"In June one feels the security that summer has just begun,
There is time enough for dreaming,
trying to take into ourselves the loveliness of June.
Inside the house now in daytime
the light is green and shadowy, for the maple shade overhangs the roof.
It is a little like living under water.
Honey and I always walk around the house.
trying to take into ourselves the loveliness of June.
The Valley is silent,
the air is sweet."
Words above by Gladys Taber, the wise Connecticut countrywoman
in Stillmeadow Seasons and Stillmeadow Road.
Pictures by R.H. Callis
Avian subjects, residents of Valley View.
The pictures are lovely. My favorite is the pie! (grin). 2 questions: Is it banana cream?, and Is there any left?
ReplyDeleteStay cool in these hot June temps coming up, Dewena and R.H.
Ray, it is an Angel Pie, from an old cookbook, The Toll House cookbook (of Tollhouse cookies fame). The crust is meringue, the filling a lemon custard with a whipped cream crust. And there's none left. After our first pieces we gave the rest away to our son we wouldn't be tempted! It was very sweet. But your banana cream sounds good. Somewhere I have an Emeril recipe for one that I made one time and it was to die for. Must find the recipe and try again.
DeleteHah! Sounds like what my wife does...always sending goodies home with the kids so I won't "have to" eat it all! She's right, I would eat it all and I sure don't need it all.
DeleteI love June...one of my favorite months; and love,love the idea of taking in the loveliness of June...worded so nicely...it's true June reminds me of waking up; just thought of that because up until now I always wait for the daylilies to bloom!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures and that cake, wow looks yummy!
I always feel that I have to appreciate every June day. A June day brings back that exciting feeling of just being out of school, doesn't it? Thank you, Marisa. I hope your children are enjoying their summer vacation!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child, and later when I was a teacher, June seemed as if it were just the beginning of a very long summer. Each year that goes by, June seems shorter and shorter, but I still love the feeling that summer is just beginning along with all the fun that comes with it.
ReplyDeleteI do too, Brenda, even though childhood is far away. "In my days"--how many times have our kids heard that?--summer vacation lasted from June until the day after Labor Day. And the first Friday night after Labor Day was the first football game of the season and sometimes I even needed to take a sweater with me. Poor kids today that have such a short summer, going back near the first of August. Are they really better educated today than I was back then? I wonder.
DeleteBeautiful and delightful post!! I like that life seems to slow down in the summertime.
ReplyDeleteMary Alice
I do too, Mary Alice, although I often think that will be true of the winter! Anyone who sees this reply, please visit Mary Alice's lovely front porch today. You won't be sorry you did!
DeleteDewena, you have a wonderful way with words - with your own and in your choice of quotations. You obviously have the perfect partner with wonderful skills as a photographer; what a team! I love your joint posts.
ReplyDeleteMaureen
Thank you so much, Maureen. Guess what? He likes those posts better, too! He's not too crazy about something like my last post. Got to keep him involved so he'll take pictures for me!
DeleteThe birds are wonderful. The valley is lovely. We have had so much rain our bird seed was sprouting. I had to clean the feeders today. xo, olive
ReplyDeleteI think we may be getting out of our rain period, but we don't want a drought either!
DeleteThose pictures are absolutely amazing. What a wonderful post. You have some wonderful quotes here, too. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteR.H. will be so pleased that you thought so! There were so many babies being fed this past week and couples courting. Thanks so much, Diana!
DeleteAwesome post! Love it all! The pictures of the blue birds was incredible!
ReplyDeleteThat blue is so intense, isn't it? Thank you, Lottie!
DeleteBeautiful pics Mom and yes to all, the pie was delish!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gurn! I'm going to make a carrot cake this weekend so will send some to you.
DeleteDewena, that first photo reminds me of an old married couple -grin-.
ReplyDeleteYes! They do tickle me. The males are so grouchy in the winter and so lovey-dovey right now!
DeleteDewena, I love your pictures and your message. It looks so cool and inviting; alas, not the case in coastal Texas in June! Gladys Taber is an old, old favorite writer of mine, so nice to find another fan!
ReplyDeleteI have been so surprised to find so many Taber fans among bloggers. She was a fencepost in my life when I was young, a word she like to use! Nan at Letters from a Hill Farm is another fan where Gladys pops up every so often.
DeleteWhat a lovely reminder to enjoy this beautiful month. The pictures are great. I must remember to show them to Fred. Live in the present. It is a gift from God.
ReplyDeleteHello Teresa! Yes, I know how much Fred enjoys his birds. He and R.H. would both spend money on birdseed even before groceries!
DeleteIt is a gift, each day.
Wonderful post. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you when I was typing out Gladys' words, Nan!
DeleteLOVE this post! Are those mountain laurels? There are tons of them at the lake. :D
ReplyDeleteYour pie looks so yummy...what kind is it?
xo,
RJ
Yes, they are mountain laurels and everyone should know that they are deadly poison, according to the internet, from the roots to the pollen. Be careful! The pie is an Angel Pie! Very very sweet.
DeleteLovely post and pics! I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI love June and it is passing so quickly.
Thank you so much, Betty. It is passing quickly. Life has such a way of doing that!
Deleteoh my dewena!
ReplyDeletei LOVE valley view.
i thought i was enthralled... walking around your house with 'your' honey and to find out i was with my dear gladys taber too! and of course honey was her dog. i was just reading the month of june in 'stillmeadow daybook' just yesterday!
i always come away from valley view feeling calm and happy inside.
what would it be like to actually BE there! with you! how wonderful.
hugs dear heart. xo
Don't you feel like we knew Honey, Tammy? And that we know Gladys. Her words are just as meaningful today as when she first wrote them. I'm so glad you feel calm and happy at Valley View. Maybe someday you'll come in person and we'll talk each other to death. R.H. will take pictures of us gabbing.
DeleteHugs back to the Peanut,
Dewena
Such beautiful pictures. The quotes are lovely. Truly a blessing to see so much beauty. Enjoy the rest of your week. xo Linda
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Linda! I'm very glad you enjoyed it. We do treasure the time outside in this valley.
DeleteLovely, lovely, lovely pairing of poetry and picture! Exactly what I was experiencing here and today where I am...June. The greens of the weeping willows and cattails in the pond. Birds talking and singing. Thanks for the treat!
ReplyDeleteBecky, I've just come back from visiting your blog--please, if anyone else reads this, visit Becky's Abbey Style today for the most lovely experience. You won't regret it.
DeleteThank you, Becky! I'm so glad you're finding June the lovely month it is, and prayers to all who are living in the path right now of wildfires and storms.
Such a gorgeous post, Dewena. Did you take the bird photos? They are spectacular. I felt the peace and quiet "in the valley" while viewing your post. laurie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laurie! My husband took the photos--through the kitchen and laundry room windows! He has the feeders set up close to the house so we have a birds' eye view! I'll tell him you liked them.
DeleteDewena, I loved all your pictures. Isn't it nice to be able to enjoy the begining of summer. Soon mosquitoes will be driving us crazy...what with all the rain we have had. Enjoy the weekend. xoxo,Susie
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susie. Yes, this has been a beautiful June so far here in TN. "Such days are well accepted."
DeleteI can't believe that first shot!! Priceless! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThen again funny! As in...do you think that the one bird was Bit**ing to the other ? :)
"I can't believe that you forgot the sunflower seeds at the store! Now how are we going to make our breakfast!!"
Then another favorite..the bluebirds right towards the end. How does R.H. GET shots like that!!??!!??
R.H. must stand for "Royal Highness Bird Whisperer" !!!
R.H. will love this comment, and laugh too! From now on I'll think of your comment when I see the Thrasher couple. Oh, and when they're on the feeder, nobody else gets on. They want all the space.
ReplyDeleteHe took these through the kitchen and laundry room windows as the feeder is close to the kitchen. Interesting story about the bluebirds. They had just launched their babies a few days before this shot and for some reason, the male bluebird kept trying to get in the windows. He would fly to them and look in, over and over for 4 days. His mate would fly to the leaning tree (we have it propped up trying to save it) and try to get his attention. He (right) would fly to her (on left) but soon head back for our windows. Their babies were flying and hopping all around on the banks of the creek. He would not be distracted. We even carried out a big owl statue to try to scare him away and he just landed on its ear. We have a cute shot of that.
Royal Highness Bird Whisperer--he'll love that! I wish he could get a video of a big woodpecker squawking at him when he goes outside. He'll hop down on low branches until R.H. goes inside and takes out fresh food for him.
oh yes the audience would love a woodpecker video! :)
DeleteYour photo is blow me away.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell R.H. you said so, Rick! Actually he's been making me read them off as he's so proud of his bird pictures.
DeleteHow beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteHi Deweena,
ReplyDeleteI cannot tell you how mesmerized I am by your pairing of poetry and pictures! The presentation of your lovely surroundings complemented by these most observational words, transmitted me into a peaceful hypnosis. Thank you for the purity of perception which you possess!
Poppy
That is so sweet of you to say so, Poppy! That certainly encourages me to try more after that lovely compliment.
DeleteOh my gosh! This post is so beautiful....both the words and your photos. Love the birdie pics. What lovely scenery you have--oh, to be surrounded by the peacefulness of nature. I miss that so much living in the city. So glad I stopped by for a visit this morning!
ReplyDeletexoxo.
Mary
Sometimes I wonder about the obvious advantages city dwellers have, Mary! But thank you so much. We do love sharing this country valley on the blog.
DeleteSo lovely, Dewena. Thank you for sharing. And thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving the nice comment. I'm a bit late in returning the favor. So glad I came by and caught this peaceful post. Nancy
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nancy. I do look forward to seeing more about your future home!
DeleteDear Dewena, what a port in the storm your lovely post is. Your pictures are lovely....so calming and such a blessing to the soul.
ReplyDeleteThank you for checking in on me. We are still renovating and busy, busy and my husband also pulled his back and was out of it for awhile. The disorder has sent my life spinning even though the finished work will be worth it. I have a feeling you understand totally. I do so appreciate your kindness.
Blessings,
Barb
Thank you, Barb, and I've missed you but know that there are going to be so many lovely pictures of your new kitchen--eventually! Remodeling is so hard on the back so tell your husband to be careful!
DeleteWhat a lovely post! Beautiful photos and words!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Manuela! I'll be sure and read your comment to my husband. He is working hard on his photography skills.
Delete