Mon 9th June 2008
Well turned out nice again so here I am at 6.30pm sat in the garden with the last of the sunshine. Well the last that will make it over the treetops that line the path to the west like sentinels to dusk. It's been a beautiful two days. I spent nearly the entire day in the garden yesterday; mostly dozing you understand and watching the woodpecker flirt around the feeder in the garden next door. A magnificent specimen with lots of bright red underbelly plumage close to the tail. (A lesser spotted I think.) Add to him a mix of tits, robins, pigeons, magpies, crows and wrens and it added up to an avian treat. I can't believe it is June so very quickly. Just 12 days till the solstice arrives and heralds midsummer. With half of summer so quickly gone, why do I feel as though it has only just begun?
Having had to work today I shan't have much time before the sun fades. Despite the time of day it is incredibly warm now sat here. I brought a hot dinner of stew and thickly buttered bread which tasted absolutely delicious. Not that I had much bread but Mr Robin gave me thanks. How much more delicious is food eaten outdoors? It's almost a magical and spiritual transformation.
The world sharpens into focus as the yellow rays diminish. For a brief time colours become vivid almost incandescent and in the neutral light of a fading day I can see every nuance of it. I can smell and hear better like a filter is taken away from both my mind and eyes and just before I should sleep I finally awake into a short, perfect world that rapidly dims to dusk. How sweet and beautiful is time when it is fleeting through an evening. Now the sunlight is dappling from behind the Beech trees casting long shadows and making me notice the breeze. Long and cool it takes the heat and softens it into the evening calm. The birds still and retreat and the world grows a little less.
