A pink quill, which I’ve never seen before
In early June, Mart and I visited family in Hattiesburg, MS, where he’s from. One day, we went to a little restaurant for lunch called GrateFull Soul. As we waited for our food, I noticed several needlepoint samplers hanging on the wall. One of them caught my eye.
I did a bit of research and found that the poem is called “Prayer for a Little Home,” and was often used in needlepoint. As I looked at it that early June day, it reminded me of some of the best things about summer.
Now, at the risk of sounding like a cross-stitch message myself, the older I get, the more aware I am of how much I enjoy the “little things”. Things I would have scoffed at or rolled my eyes when I was younger.
As summer continues to wind down (yes, I’m lamenting a bit), I thought I’d share a few things I’ve noticed just these past two weeks that I love about summer and will miss this fall.
—the sound of birds singing
—a brilliant blue sky above
—thick green grass beneath my feet
—the smell of freshly-mowed grass
—the subtle fragrance of roses, gifted by a friend
—the sight of the lavender crape myrtles next door
—the colors of the coleus by the porch
—white caladiums in abundance
—picking a profusion of flowers in a friend’s back yard
—the sight of our dog, drowsing in the sun
—the sound of a small creek gurgling
—the last few hydrangea blooms, fading to different colors
last one standing
—the shade on the driveway around lunchtime
—dappled sunlight on the grass
—thumbelina zinnias on our table
—the creeping jenny spilling over a concrete pot
—purple cylindrical blooms on the liriope
—the freshness of the air during an early morning walk
—the sweet fragrance of abelia and the hummingbird moth that loved them
The moth is hovering in the center of the photo.
—several new-to-me flowers including a yellow lollipop plant
A fitting plant for a children’s garden
—sitting in the shade, enjoying a lunch with a friend and a nice breeze
—fresh-squeezed lemonade
—water drops caught in a web
—a birthday gift-membership from my daughter to the botanical garden, where I saw a lot of these things this week
The last of summer always makes me a little sad, as I’ve written before, so this past month, I committed to do as many items left on my summer fun list as possible, including going to two gardens that wow me every single time I visit. Such beauty to behold, regardless of the season.
Many people I know can’t wait for summer to end so they can enjoy the cooler weather of the fall. I get that—I really do—but I wonder: if you were to make a late-summer list of things you love, what would be on it? You know I’d love to know. ;) Leave a comment or send me an email and tell me.
At Glimsen, I share glimpses of the beauty around us in nature, the arts, and the unexpected. Click the button below to get my posts delivered to your inbox once a week, and you'll also get a little printable gift of beauty just for signing up.