June in Vermont

Below are excerpts from Ellen’s journal. She has kept her Walden Hill Journal going since we moved from Illinois. We hope you enjoy reading them for a vicarious experience of Vermont.

June 1, 2005 Like the preceding 18 days, the first day of June started out cloudy, but by early afternoon the sun triumphed. 70 degrees, bright sunshine and green, green, green. It was a very full afternoon. Potatoes are planted, our new Yankee Doodle lilac is in a freshly dug and composted bed. I even began a second mowing on our overgrown lawn. It felt good to begin catching up on some outdoor chores. Yesterday I took a very soggy evening stroll through the woods, accompanied by a peeper chorus, drumming grouse and a very melodious but elusive twilight bird. The forest floor is a garden sea of marsh marigolds. Violets, yellow, white and blue as well as blood trillium are in bloom. Jack-in-the-pulpit are beginning to unfurl and stalks of moccasin flowers are up but still tightly curled. Hobblebush is sporting discs of white blossoms. It’s beginning to feel more like summer.

June 6, 2005 It’s a hazy summer morning with a brisk 60° refreshingly cool wind drifting through the house. Apple trees and lilac bushes are in profuse bloom, scenting the air with their unique perfume. All of June so far, has provided perfect weather for catching up on those garden chores that May had thwarted. All of our vegetable garden is planted with the exception of kale which I’m planning to plant later for a fall harvest. Tomatoes and basil are in about a week ahead of schedule but the forecast looks promising and the plants were straining at their pots. I’ve held back 6 basil plants just in case we do get a frost while we’re gone to Nova Scotia. We gathered some woodchip mulch that was left in roadside piles when the town widened Kittredge Road last fall and mulched the new flower beds. Jeff did a thorough job of weeding the hostas bordering our stairs and added some of the leftover mulch there too. Our 2nd mowing was completed yesterday and it’s already time to go around again. Temperatures moved well into the 80’s around here and reportedly actually hit 90° elsewhere n the state. After complaining about too much rain in May, we’re now looking hopefully for more rain to give the newly planted flowers and vegetables a gentle soaking. Our asparagus bed is providing a continual harvest, the first edible pickings of the summer.

June 7, 2005 I hung the laundry out to dry yesterday and sure enough, by 3:00 thunderstorms rolled in. Fortunately there was ample warning to bring in the wash. I guess air drying the clothes is an effective form of “rain dance”. This morning brings a fresh washed summer day. The early fog is burning off, revealing a hazy valley. Melodious birds are busy serenading the day. Two of the bird houses have resident swallows with the parents taking turns brooding and bringing in food. A tiny, white throated head peaks out of the rounded door, guarding the nest. We continue “summerizing” the house. Screens are in, the bird bath is out and the woodstove is cleaned out with the hearth set in summer mode. Our porch swing is hung, offering relaxing, fragrant respites next to the blossom-loaded lilac hedge. Of course a bug shirt or good insect repellant is advisable even in the brisk breeze that helps to keep the black flies in motion. Swallowtail butterflies are back just in time for the opening lilacs.

June 17, 2005 It looks like the cold, damp weather has followed us home from Nova Scotia. Reports from the neighbors say we missed the first heat wave with not only hot but very humid weather. From looking at the profusion of weeds and tall grass, I can certainly see that there was plenty of moisture while we were away. The thermometer is just barely touching 50° this very wet and gloomy morning. I’d put on the woodstove but it’s all cleaned out for the season. Despite less than ideal weather, we managed a very enjoyable trip to Cape Breton. Wildlife sightings included 6 moose, 2 bald eagles, 2 foxes and a sunlit bay full of gracefully diving whales. The whales were so close to our rocky overlook that we could hear them blowing. Natural observations included thick alpine mini-gardens of reindeer moss interspersed with lush green bunchberry, rust-red cranberry leaves and numerous other mosses and lichens. Ochid-like pink rhodora was also in bloom.

Massive granite banding on rugged coastal rocks washed fresh by the pounding surf created quite a view.

A variety of lighthouses viewed in various weather and times of day, with lobster traps strewn nearby, made for the quintessential maritime scene.

Of unexpected interest were 3 very informative and scenically situated historic villages. The tiny Highland Celtic Village perched high above Bra d’Or Lake at Iona,

Sherbrooke Village with its mixture of historic houses among existing 19th century private homes and working craftsmen,

and the magnificently restored 18th century fort and town of Louisburg at the very rugged southern tip of Cape Breton

all offered informative living history experiences. Then of course there was plenty of delicious fresh seafood and we sampled it all, from lobster to seafood chowder, clams, mussels and scallops. We even sampled some simple but equally satisfying Acadian meat pies, cod cakes and butterscotch pie. Weather permitting we camped, but mostly we sampled a very comfortable variety of B & B’s. My actual birthday weekend included a hike among the moose on the skyline trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, setting up campsite on scenic Aspey Bay with a bald eagle soaring overhead, and lobster dinner at rustic Morrison’s Restaurant with a sunset drive down the coast to Neil’s Cove lighthouse and marina. It was quite a full 60th birthday celebration.

June 21, 2005—Summer Solstice. Today marks the official beginning of summer and for a change, Vermont is in sync with the seasons. Even the fireflies are beginning to proclaim that the nights belong to summer too. Our sunny morning view is very summery indeed, with its lush green valley nestling the fog-covered CT River. Van Gogh has visited, painting a very full canvas of tall purple irises accompanied by golden yellow lilies and an early bright red poppy here and there. To add a bit of muted elegance, slender delicate white irises are just beginning to punctuate the bouquet. The vegetable garden is faring well with the exception of lettuce which needs a replanting. Asparagus continues to offer good pickings after a very vigorous weeding. Lilacs have finished blooming and are ready for deadheading. The weather is finally cooperating, leaving long dry days for outdoor chores. Jeff was able to bring the lawn back under control after a week of constant rain.

June 22, 2005 A glowing orange full moon hangs large at the horizon. It’s a crystal clear night with chance of frost in the high mountains. Hopefully that won’t be us. Today was one of those Vermont summer days that you have to pinch yourself to believe you’re really fortunate enough to live here. I took advantage of the lingering evening light to deadhead the lilacs and do some planting around the leaning tower of bird feeder which Jeff has firmly reset into the ground. A gentle pastel sunset kept me company along with all those omnipresent mosquitos and black flies. There was lots of activity around the bird feeder today. Three kinds of goldfinches, male, female and juvenile were there along with purple finches and a stunning rosebreasted grosbeak. The grosbeaks are a whirl of spiraling black and white when they fly and a real bleeding heart when they perch. An adult grackle was trying to wean a large but very persistent fledgling who kept following with open beak. Hummingbirds are frequent visitors to their feeders. Elegant cedar waxwings have returned to feast on wild strawberries.

June 24, 2005 The firefly display is peaking to its maximum of glittering frenzy. As Hal Borland so beautifully described: “…fireflies make a special magic of the warm summer night. We go out in the darkness and there they are, like a host of winking stars come down to spangle the night and create that incredible ballet of soft light.” A clear, moonless, black night emphasizes the variety in brightness as well as length of flashes. Bright shining stars contrast the constant movement of the fireflies below with stately motionless dignity above.

June 27, 2005 We’re in the midst of lingering hot, humid and hazy weather. Our trip to the Vermont History Expo in Tunbridge was cut short by the stifling heat. St. Jay band played a well-attended and equally well-appreciated concert in the shady bandstand. Temps were in the high 90’s in Tunbridge and low 90’s on Walden Hill. Fortunately the evenings have reverted back to the coolness that summer nights in the mountains afford. A very comfortable 60° last night made for a great night’s sleep. Open windows bring the sweet smell of yellow lilies and honeysuckle. Fireflies continue to command the night and a lone indigo bunting made a brief morning visit, looking for spilled birdseed on the ground.

June 30, 2005 We’re ending June where we started with a bit of calm between storms. Whereas we began with a cold, clammy dampness, we’re ending with heat intensified by high humidity. The thermometer has finally dropped from oppressive high 80’s and 90’s but 90% humidity lingers on. Everything in the house has a sticky feel and the air hangs on us like a wet sponge. June has had a few glorious days in between heat waves and frost warnings. Maybe once July arrives, summer weather will settle into a more “user-friendly” pattern. Meanwhile, blackflies are still very much with us as are a hungry crop of mosquitoes and the very annoying, pesky, buzz-bombing deerflies. Heavy rain doesn’t seem to “dampen” the fireflies’ enthusiasm. Last night was aglitter with those luminous beetles and sonorously filled with the constant patter of falling rain. One firefly managed to find its way into the loft and its flashing light was blinding in the otherwise darkened room.