Confession: In my memory, June is a chilly and outrageously drippy month in our part of the world. What has come over this one, full of radiant blue-eyed days?
June 3
Not that it doesn’t rain, at times. My kids and I sit on our porch roof one morning and watch this doozy of a storm sweep in from the west. When the drops begin to hit, we scramble back through the window, and come downstairs to find my firstborn has made us breakfast. And it is still hot.
June 5
We snuggle kittens, as always. These we try to sell, which is (of course) an epic fail. I’d heard of it being done and thought I’d try.
June 7
My baby* learns to ride her bike without training wheels, and my, is she proud. *(Don’t tell her I called her that. Technically I’m not allowed to anymore, except under special circumstances.)
June 8
We spend hours and hours in the green world. I’ve never known a June so lucid, so turquoise.
June 10
I am admitted to the hospital for a catheter ablation, to treat my heart arrythmia. Fascinating stuff, and I am happy to remain conscious and remembrandt for most of the procedure. I like watching the screen. Then they put me to sleep for real, and burn tiny sections of my heart where the bad rhythms are coming from… and we will see where that goes. So far, it’s transformative. No more nasty beating when I run or climb a hill.
June 11
Regan comes home to stay, and now the joy begins in earnest. We bike, we walk, we chat, we swim, we squabble, we eat dinner in a completed circle.
June 12
By the great goodness of Jesus, Tamarack Lake is refilled this summer, after several years of staying drained for dam repairs. We live within easy walking distance, and spend lots of time along its banks. My girls compare notes over sticks and bugs.
June 13
Kelly finishes a glorious art project for our living room wall. I help her color in with oil pastels, but she does the drawing. Each portrait represents one of us, or our extra children, family, and loved ones. I could look at it all day long.
June 14
We go for more walks, and taste the glory of sisterhood, foxgloves, wild white roses.
June 16
We hike trails in the forest and fields near Woodcock Dam. My boys don’t know I take sneaky photographs when they walk together.
June 20
My parents and siblings share our annual cabin weekend in Ohio. I get lots of baby nephew snuggles, good talks, fireside time.
We surprise my mom with seventy balloons, each stuffed with a dollar bill, in honor of her 70th birthday. She sits down on the floor and laughs like a girl, and I love this about her. The grandkids savor it all as much as she does, because – balloon popping.
And we pray for her. These five young men are my brothers, much loved. (My sister was taking care of her baby, and I was taking care of the picture, so we didn’t get an all-siblings shot. But one sister-in-law is there, and my parents – and daughters, if you look close.)
June is a glorious month.
June 22
My daughter and I take advantage of a laundromat trip to catch milkshakes together. Washing machine troubles have silver linings. But now I have a wonderful new washer and I am happy about that.
In the evening, take-out with friends at a park is sweet – topped off by Piper’s creation, fresh strawberry pie with layers of chocolate and cream.
June 25
My garden grows like crazy. We harvest new lettuce, and sugar snap peas. On a whim, we make a trip north to pick baskets of fresh strawberries.
So much is wrong and crazy in the world, and in our own lives. We cannot go into public without feeling it deeply. But in a green oasis, a holy place of calm, our family begins to experience restoration for years’ worth of fractures. Healing is sweet. So is summer: the earth made bounteous and right.
May He complete this work.
What do you love best about June?
I love this post. June has been an extra sweet month here, too. It is extra lush and green with rain and heat almost every day, and my peonies and ranunculus and all manner of other flowers and garden produce are gigantic and more plentiful than I have ever seen. It is like God is telling us, “it is all going to be OK, I am with you in the midst of all the turmoil.”
This June HAS been glorious; such an undeserved gift. Your last paragraph made me teary. May healing & restoration continue in abundance for your family, and throughout our world.
Our June has been glorious and abundant in nature, chaotic and uncertain in our circumstances. I’ve felt like a rubber band, stretching and rebounding repeatedly. I can only hope we come through it with more kindness toward others, more confidence in God who holds it all together.
Shari your photos are beautiful and I loved your last paragraph. My favorite thing about June is that it’s National Iced Tea Month! I love my iced tea and I have a glass each day.????
I love the green corn fields, the blue skies, and the fireflies!
so glad for you
Fantastic job on that mural! Graphic and so touching at the same time! Pastels are messy but so worth it.
Such a beautiful post. I love the wall art so very much.
Wow! What a month for you. Heart surgery is a big deal and yet you are smiling and energetic and calm. I love your words.
Your words and photos are lovely and calming and healing to my heart too.
BTW. Kelly’s cross-over bag is apparently goes with her everywhere??!! I love it! 🙂
The photo of your brothers praying for your mom made me smile. My it would be good to reconnect with some of those people! =) Also, your oldest daughter is such a spittin’ image of you! I can almost see us tripping down a wooded lane together back in the day!