I have noticed that some of you are witnessing the end of the school year already. In Canada, we have a fairly predictable school year from province to province, and we see classes finish by the end of June. There are some other predictable events for me that occur before all that happens. First, is the nightly pinging of June bugs as they bang against the windows, seeking the light within. I remember my first encounter with them, after emigrating from Ireland (where they did not exist): five years old and a huge droning bug, with very sticky legs, stuck in my hair instilled a life-long fear of them that still exists within me.
As I dug in the garden the other day, I noticed the telltale larvae of future June bugs, just waiting to wake up and make me fearful of stepping out my door at night throughout June. I stifled a gag and quickly dusted my self off, in hasty pursuit of more pleasant tasks. June, for me, is also hallmarked by frequent trips to the garden centers. Let loose in a garden center, I am like the proverbial kid in a candy shop. Heady from the fragrant scents wafting about me and the colourful play before me, I quickly fill my cart with pots and pots of flowers. I have tried starting flowers from seed before, but it is not for me. Always one to enjoy immediate results, I love the instant gratification and reward of planting glorious colour in my garden and reaping the benefits of an instant garden.
Another June celebration is the first picnic of the season. My favourite thing to do is to pack up a lunch of my kids' favourites and surprise them with either a quick lunchtime picnic, or a more drawn out afternoon picnic where they can skip afternoon classes and I enjoy hero status for the day. I always pack up a blanket, a frisbee or kites, and a flask of lemonade or punch. It is one of the best ways to enjoy an afternoon in the outdoors, and for very little money.
My schedule ( and the weather) hasn't allowed it yet, but with June beckoning, I plan to head off happily and "pick" some flowers, scoop up my girlie (and maybe the boys, if they're game) and head to the beach or a favourite lookoff to break in my new/old retro picnic cooler ($3 at a thrift shop). Oh, and neither one involves being outside at night, so I won't have to extract any June bugs from my hair!!
What does June mean to you?
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All images (except the June bug!): Toast.co.uk
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