Musings on a rainy June Sunday

We're getting showers this afternoon. It's probably my fault. Yesterday I watered our new plantings. If I hadn't, today's showers would, most likely, have passed us by. Sorry!

Penstemon grandiflorus (Large Beardtongue)

Photo by J. Harrington

The rain will, undoubtedly, help further development of the blossoms of beardtongue and hoary puccoon. The former just started opening in the last day or two. Lack of wildflower blossoms may help account for the lack of local monarch sightings. We think we've only seen three, or the same one three times, over the past week or so. Our milkweed doesn't seem to be coming on very well this year. Totally clueless as to why. Maybe it too is just undergoing delayed development.

whitetail doe and fawn

Photo by J. Harrington

Whitetail does, some with, some without fawns, are showing up with more frequency in fields and roadside ditches. No doubt trying to get away from biting insects and, perhaps, nursing fawns? Maybe the mosquitos and black flies aren't really much worse this year, it just seems that way every year? Maybe not. We are sure that we've picked more ticks off of our clothes and skin this year than in many years past. Perhaps we need to let the dogs run around the yard more than we have. (Please refer back to the increased appearances of whitetails, creatures that offer foolish dogs, such as certain border collie crossbreeds, tempting targets to try to herd.)

After a couple of days with temperatures in the upper 80s, the upcoming week is forecast to be more North Country-like with highs in the 60s and 70s. That works for us, even if we haven't yet had three weeks of heat and dry weather.

What Is June Anyway?

By David Budbill

After three weeks of hot weather and drought,

           we've had a week of cold and rain,

just the way it ought to be here in the north,

            in June, a fire going in the woodstove

all day long, so you can go outside in the cold

            and rain anytime and smell

the wood smoke in the air.

This is the way I love it. This is why

           I came here almost

fifty years ago. What is June anyway

          without cold and rain

and a fire going in the stove all day?

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.