Happy June, my friend!
Do you remember the scene from Miss Congeniality where one of the contestants is asked to describe the perfect date? Taking the question in a whole other direction than it was intended, she responds, “April 25, because it’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket.” I have to say that I disagree with the lovely Miss Rhode Island. As I write this to you, it’s June 1, and today—is the perfect date.
June, June, June. And the first day of June! So many possibilities! So much to be hopeful for! It’s the first day of summer vacation for the schoolkids here. I can practically feel the excitement in the air!
I dusted off an old letter I wrote you a few years ago about June and her 11 friends—the other months of the year. To me, they each have their own unique personality. What do you think?
January, February, and March are triplets. They aren’t identical, but they are still quite similar. You do not want to pick a fight with one of this trio on the playground. They will win every time. They are strong. You can be their friend if you don’t complain too much. They work hard but play hard, too. Their personas are just plain easier to take in Florida than their Wisconsin versions.
April is a bit moody. She’s kind of stuck in that pre-teen angst period. Sometimes she’s as happy as anything, and you just love being around her; everything is warm and wonderful. Then, the next minute, she’s mad as a hornet over something, and you better look out, Mister!
May. Ahhh, sweet May. She’s so full of hope she can hardly contain herself. She seems to leave a trail of flowers in her footprints as she glides along. She smells like lilacs. People feel a strange mixture of happiness and melancholy around her. This usually happens mid to late month when school years come to an end, and graduations occur. “They’re happy tears” is something said a lot during May.
June, July, and August. Another set of triplets, but with June and July being more similar. (I’ll get to August in a minute.) June and July are a blast! But just try to get either of them to do any work! Ain’t gonna happen! They are forever running through the sprinkler, spitting watermelon seeds at each other, and staying up late catching fireflies.
August, though, she’s another story. So anxious! It seems she’ll never get used to all the new things coming her way. You’d think she’d be over that by now, since it’s 2023, but she’s always wondering, “But what if?” (And she’s still anxious in 2026, poor thing.)
September is August’s therapist. She’s cool as a cucumber and never seems to get her undies in a bundle. (You can see why she’s so helpful to dear August.) She smells like apples and has a quiet confidence about her. People love hanging out with her, but can’t quite explain why.
October, November, and December are the last set of triplets, and WOW, are they big! Collectively known as “The Holidays,” they feel it’s their duty to end each year with a bang! And they never fail to disappoint. Yeah, sometimes they can be a bit much to take, all three in a row like that. Some people love them, and some people can’t wait till they go. They seem to elicit strong feelings one way or the other. December always seems to bring about a lot of soul-searching in her presence. She’s a deep thinker, that one.
I thought maybe as I moved from place to place around the country, my feelings about each month’s personality would change, but not so. I still cringe when August comes about. I want to break out every holiday decoration I own in October and spit watermelon seeds into my backyard in June.
And on June 1, I always feel hopeful. How perfect that in Mary Oliver’s poem, The Summer Day, she writes: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” That’s a lot to think about, so let me simplify… what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious June? As for me‚ I’m headed to Wisconsin. I’ll be writing to you from the shore of Lake Superior next week.
I hope you enjoy this precious watermelon-seed-spitting, sprinkler-jumping month!
Written with love – – – Patti XOXO
“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer
the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months,
and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade?”
Gertrude Jekyll