Happy Summer Solstice.
Tonight we should be able to bask in the friendly light of the strawberry moon –
if the clouds break.
As my eldest son gleefully reminds
me, after today the nights will start pulling in. This thought does not make me
happy. Unlike my children, I don’t like the darker evenings, but we still have
a lot of long light evenings left.
We think our oak tree is well
over 100 years old and I’ve probably posted about it and the huge amount of
wildlife an oak supports (more than any other native tree) before, so I shan’t
repeat myself.
 |
| One of the four trunks |
If we ever move from this
house, I shall miss the tree more than anything. It has four main trunks (or are they limbs?) and
scars lower down from where others were taken as if it was once coppiced.
At the moment it is pouring
with rain and the tree is full of birds happily singing. Must admit, the photos were taken a few days
ago on a sunny day.
And the writing plans? If you
write for magazines, you should be turning your thoughts to autumn around now.
Close your eyes and imagine those are leaves battering your windows along with the
rain.
I've never seen an oak tree with four trunks before. You must spend half your autumn picking up acorns! Like you, I'm thinking about autumn themes but it's easy today as it's pouring down with rain.
ReplyDeleteIt had five when we moved in here, Wendy, but the fifth one was making the tree unstable so the tree surgeons lopped it off. It certainly feels autumnal today! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa, I too dislike the nights drawing in and it always feels so sad that we are heading towards autumn when we haven't really got to grips with summer yet!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tree, it reminds me of Enid Blyton's Magic Faraway Tree, I wonder if any magical creatures have adventures in it?
Linda
My kids used to say the old scars were fairy doors, Linda. I've become so fond of it over the years - it's like an old friend :-) xx
DeleteI wonder how many story ideas you have developed from that lovely old tree Teresa? We won't think about the shortening days just yet!
ReplyDeleteA few I think, Maggie. We have a lot of light evenings to look forward to still :-) xx
DeleteOh my heavens summer just has to be round the corner doesn't it. It's just being shy and refusing to come and play for the moment. As you say loads of lovely, long light evenings yet. I do like the winter evenings all cosy and snug - as long as I don't have to go out in them!! Fairweather driver me! Fabulous tree, Teresa - real grist for the imagination. Gosh I loved The Magic Faraway Tree - in fact all Enid Blyton stories. She it was who cultivated my adoration of reading. Thanks for the headsup on writing our Autumn stories now xxxx
ReplyDeleteI love it, Sue - the summer being shy! I loved Enid Blyton too (Shadow the Sheepdog being my favourite) :-) xx
DeleteIt will be about another four days before the length of daylight shrinks, at this time of the year we get nine days of the same length with the only difference being time of sunrise and time of sunset. So what we call the longest day is the mean or middle day. Similar pattern of light at Winter Solstice but only of three days. Solstice actually means 'sun standing still'
ReplyDeleteThank you - it's very interesting to know that. It's a running joke in this family to wind me up about the nights pulling in. My mum used to do it too :-) xx
DeleteI do like an oak tree - or any tree really.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Patsy, but the oak is my favourite :-) xx
DeleteWhat a beautiful tree, Teresa, and what an amazing history it has. Like your children, I prefer the short, dark days, but Adrian is always happier during the summer, so he is also not cheering the fact that the longest day is just around the corner. There are definitely lots more lengthy days to come though and autumn is still far ahead. xxx
ReplyDeleteIt would be a boring old world if we were all the same wouldn't it, Joanna :-) xx
DeleteLovely pictures, Teresa. I have always loved trees. I even did a topic on trees in primary school. Roll on sunnier summer weather! It's promised over here tomorrow but I won't hold my breath. Have a lovely summer season.
ReplyDeleteHope you get the promised good weather - it is very hot here today (almost too hot!) :-) xx
DeleteLovely post Teresa. We inherited a Yew tree when we moved here which shows in photos of the house taken in 1900. Trees are truly amazing things, outliving us and our history. I hope the sun shines for us all this summer I will then be ready for those darker evenings. All things in good measure :-)
ReplyDeleteI love Yew trees - they are magical like the oak. How lovely to have a photo of yours from so long ago. I often think if they could talk, what a tale they could tell. Some sunshine would be nice, especially in the summer holidays :-) xx
DeleteHi Teresa,
ReplyDeleteHere I am commenting five days after the longest day of the year. Although that puzzles me because I thought it had 24 hours, just like most other days.
You've created a lovely visual in regards to your old oak tree. I know how attached we can become to our trees and no, not literally.
Such a wonderful posting, Teresa. Yes, soon be autumn.
Have a peaceful, hopeful weekend and the awful times we've been having in the UK.
Gary x
Thank you for dropping by, Gary.
DeleteWhat a horrible week this has been xx
I write for a lot of online magazines/sites, so I don't have to plan ahead as much. Although a couple of sites are preparing their August content right now. They just take a while to edit, I guess!
ReplyDeleteYes, different circumstances for online magazines, Stephanie. Thanks for stopping by :-) xx
DeleteOak trees are wonderful as they have character, plus witnessed so much history in their time. I'm sure they would have some interesting tales to reveal if they were able, Teresa. :-)x
ReplyDeleteI often imagine people sitting under our tree in days gone by having their lunch or picking blackberries :-) xx
DeleteHow did I miss this post Teresa?
ReplyDeleteI love trees. Oh the stories they could tell... :-)
If only they could talk :-) xx
Delete