Fireflies in the garden...

 

Staying up late is a complete joy for children. How exciting to spend time outside in the garden after dark in your pajamas! Of course, it stays light quite late, so a warning comes with staying up til dark!

That is exactly what we have been doing. I try to get them to listen to the sounds of nature, the sounds of quiet, the sounds of twilight. Even though I live in town, my backyard is a cacophony of nighttime sounds. Birds singing their good night sounds, doves cooing, the very first sound of a distant owl, and even the train which rumbles through my neighborhood on regular occasions. We love all of these sounds.

I want them to see the beauty of the night as we watch the twilight deepen to dark, the shadows disappear in lieu of the sun’s farewell, the rising of the almost full moon, and, of course, the time-honored fireflies. I often worry about the future of fireflies as forests and meadows face more destruction than ever. However, I am not here to chat about the forests (although we should all be very concerned), I am here to spread the tidings of great joy as summer comes roaring in this week. I do mean roaring in with the high temperatures. I am loathe to turn on my air, but alas, alas here we are with it humming away. I am grateful to have it, but oh how I miss my windows wide open with the sounds of summer seeping in through the screens.

The heat is arriving right on time as we celebrate the arrival of summer on Thursday, June 20 at 4:50 p.m. This, of course, is the Summer Solstice and one of my very favorite holidays, should one call it that. The Solstice is celebrated as a big holiday is most of England, Scotland, and Wales with bonfires and parades and everyone (most everyone!) off of work to celebrate. For us, in the United States, we don’t usually think about the Solstice.

If you have been a regular reader over the years, you know how much I love this day. I will be celebrating with the neighbors this year for our June potluck as we kick off the summer season. I love my neighborhood so much, and I love the gatherings we have come to share. On Thursday we will gather at my house with the table full of food, the yard full of kids, driveway full of music, and the lovely introduction by Nate Simons that sets off our summer!

Following the beautiful heat-driven Solstice, the June full moon will appear on Friday night. This month’s full moon is the strawberry moon named for strawberry season. The strawberries have been beautiful this month, although I see the patches waning a bit! Nonetheless, the beautiful full moon will shine down upon us on Friday night at 9:07. It is interesting to note that the Solstice and the June full moon only coincide with each other every 20 years or so. Some of you might know what I mean…we better take full advantage of this beauty.

Let’s go back to the joy of the fireflies. I saw my first one about ten days ago, and I was thrilled that they would be shining brightly with the twins still here. It is magic, don’t you think? I mean, looking out into the dark gardens and seeing their lights flicker makes me love summer. But what are they really? Fireflies are actually beetles. They have organs under their abdomen which light up, and this is called bioluminescence! Their beautiful blinking patterns are really a signal to other fireflies. This light actually means “come hither!” Fireflies live about 60 days, so we have two months to enjoy their beauty. There are over 2,000 species of fireflies. Adults tend to eat, on occasion, other fireflies, but usually they feed on nectar or pollen, or they do not eat at all. It is good to have a little scientific knowledge, but most of all, go outside after dark and just sit and enjoy.

Summer is almost here. We feel it in the heat. We hear it in the night sounds and the beginning of firecrackers in the distance. We see our gardens steadily growing. We watch children playing in the water or catching fireflies or lighting the sparklers of the season.

Whatever you do, do not miss out on the joys…even with the heat!

Until next week from Charleston