I have to admit I find the longest day of the year somewhat depressing – summer’s barely started and already it’s in decline. But I was reading the Observer magazine yesterday and its gardening column had what seemed like sound advice: going out and squeezing the last drop of enjoyment out of the longest day:
“Tonight I make it my mission to sit out with blankets until the last of the light is drained from the sky. It will be shared with the bats which dive-bomb the halo of midges that collect in our leafy huddle of gardens, and I will soak up the moment to slow it a little and try to avoid a small pang of sadness”
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Anyway, there I was at a quarter to eleven, thinking about going to bed, when I noticed that there was still a little light in the sky and I remembered the article and stepped outside to catch the last few moments of the lingering evening. After all, we too have bats and we have midges and we even have a hedgehog who wanders around in daylight looking grumpy because there’s not really enough dark to go round. And then I just as promptly stepped back in again, for it was drizzling. I don’t really know where Dan Pearson gardens, exactly, but I’m willing to bet it isn’t anywhere near here…
Meanwhile, in other news, the other half has just announced the emergence of this year’s crap baby swallows. All together now …
I can understand why you feel as you do yet the garden, or in my case plot, is just getting into it’s stride with flowers, soft fruit and vegetables to delight the senses!
come along show us the pictures.
John
All uphill from HERE. Just ‘enjoyed’ the winter solstice here – and my heart lifts just to imagine a little more light in my world. Problem with NZ houses of a certain age – no double glazing, and no insulation, and a feeble ray of sun peeps briefly in the window between 9am and 3pm and then disappears into muted fairy light which ALL goes at 5ish. Sigh. Never happy aye?
Flighty, I know, I’m just never happy… also we’re a bit further behind up here.
John – none taken this year yet, but this is what they looked like last year
Jenny – it’s not just NZ houses, believe me…
Overheard in the street the other day as I ambled past on the bike fresh from an ill-advised attempt (by bike) on the north face of the Eiger in bleaching sun:
Biddy A: Och*, Biddy B, The sun’s cracking the pavements today
Biddy B: Aye, but the nights are fair drawin’ in Biddy A
Can’t fault Biddy B for accuracy. I bet she’s been waiting since June 22nd last year to pull that line out.
* they really do say it, I am not making this up
I heard someone say ‘och aye’ the other day. No ‘the noo’ as yet, but it’s only a matter of time
Does it go dark down where you are?
If the nights were fair drawin’ in I might get some sleep…