Thursday, June 21, 2018

Summer Solstice, June 21, 2018


Today is the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year and marks the beginning of summer.  I am in the Northern Hemisphere, lower Middle Tennessee, USA and starting tomorrow, the days will be getting shorter.  I celebrated by going into town to run errands.  Unexciting even by my standards but I will share with everyone.

The morning was rainy, dreary and made for ducks.  I was quite happy - any day it rains and I don't have to water the garden is a good day for me.


The next thing I saw on my journey was a dripping wet bull.  He was not happy like the ducks about being soggy.


Further down the road, I disturbed some vultures while they were eating breakfast.  The buffet was provided by a well-seasoned armadillo in the middle of the road.


He did not like me looking at him.


They were concerned I might eat their breakfast.


The sun began to shine as I arrived in town so I decided to search for signs of summer.  Which flowers would be blooming today?








It appeared the daylilies would be the winner (of my imaginary contest) until I saw these zinnias blooming magnificently in a hell strip right beside the road.  Zinnias - one of my favorite flowers, which I can't grow very well. They seem to grow great for everyone else but me.  Since it is my contest and I am the only judge, I voted the zinnias winners.  Summer is officially here.


When I returned back to the quiet of the countryside, I could feel myself relaxing.  It felt good to be home.  Everything and everyone (except for the ducks) were happy to be dry again.  I am sure my neighbor's cow missed me while I was gone.


9 comments:

  1. Your neighbors cow looks just like ours. I love your flower photographs.

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    1. Carol, maybe we are really neighbors and I took a picture of your cow. Wouldn't that be funny? (I know you don't live in Tennessee)

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  2. Those zinnias are great. What a nice choice for a hell strip. I'm trying some out this year in my garden. So far successfully, but it's only day 2 of summer.

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    1. I have a horrible time growing zinnias because of our high humidity but I keep trying. This year I have tried a new kind which is supposed to be less susceptible to powdery mildew. They are only a few inches tall so I don't know yet.

      I kept needing to drive around the block because I could not get the picture. The traffic light kept being green but when it finally turned red, the people going the other way stopped their cars to let me take the picture. They probably thought I was a crazy tourist.

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  3. Having seen all these lovely pictures, it seems to me that Tennessee is the
    "State of daylilies".
    Christel

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  4. I've lived in TN twice. Once in the mid 1970s and again in the mid 2000s. My son still lives in Tennessee. I enjoy driving around the beautiful countryside. Love your flowers and thank you for the Zinnias. I needed ideas for the Z post for this Friday's The Weekend Roundup. I believe that cow is a bull and he looks scary to me. :)

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    1. I am not a cow expert since we have never owned one and will stand corrected! I will change my post and pretend like I knew what I was doing. (Ha! Ha!)

      I will also agree he is quite scary. He was not happy about the pouring rain nor me glaring at him.

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  5. What a wonderful summer solstice post! Loved all the animals and the flowers!

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  6. I came home today to find my "Stargazer lilies" in bloom! I loved all your lilies!

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