So rare
A perfect June day near Kennebunkport, Maine, 2012
And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days… — James Russell Lowell
June has been a blur for us this year, as perhaps it has been for you. We’ve been overwhelmed with hospitalizations, seemingly endless appointments, backlogged tasks indoors and out, and the yearly traffic snarls from summer travelers hitting the roads.
Even with the distractions, I can’t help noticing it’s a lovely time of year. Several times in the past weeks I’ve headed out for an evening walk, mentally laden with worries and stress, and felt my agitation melt away as I am bathed in the serenity of a cool summer twilight. The sun is not yet scorching enough to leave heat lingering after sunset, and the grass is thick and green. The flowers are fully blooming, not yet faded and leggy. Summer is still new enough to feel refreshing after a cold winter and wet spring.
Before the perfection of June passes into the sweltering heat of July and August, why not make some time to enjoy the longest hours of daylight we’ll have until this time next year? Although it’s easy to forget, these days are rare; enjoy them!
This post was originally published seven years ago today. The original post, comments and photo are linked, along with two other related posts, below. These links to related posts, and their thumbnail photos, do not appear in the blog feed; they are only visible when viewing the individual posts by clicking on each one. I have no idea why, nor do I know how they choose the related posts. That’s just the way WordPress does things.
Defeat Despair 
Good Sunday morning, Julia. ☕️ Your descriptive words are so fitting for the June we’re experiencing now. It seems so much is the same, the flowers, the birds singing, the green grass and the visitors arriving non stop. Much has changed though but our little world keeps spinning. I hope you and Matt are doing well and enjoying these summer days. We traveled to the Outer Banks area of North Carolina last week. We decided the little coastal fishing village was a safe getaway and it had been a long 7 months of staying at 428 for the most part. It was simple and pleasant, seems all we needed for now. You’re never far from my thoughts and our Verandah calls more than you know! 💛 Love and hugs cross the miles! Sheila
Sheila, it is wonderful to hear from you again! I’m glad you were able to enjoy a getaway. My York home has been my getaway spot during these exceedingly strange times. But of course, Club Verandah is portable as always, and can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime! 🙂 Sending you lots of love and fond memories of what is, amazingly, approaching EIGHT YEARS of being connected online with 428!
Good morning Julia, and Sheila,
As I read this I see two comments, already! Well, that’s fast. Glad to see your exchange so quickly and so meaningful.
This year for most has been similar to your past writing due to the strange circumstance we find ourselves in, with the coronavirus and social upheaval so captivating. Even so, June has come and almost gone. Seems so quickly this year. Here on the gulf coast we have had several days with record breaking temperatures; many days in the 90’s. The sweltering heat and humidity are upon us! Can’t wait till July and August – not!
June must be a popular month, as we always hear about June weddings. The month also has claim to the summer solstice, our longest day of the year. As you indicated, many facets of June make it a popular month. In the “old days”, the Academy graduated in June. The first week of June, referred to as “June Week”, was filled with festivities and celebrations as the first-class cadets completed their 47 month experience, culminating in graduation. Yes, June holds significance in my world. Wishing you and Matt a blessed day, and a great week.
I’m up for another cup of coffee! 😊
Hi Chris! Yes, it does seem strange how quickly the time has passed this year. One would think that quarantine would make the time drag, but I suppose the distraction of re-learning so many things (such as the logistics of acquiring necessary groceries) and the disorientation that goes along with sweeping change to the ENTIRE WORLD (for the first time in my memory) has made it seem short. Probably a bit like how, waking up after general anesthesia, one has no sense of the hours that passed while one was under it. I’ve developed a new appreciation for the benefits of coffee, as well as a determination not to utilize those benefits too often…Happy 4th of July!
Good morning, Julia!
This June I have at last had enough time at home and presence of mind to notice how beautiful June is! I don’t know how I managed to miss seeing it in previous years. Maybe it’s the flurry of graduations, weddings, and wrapping up a season of school, choir rehearsals, etc. It seems I usually notice summer right around July 1st.
Not so, this year! I’ve had some delightful morning walks, and noticed several days without mosquitoes – I had never noticed that before – and my garden is growing. We put out croquet last week and played until it rained, and now we have mosquitos, so it’s a challenge to play and swat!
I did buy the mosquitos dunks that you told me about, and am looking for places to place them.
Happy June to You and Matt!
Susan, we used to play croquet in my family when I was a kid, and we had the fun of introducing it to the neighborhood kids as well. Our backyard was large enough to leave a croquet field set up and we had many hours of fun there. I haven’t seen anyone playing it for years, though. My sister and I saw a croquet lawn at the famous Jekyll Island Resort last June, and it was like a trip down memory lane. Here we are, June gone and already July. And way hotter than I like right now– I hope it cools down. Have a great weekend.
Yes! I’ve been enjoying taking a book out into the back yard some evenings after “Jeopardy” and enjoying the quiet and relative cool of the evenings, looking at the flowers in my very little back yard. Your photo really captures the summer. We haven’t stayed in Kennebunkport but drove through to look at it while doing a genealogy visit (for my husband) to another town in Maine.
I just love those little towns in Maine. I wish I was there now to enjoy the cool breezes. But like you, I enjoy my own little back yard so much that I don’t mind staying home. Hope you have a fabulous 4th of July!
We’re enjoying gorgeous weather and in the PMW, it’s a perfect 72° and we don’t have air conditioning. One of the things I love most here is our gorgeous weather after living in the oven otherwise known as So Cal.
This is the first year we haven’t had a garden since we moved here. My rhubarb plant is doing well so I’ve made a couple of strawberry/rhubarb pies. We’re enjoying our lilacs, peonies, roses, poppies, hydrangeas, and lilies as they come and go in turn. Yes, these are perfect days, but any day without C-19 is a blessed day. Stay healthy, stay safe ♥️
I kept trying to figure out what “the PMW” stands for? Yes, 72 is my idea of perfect weather. In fact, I’ve been getting up as early as 5:00 a.m to be able to walk while it was still that temperature. I’m really grateful that our California years were spent on the central coast and in the Bay area. We used to visit SoCal (usually in the springtime) and always enjoyed it, but I would not have wanted to be there year round. Your flowers sound lovely. I’m having a bit better luck with the peonies I planted at the NoVa home (though they still are not large enough to bloom yet) but the deer ate up my lilies and the Japanese beetles have seriously damaged my roses. Lilacs would be wonderful. On the plus side, the wisteria were gorgeous this spring (although it turns out the Japanese beetles like those too). Happy 4th of July!
Julia, The PNW is the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes referred to as the “left coast”🥰
OK, so the “M” was a typo. You’d think I’d have been able to figure that out! 😀