It was such a hot June day. The wind swept across the fields bending the growing soybeans toward the ground. The trees swayed and tilted. Branches, damaged and dangling from recent storms creaked and moaned all day as they clung tenaciously to the trunk. It won’t be long and they will find themselves in the burn pile.
I long to sit outside as the day draws to a close and the evening gently arrives. But the bugs are bad. The gnats fly between my glasses and eyes and nibble at the back of my neck. I douse myself in essential oil based bug spray and dart across the lawn to the screen tent- hopefully allowing an escape from the bugs.
I settle into the plastic adirondack chair relieved that the bugs appear to be on the outside of the screen. Behind me the sun is slowly sinking behind the woods at the far side of the farm. I will soon lose sight of it as it dips below the trees. The sky tonight is full of puffy, fake looking clouds and they begin to take on a tinge of pink and orange. I shift my chair toward the barn and the rolling fields beyond it. I love the vastness- the openness- the shear space of it all.
The barn cats have discovered that I am sitting in the screen tent. They begin to slink their way across the yard- looking more like lions in the savannah than cats in the country. There is one little black cat that has recently appeared. He is loud and yowells and cries as he tries to get into the screen porch. I invite him in and he rubs against my legs. I ask him where he came from and he just looks at me puzzled. Unlike my own barn cats, he is quick to jump up in my lap and attempt to drink the ice water from my jelly jar. Soon he gets a little too comfortable and I have to invite him out of the screen tent.
The sky continues to grow darker. There is that smell that comes from the soil as it cools and the plants seem to exhale and rest from the day. It smells fresh and fertile. I breathe deeply, filling my lungs with clean air. I can feel my soul settling.
As I sit breathing deeply, I see the first firefly of the season dance along the edge of the pine trees. Pretty soon there are several flitting across the yard. I am filled with peace, and awe and wonder at the beauty of a barn night.
Blessing of a June Night
Settle yourself among the cool grasses
Breathe deeply of the night air
Feel the clenched weariness of the day seep from your body
Listen to the June bugs and the crickets as they sing the evening in.
Let the night song weave it’s way into your heart
As sun slips beyond the horizon, wonder at the beauty of fireflies
And the intricacy of creation.
Be blessed in the knowing you are part of this June night lullaby
-Pr. Erica
