summer solstice

June 21, 2003
6:45 p.m.
Summer Solstice
sunrise: 5:42 a.m.
sunset: 8:33 p.m.
nearly 15 hours of daylight, our longest day of the year -
Forecast high 87 degrees, rather mild for our normal

Our first official day of summer has been filled with kids & friends & swimming & gardening - a fitting day of pleasurable acivity. It feels very pleasant now - probably close to that perfect 72 degrees. I've been alternately working on garden projects out front and out back - in front I planted wooly thyme between some of the sones in my loose patio - 2 six-packs planted, maybe ten times that many to buy & plant before the project's done!



our modesto (arizona?) ash out front

monday morning

6.16.03 10:30 a.m. Monday morning
warm clear 75 degrees or more
Just back from walking the dog, checked the pond and there's no sign of the babies we brought home yesterday. Guess they were lunch...

father's day

June 15, 2003
late afternoon
Father's Day Picnic at Rusch Park

We've been spending the afternoon picnicing - barbequeing and visiting and playing, running back and forth to the creek, all in the ever-moving shade of a big silver maple tree.



Kids have been fishing - netting tiny fish to bring home to the pond.

Down at the creek it's shady and cool. Scott and Phillip try to catch a blue gill or carp but mostly feed fish too little to get on the hook. The shells of freshwater clams litter the creekbed where it bends, slows and deepens.



Part of the day's excitement comes from tiny praying mantis's that suddenly appear on a picnic plate or walking back to the parking lot. One is saved, given a safe haven in a jar on the kitchen table, complete with aphids on a bud from my climbing roses out front.