JUNE DELIGHTS

These are really what my roses look like.
They are almost translucent!

June IS a delight.
 Finally . . .  SUN . . .  and WARM!
 Flowers POP up suddenly after a day's rain.

COLOR greets me daily in the garden.
I breathe deep and . . . cough. . .  cough . . .
Pollen and that wonderful smell from the fields behind us remind me to hold my breath a moment longer than usual.
 That's OK.
It all reminds me that it is JUNE
I give THANKS for the delights about me.

My roses are popping and my bird house is full!

#2461-2463:: A grand Sunday of celebration and SUN and WARM!  Great bible study; surprise visit to a restaurant where we meet and chat with friends.

#2464-2466:: Birds flit about and chirp wildly at dawn; Farmer works the ground as he stirs up a new patch of something; I sit on my porch for a rare early-morning of warmth and sun . . . nice.

#2467-2469:: Baby birds in the little birdhouse are noisy with need for 'food . . .  food . . . food.'
I stop for too long and linger in the garden to drink in the sounds and smells and beauty; Pop, pop, pop go more roses as blooms become prolific.

Our little church looks dark in this photo but it is
bright and cheery.  It was packed to the gills
on Ascension Day!

#2470-2472:: Early meeting stirs our imaginations with new possibilities; Open time between meetings at church finds me fixing, cleaning and making 'nice' some ugly spaces; late ride home past Amish farms on a sunny evening is a delight.

#2473-2475:: Drip, drip, drip as soft moisture falls from the sky and lubricates hungry flowers; An early morning errand during rush hour is not as bad as I thought as I'm back home in an hour; A conference call pierces my writing time but proves good results.

#2476-2478:: Yesterday's rain brought cool breezes that are good for jogging; More blooms coming alive; packing for a conference as I prep for the big community yard sale.

One of my neighbors made this fake bird
house out of an old post and scraps.
Swarms of sparrows perched and poked
their heads into the holes. None went inside.

#2479-2481:: I am determined not to walk around the neighborhood until 7am even though I watch cars stopping at 6:15; Glorious day to walk the mile circle to see friends after a long winter; Sold out most of the hot dogs by 9:15, bought more, sold out again at 11:15! with 45 min. left of the sale.

#2482-2484:: Up too early to see (5am) to pack the car for a long day at church and then a week away; Unexpected friends visit church: lots of conversation at coffee hour . . . until 2:30.  Grab a bit and drive three hours to our first destination - easy drive with few traffic challenges.

#2485-2487:: We wake up to an ocean view and sun ready to pop through the hazy skies;  Cool ocean breezes invited us into a day of R&R as I prepare for a seminar; Architecture of this small town is amazing!

#2488-2490:: Conference time with great people I've gotten to know over the last nine months;  A few hours to enjoy the town invites us to take some wonderful pictures;

A fine hotel near where we stayed.

We amble on to our next destination.

#2491-2493:: Happy Anniversary to US! We linger in a posh place overnight and saunter to Winterthur to see the Downton Abby Exhibit and the grand gardens; hoards of others had the same idea so we linger a little longer - all good; Children's garden is fabulous - a child's delight.

#2494-2496:: Another gray day blanketed with

Recognize this?  Mary of Downton Abby
was engaged to Michael in this dress.

mist so another museum day - Brandywine and the Wyeth family; linger longer through the day until a 7pm meeting half-way home; Nice few days of exploration in an area we have not seen in decades.

#2497-2499:: Unpack and do laundry - nice to be home; pouring rain floods the garden but ohhhh the plants that are flourishing; linger longer through newspapers and mail - nice.

#2500-2502:: Bright sun and fierce winds greet the day, flag day, but too windy for ye ol flag to fly!
Enjoy words that flow from the heart as I write for tomorrow- God is so good; We are made in the image of God - his righteousness, his glory, eternal life . . .

Hubby lingers by a little house in the Children's Garden.

#2503- 2505:: Sun stings our eyes as open roads greet us ever-so-early this morning; Smooth sailing through the worship service as Amelia (two) echoes my words; Home late in the day but still love to pick the weeds out of my gardens.

#2506-2508:: Swirl through early morning chores in anticipation of lingering with a friend; a four hour gab session brought great ideas and new plans; conversation with a good friend is sometimes very restful.

#2509-2511:: HOT so early.  Love it!  Still feeling yesterdays massage - nice.  Laundry, notes, emails, lots of little tasks.

#2512-2514:: Meetings in Chester County and loads of driving on a nice HOT day; Good

Can't remember if this was at Winterthur or Longwood.
A lovely place to enjoy with hubby.

conversation, beautiful scenery and a detour that skirts completely around our destination; A fun stop at Longwood gardens.

#2515-2517:: Garden day! Cut, Cut, WEED; Five bags of forsythia branches -the garden can now breathe; One full bag of weeds - so many hidden beneath beautiful blooms.

#2518-2520:: A full day of meetings with PEO.  Five chapters meet together and then we have our own meeting.  Of course we must do lunch afterwards - a great turnout.  A full day of feminine fun!

One of may stones in the Winterthur
Children's Garden: nature speaks to each of us!

#2521-2523:: Catch-up day began with writing very early in the morning; A visit to a craft fair at my favorite church in our little town - haven't been there in over a year. Fertilize grass and garden so blooms will burst forth with healthy foliage.

#2524-2526:: Early rise to a cool day filled with surprises.  8am service had more than normal and 10:15 service was amazingly full for a summer Sunday; Happy faces, children giggling, a well accepted sermon, coffee hour bursting with chatter . . . then all left in a swirl to enjoy a fabulous summer day.

#2527-2529:: AC guy greets us early to make sure all is cleaned and in order; Laundry smells so good; hazy day beckons me outside but I have a few more chores to complete before we saw dead shrubs.

#2530-2432:: Digging into scripture for hours was pure delight.  Opportunity to have mulch in my garden meant four hours of messy from head to toe- a great feeling of accomplishment; the garden is GLEAMING!

A staircase at the Wintertur estate spirals upward.
Fortunately, I am just now beginning to slow
down from my own upward spiral and enjoy summer!

#2433-2435:: Early up with the sun and ready to feed the roses. Surprise arrival of more mulch helps to complete the garden. A long, heavy rain came at the perfect time - at night after too many hot days.

#2436-2438:: Catch up day enabled me to finish tasks that have been waiting for me for over a month.  Time for more study and research while I do laundry; A great conversation with my sister makes me spin with delight for her and her hubby.

#2439-2441:: A very early visit to the doctor to check out a genetic 'viking' malady  (Dupruytrens Conjecture) turns out to be true but no need for treatment yet.  Breakfast at Panera with Hubby - fun!

Found in the Wintertur Children's Garden,
It would be lovely in my own garden!

Breezy and hovering around 70 - almost too cool but NOT complaining.

#2342-2344:: Sad day as we remember Frank, a quadriplegic for eight years, who died last week but Margit is surrounded by loving friends and family; Life ebbs and flows and I see it in my beautiful garden; a wonderful shared-meal with friends and family of Frank and Margit - nice.

#2345-2347:: Cool and clear and easy drive to church; plenty of time to linger with those who come early to prepare for worship; Bible Study between services ran late due to a wonderful discussion - needless to say, worship was delayed by about one minute but no one objected.

#2348-2350:: Fresh breeze, garden puttering, birds flitting about - LOVE SUMMER! A delicious day to end the month of June