June 2025 - A Seasonal Diary
A seasonal diary of nature spots and little moments
“June is the pearl of summer, shining with warmth and joy.”
-L M Montgomery
Hello June
The Grass! As the year passes by i think barely at all of grass, until June arrives and it suddenly becomes the most beautiful bed of mauve velvet swaying over the farm. It seems such a fleeting scene, one that makes me stop and think ‘Goodness, how pretty is grass, I must pick some’. In only a few weeks it dries out into a golden sea and no matter how many times it is cut the subsequent grass never carries the same beauty of June.
The forgotten wood is teaming with Yorkshire Fog, Timothy and cocksfoot, spied a skipper too. The dog rose is dog rose-ing, the hogweed is hogging, the vetch, vetching and the hemlock, hemlock-ing and Brooke be stressing. Nothing new there then. We’re off to Cornwall in the Kazzavan and all the packing is to be done and all the work is still to be done and you know just the never ending to do list. But still soon it shall be upon us and a holiday we will have for a holiday we do need.
IN THE GARDEN
There’s our first new potatoes, rhubarb and gooseberries and the hydrangeas have finally flowered, the cosmos is nearly out and it’s all feeling full. The butterflies seem to be everywhere this year. Juvenile Goldfinches in the garden. It's funny how the more you learn your birds the quicker you are at making educated guesses when it comes to the one's you don't recognise. I’ve never seen these guys before but something about them must have been goldfinchy for my instinct said so and Google confirmed. There's so much to learn when it comes to birds, butterflies and flowers and its taking me years. I'm still clueless with most of them but the joy I find is in the learning and not the knowing. Gosh, don't I sound wise and smug. I promise, I am neither.
Elderflower Cordial
There will now never not be a year when I don’t make this because it’s just so summery. If you could drink June, this is what it would taste like. Me and the boys had a lovely morning filling our trug and chopping off the flowers.
Cornwall
Beautiful place is old Cornwall, I recognise its roads and paths and busy odd ways from 20 years past when a smaller Brooke was sitting in the back of her parents car, caravan following behind. It's beautiful, nostalgic, the sea daisies and the St Pyrans flags and the smugglers coves and old pirate harbours. It's magical.
Our campsite was beautiful, a swimming pool was the cherry on the cake for such a hot week. There was beaches and burgers and wine and stabiliser-less bike riding, choo choo chugging on mini trains, the sea, the stones, panting dogs and birds of prey. A good week was had but in not a rest or solo walk did I partake. For all the grown ups in attendance there still didn't seem the opportunity for child free exploration. I did, however, notice a few wildflowers that I haven't seen where we live so snapped them to add them to my nature memory bank. Snapped meaning 'took a photo' I didn't physically snap any wildflowers. No wildflowers were harmed in Cornwall..
Sheeps-bit scabious
Navelwort
BUTTERFLIES
Speckled Wood
Red admiral
Comma
Ringlet
Painted lady
Peacock
Small tortoiseshell
June In Watercolour
Stories from the studio, a little glimpse into my watercolour creations from this month…
What has June been like for you? Have you seen anything out in nature that’s made you smile or just peeked your interest? I would love to know, tell me in the comments below...
