Joyful June

Serendipity played a part in making June my absolute favourite month of the year.  Like a kid at Christmas I buzz with anticipation as June makes me overflow with hope and optimism.

It all started the first time I watched the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  June was a long anticipated month when Winter finally waved goodbye – although as I type the heating is on full blast and I’ve put on a jumper as it’s so cold outside!  Yet there’s the promise of long warm Summer days, love in the air and June brides.  I once was a June bride myself.

photography by Deb Fletcher

It’s also the month when my garden is at it’s best, buds are bountiful and the next few weeks will see a transformation from brown and green to a riot of pinks, blues and lavender as the ‘girls’ get their petals out and wave their skirts in the warm breeze.  The first rose has already appeared and so far the wind and rain has not broken it’s spirit!  Strawberries are waiting to ripen, just in time for my next June treat .. tennis.

Another passion and I’m usually glued to the TV for Wimbledon fortnight.  Gone are the glamorous days of the 1970’s when players looked like they partied all night and turned up for a match straight from Studio 54.  When you could see the likes of Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase, Vitas Gerulaitis and Adriano Panatta – and my favourite Roscoe Tanner from Lookout Mountain, Tennessee.  About this time I found one of my favourite books – World Class by Jane & Burt Boyar.  The cover is now tatty and the pages yellow it’s so old but it epitomised tennis in the ’70s – a far cry from the homogenised mechanics of today’s game.  Sorry Roger et al but it’s just not the same.

Borg’s Relief
Photo by Rob Taggart on Getty Images

And finally longer days and light nights culminating in the Summer Solstice and the longest day.  Silly I know when there are eleven other thoroughly decent months in the year but June has a special place in my heart and I’m looking forward to every moment of it.

Wishing you a Joyful June x