard today. Breathe it in. The ducks and I sought shade as the thermometer hit 80 for a few hours! Breathe it into your center, hold it, store it, the fire of summer, to be remembered in the winter months.
There is a scent in the woods, noticeable only when the air is warm. Difficult to describe, it is neither pungent, nor sweet, yet a combination of both. It is not of one particular plant, but a blend of many, yet it is distinctive and consistent. Like many scents, it drifts and teases. It is wonderful.
A chipmunk sat in the old galvanized tub of strawberry plants, eating the first ripe strawberries. The ducks and I ate the first ripe raspberries. The chipmunks are eating their share of those too.
A few brown spots in our very green lawn indicate the ground is drying from the sun’s heat. (I use the word ‘lawn’ loosely. My computer’s dictionary defines lawn as “an area of short, mown grass in a yard, garden, or park.” Ours is defined by whatever-happens-to-be-growing in the area we mow and designate as yard, as opposed to woods.)
Like a beloved friend, a charming guest, who is forgiven when they arrive late because their presence is so appreciated and enjoyed, so it is with this August arrival of summer.
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| We welcomed summer in last weekend at Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park. Protected areas of the beach were bright with wildflowers, including one of my favorites, Pearly Everlasting. |
