'An Ode To June'

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June is one of my favourite months, not only is it the month I got married, but it has a palpable sense of promise, beauty and hope. To me, it always feels like a very productive month. I started creating my cottage garden ( I’ll be dedicating a blog post to it soon), a huge brand new collection of Lost Forest treasures, and many other projects, which will be coming into fruition later in the year.

I always feel the poem by Irish post Francis Ledwidge captures the poignant enchantment of June, and sings its praises in each lyrical line:

June

Broom out the floor now, lay the fender by,
And plant this bee-sucked bough of woodbine there,
And let the window down. The butterfly
Floats in upon the sunbeam, and the fair
Tanned face of June, the nomad gipsy, laughs
Above her widespread wares, the while she tells
The farmers’ fortunes in the fields, and quaffs
The water from the spider-peopled wells.
The hedges are all drowned in green grass seas,
And bobbing poppies flare like Elmo’s light,
While siren-like the pollen-staind bees
Drone in the clover depths. And up the height
The cuckoo’s voice is hoarse and broke with joy.
And on the lowland crops the crows make raid,
Nor fear the clappers of the farmer’s boy,
Who sleeps, like drunken Noah, in the shad
And loop this red rose in that hazel ring
That snares your little ear, for June is short
And we must joy in it and dance and sing,
And from her bounty draw her rosy worth.
Ay! soon the swallows will be flying south,
The wind wheel north to gather in the snow,
Even the roses spilt on youth’s red mouth
Will soon blow down the road all roses go.

As the evening faded into the distant hills, I ventured down the farm lanes with the kitty crew to soak up one final June day, and relished every precious moment it exuded. Enjoy! -Gillian x