The Very Definition of Summer
If summer could be defined without words, if its very essence could be gathered up enmasse - from a Provencal orchard in August, a Corfu seaside in June ... a bit of a taste of strawberries and cream in St. James Park, or one perfect peach eaten on a screened porch in Georgia - and if that essence could be crystalized into one single all encompassing moment, then this must certainly be it.
For surely, this is the very definition of summer.......
I am wading, chin deep, in a saffron sea, with the drone of honeybees filling the air, a multitude of tiny violinists tuning up for their daily noontime symphony. Beneath a cloudless ocean of sky, I stand at the heart of ten acres of sunflowers, a mere dot of white linen on a canvas of gold. True to their nature, for they are always the friendliest of flowers, they have made me most welcome, nodding and waving as I have passed deeper and deeper into their midst until now they are all that I see. I feel almost one of them, a living, breathing representative of summer.
To choose which ones to take home to my vases is a task more difficult than I had imagined, for each is unique in its beauty and grace and each seems to wish for an adventure, a journey away to places unknown. Feeling richer than Midas, I fill my green bucket with gold and marvel at my bounty. Eventually, I make my way back through the smiling rows, back to where Edward and Apple wait with the Songwriter under the cool damp shade of an oak tree.
And now....
there are vases and vases of butter-yellow faces wherever I choose to look.
My rooms are filled with summer.
For surely, this is the very definition of summer.......
I am wading, chin deep, in a saffron sea, with the drone of honeybees filling the air, a multitude of tiny violinists tuning up for their daily noontime symphony. Beneath a cloudless ocean of sky, I stand at the heart of ten acres of sunflowers, a mere dot of white linen on a canvas of gold. True to their nature, for they are always the friendliest of flowers, they have made me most welcome, nodding and waving as I have passed deeper and deeper into their midst until now they are all that I see. I feel almost one of them, a living, breathing representative of summer.
To choose which ones to take home to my vases is a task more difficult than I had imagined, for each is unique in its beauty and grace and each seems to wish for an adventure, a journey away to places unknown. Feeling richer than Midas, I fill my green bucket with gold and marvel at my bounty. Eventually, I make my way back through the smiling rows, back to where Edward and Apple wait with the Songwriter under the cool damp shade of an oak tree.
And now....
there are vases and vases of butter-yellow faces wherever I choose to look.
My rooms are filled with summer.
Aaah, this painting of the sunflowers remind me on acres and acres of sunflowers we once saw in Poland. It looked like a yellow ocean. Thank you for sharing, Pamela!
ReplyDeletefirst time here. love your thoughts expressed in poetry and pics. just gorgeous.
ReplyDelete~Silver
Reflections/
One Day at a Time with Silver
Oh, wonderful - brings back memories of waking up at 5a.m. on a coach travelling through France to Italy - we were in southern France and I opened my eyes and all I could see, either side of the road was a sea of yellow - we saw many more in Tuscany - but that memory stays with me - it was wonderful and you are right - the definition of summer.
ReplyDeleteFabulous post, we are surrounded in them at present. Oceans of bright yellow - I do love summer in SW France.
ReplyDeleteLeeann
lovely
ReplyDelete...I am out...to by myself a big bouquet of sunflowers...thank you:)
ReplyDeleteI close my eyes and can see your beautiful interior. This painting reminds me of the fields of sunflowers in Tuscany. Ahhh...yes, summer!
ReplyDeletethis is so wonderful.
ReplyDeletei can imagine all of it.
beautiful.
xx
Lovely! I am anxious to get moved and start living again! A big vase of sunflowers would help! I love summer time!
ReplyDeleteInteresting to try to conjure up the essence of a season, you succeeded magnificently, I feel.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, especially the painting of the girl in white linen with a bucketfull of sunflowers returning to the master with dogs in the shade of the oak. Surely it would be a Gainsborough conversation piece if it weren't already a gentle Monet in my mind.
ReplyDeleteHello P&E,
ReplyDeleteThinking of this sea of sunflowers reminds me of the acres of lavender haze that are also a summer sensation.
Your words. Your words are the song of summer. Oh you weaver of words which cascade like silken gossamer into our minds and our souls. That was surely the most beautiful ode to summer I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Thank you, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely lovely post! There is nothing lovelier than a bouquet of this happy flower!
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are my ultimate favorite flower. I took timed photos of them turning towards the sun as it passed through the sky, and loved them even more.
ReplyDeleteI was completely lost in your beautiful words, Pamela. You have such an amazing gift.
The droning of the bees.... summer, indeed! ahhhh.
xo Isa
Yes Pamela - and I think a row of sweet peas comes a close second too.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful words with echos of summer.
ReplyDeleteYaya
lovely. one summer i had the same 'problem' with zinnias. :-) the photos & art on your blog are beautiful...
ReplyDelete"...I stand at the heart of ten acres of sunflowers..." Bliss.
ReplyDeleteperfecto.
ReplyDeleteSigh.... that just made my whole day!!!! I haven't forgotten your blog..just been a little busy, and de-focused... LOVE that I visited today..and will be back..thanks for sharing..Happy Weekend!! :)
ReplyDeleteoooooo, what a gorgeous picture! and summer spilling out of vases throughout your home - beautiful, beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely post. Thank you. The juicy peach is the one that hit home for me. But sunfloweres are mighty hard to beat.
ReplyDeleteLove the painting. And your story, of course. Did you really cut your own sunflowers? That must be pretty wonderful. Mine come from the farmer's market. Pretty, but not the same...
ReplyDeletethe abundance of beauty in life continues to amaze me. your writing is incredibly lovely!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful sight to see. You and your buckets of sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteYour beauty matching theirs.
Love Renee xoxo
Your words are bewitching. So lovely. I just came inside after weeding my flower garden, next to bees buzzing in lavendar. The sound of violins.
ReplyDeleteOne does not find fields of sunflowers in the North of England but I get the picture..I have a vase of 4 on my kitchen table right now.
ReplyDeleteI put a little bit of purple-blue hebe in with them to make them more yellow.
Sunflowers are wonderful to see wherever they grow, turning their happy faces toward the sun.
ReplyDeleteThis made me think of Tuscany also.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love the way the seeds are arranged in the middle?
I can see Edward keeping cool under the old tree from your very atmospheric writing.
How I have longed to discover a field of sunflowers stretching as far as my eye can see. We did drive past such a field many years ago. It was marvelous to behold.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, how delightful, painting with words.
ReplyDeleteAah there's something very special about sunflowers especially a whole field of them.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I plan to plant next year is those HUGE Sunflowers !
ReplyDeleteLoved the post! A hug to E & A ?
Standing in a sunflower field in Provence with my granddaughter was amazing............then three little Japanese ladies arrived, dressed perfectly, with hats, as Japanese tourist always are, and we took pictures of them with their camera. They spoke no English but their smiles were like the faces of the flowers, beaming!!!!
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are such beautiful simple flowers. Wish we had more fields of them here in Australia. Lovely photos and words. Leigh
ReplyDelete*10 acres* of sunflowers!!?? No kidding - summer essence indeed! And your description of the bees is so enchanting. I love bees - although I mostly only see bumblebees anymore. Honeybees, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI love the imagery you have created in my mind!
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are so cheery. And I love this painting!
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are such beautiful plants. Such vivid yellow against a blue cloudless sky. I can see why Van Gogh liked to paint them.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely Pamela and the most wonderful thing about sunflowers is the way they turn their heads to face the sun. I love driving past the fields here on my way to Arles in the morning and then returning in the evening to see that they have changed direction. The magic of nature, xv.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Sunflowers are what summer is all about they are the sunseakers as they streatch their necks towards the sun.
ReplyDeleteYour writing is just beautiful, Pamela. The very essence of summer, indeed - I love that vision of the cool white linen dress in the midst of that sea of gold.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your message on my page - I can just see Edward as the armored Polar bear, but I think he might be just a touch more smiley. How does he like the heat, I wonder? My dog is forever diving into water - any water he can find.
I am moved and touched by the beautiful prose. A kiss of summer set adrift.
ReplyDeletePamela, what a beautiful description of summer! And now I am longing for a field of sunflowers to walk through-- my husband and I had such a field near our house last summer, and it was truly a joy to see and experience! Thank you for reminding me of that.
ReplyDelete