Slow & Simple Moments | 06.24

In an increasing and enervating heat, we seek cooling spots, enjoy the glorious warmth of golden hour, nourish our souls on the water, and marvel at the intricacies of nature.

In this series, I share some of the things I’ve been getting up to, places I’ve been, and other beautiful and special slow and simple moments from the past month.

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Suddenly, June is almost over, we have passed the summer solstice, the longest day, and the start of the astronomical summer. Our word, solstice, comes from the Latin solstitium, or ‘sol’ (sun) and ‘stit’ (still), the moment when the sun stands still. On 20th June, the sun reached its furthest point from the equator, and so, following a brief moment of stillness, it began to reverse, and its journey continues. The wheel of the year has turned once more.

June 2024

The end of June has brought us the hottest weather of the year so far, with glorious sunshine, yet that enervating sense of disquiet never far from our thoughts. With some of the intense downpours, and a spectacular hailstorm, we could easily have mistaken the month of June for April, and the showers that come with that. It is said that the weather on St Peter’s Day (29th June) was crucial to the success of the year’s apple crop. Legend states that a shower of rain is needed to christen the apples. By the time you read this, we will know whether that christening shower came or not. Now we look ahead to July, with its Mace Monday, Swan-Upping, and St Swithun’s Day, another date riddled with weather lore.

Here are some of my slow and simple moments from June. I hope they might inspire and encourage you to seek out your own in the months to come.

Cooling Places

With the ever-increasing heat, we’ve been seeking out some cool places in which to shelter. Sometimes, it’s the dappled shade of a far-reaching tree, whilst other, it’s in the shadow of a tall building. We are lucky that here in Lichfield, one of the coolest places is the ancient cathedral itself. The great arches and vaulted ceilings seem to foster a microclimate all of their own. In summer, they provide a coolness found in few other locations, yet the downside is perhaps that in winter, it is equally cooler than outside! We have been able to enjoy taking some time to sit quietly, thinking of all the changes this great, timeless, and gentle giant of a building has seen.

Have you been seeking out some cooling places this month?

Read more about Lichfield Cathedral here.

By the Water

Perhaps there are fewer cooling places than by the water, although the shade isn’t always easy to find. I don’t know about you, but after a while, my soul longs to be once again by the water. We have enjoyed several afternoons on our Narrowboat, Dylan, who is moored at Fradley Marina, around 15 minutes from home. She has been basking in the sunshine, and we have been attempting to clean her up so that she glistens in the bright daylight of June. They say that being on a narrowboat is the fastest way to slow down, and it’s true. You can’t hurry, and the fastest things you’re likely to pass are ducks, geese, or swans.

Do you find that after a while, your soul craves the solace of being by the water?

You can see more photos and enjoy further glimpses of NB Dylan over on the Boating Bartons Instagram account here.

Golden Hour

If the inside of Lichfield Cathedral provides a cooling and restful space in which to slow down and reflect, the outside seems to be the perfect place to enjoy golden hour, that magical moment where the sun has set, leaving behind a warming glow reflected so beautifully in the dark stone of this ancient and holy building. I always think that golden hour enables you to see things in a new light. It highlights the unseen, and casts shadows over the familiar. See how it throws its rays over the beautiful rose windows only enhancing their intricate design further.

Have you been enjoying golden hour this month?

Desdemona

I could quite easily share our glorious roses in all my posts throughout the late spring and summer, but this year, our Desdemona has been spectacular. An English shrub rose, its pink-tinged buds open out to simply glorious lace-like white blooms. Its intricate petals are just like beautiful interlaced sheets of tissue paper. It also smells gorgeous, with a slight scent of lemon, but underpinned by the unmistakable perfume of an English rose. Its heady perfume is at its height just as the warmth of the midday sun catches the blooms.

Which flowers are you enjoying in your garden or local area at the moment?

Desdemona is a 2015 English shrub rose from David Austin Roses. Find our more here.

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I look forward to seeing which slow and simple moments July will bring. Why not let me know in the comments some of your special moments from the month of June.

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