Peonies, Lily of the Valley, Bridal Wreath

 Wednesday, June 3, 2026

The peonies have finally popped! Those flowers are big and heavy. 

The flowers for the bridal wreath spiria is done for the season although if you look hard you can find a few left.

Same for the Lily of the Valley.

Ya just really need to appreciate 'em while ya got 'em.

The Full Strawberry Moon

Friday, June 21, 2024

Full moon today.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac: "June’s full Moon—typically the last full Moon of spring or the first of summer—has traditionally been called the Strawberry Moon. While strawberries certainly are a reddish-pink color and are roundish in shape, the origin of the name “Strawberry Moon” has nothing to do with the Moon’s hue or appearance. A Moon usually appears reddish when it’s close to the horizon because the light rays must pass through the densest layers of the atmosphere."

Also according to the Old Farmer's Almanac: "This Strawberry Moon name has been used by Native American Algonquian tribes that live in the northeastern United States as well as the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota peoples to mark the ripening of “June-bearing” strawberries that are ready to be gathered. The Haida term Berries Ripen Moon reflects this as well. As flowers bloom and early fruit ripens, June is a time of great abundance for many."

June

June

The sun is rich
   And gladly pays
In golden hours,
   Silver days,

And long green weeks
   That never end.
School's out. The time
   Is ours to spend.

There's Little League,
   Hopscotch, the creek,
And after supper,
   Hide and seek.

That live-long light
   Is like a dream,
And freckles come
   Like flies to cream.

  --John Updike

The part...:

"And long green weeks
   That never end.
School's out. The time
   Is ours to spend."

...speaks to me because I still have summers off and I truly appreciate that the time is mine to spend.

As a kid, I loved walking Minnehaha Creek in the summer. I have especially fond memories of walking Willie, the family dog. After supper our version of hide and seek was kick the can.