First Day of Summer

IMG_3676 Red Sky in the Morning..

Today is officially the first day of summer.  It is also the longest day of the year… at least that is what they tell us. We woke up to a sky that looked like it was on fire with the reds and oranges. I attempted to take a picture through the window that had a screen on it as I didn’t feel like standing out in the rain.

Once the rain had quit, I let the girls out of the coop for the day and took my camera with me on a little tour. Everything looked freshly washed……. the grass greener, the sky bluer and the clouds whiter. It smelled wonderful too!

The flowers were beautiful with the raindrops still fresh on their petals. The blossoms of reds, purples and yellows were so vibrant they begged to be photographed and shared.

Even the mud on the driveway had the neatest texture to it and made me stop and pause just to look. There was an odd beauty to it and the stones were wet with the morning rain.

IMG_3683 After the Rain

It was a great start to a day….it was cool and beautiful but the cool was only temporary and transient. Then the day must have realized we were still in Iowa and it was the first day of summer. Once the sun was fully up it quickly became steamy with warm temperatures and lots of humidity. I guess I should not have been surprised.

As the wind blew today it felt like liquid air flowing over my skin. It was thick, heavy and felt like you should be able to reach out and touch it. I have a feeling it is good preparation for the summer days to come.

I am in awe of the variety of weather we have here in the Midwest.( Some weather I like better than others). I am also in awe of the beauty that is there for the seeing. The colors of the sky, the grass, and the flowers.

It is like a love letter from the Father to all of us here on earth. A letter that tells us that we are His. It tells us He loves us enough to create and surround us with beautiful things. It is a letter of faithfulness. And it is a letter of grace.

May you be surrounded by His love letter and may your eyes and heart be open to read it.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:11-12

30 thoughts on “First Day of Summer”

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  3. thecobweboriumemporium says:
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    Truly beautiful photographs, absolutely fabulous post, and I love the accompanying Psalm. The Psalm gives an explanation to the photographs and it’s perfection.

    Brilliant post Chicken, and wow, the photographs are amazing.
    Hugs, from Cobs. x

    Liked by 1 person

    • thechickengrandma says:
      Reply

      Thank you so much Cobs. I am still learning and am so grateful for a digital camera. I keep trying to remember what my youngest son has told me, “Look for the different angle mom.”
      Glad you liked the Psalm….I thought it was perfect also!

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    • thechickengrandma says:
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      Even in the muggy summer days there is nowhere else I would rather live! We always joke around here that if you don’t like the weather….just wait a half hour and it will probably be different. So glad you enjoyed it Al.

      Like

  5. peggyjoan42 says:
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    What a wonderful way to start the day. Yes, even mud has it’s beauty. Lol You did quite well, through the screen, capturing the sunrise. I start the day outdoors each morning – when most of the world is still asleep – just me, the birds, and rabbits basking in the quiet, cool morning. AH – isn’t life grand as you venture into nature. Enjoyed your post very much.

    Liked by 1 person

    • thechickengrandma says:
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      My husband and I start each day on the porch also….drinking our coffee/tea and just sitting quietly doing the same as you do! We watch birds, rabbits and listen to them. We end the night the same way….only watching the fireflies put on a light show.

      Liked by 1 person

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  8. kindergartenknowledge says:
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    Your pictures are really, really beautiful! You definitely have talent with your photography! Is that the schoolhouse that I NEED? Would you believe that I have looked on eBay for a schoolhouse for sale? Now how do I think I would get one back to Texas? It would probably be in Maine or somewhere that many miles away! Very inspiring post! You are really the best at everything, I think!

    Liked by 1 person

    • thechickengrandma says:
      Reply

      Thank you so much! I love my digital camera and I also have to honestly say I have been learning a lot by looking at PeggyJoan42’s photos on her blog!
      That isn’t the schoolhouse….that is my summer kitchen. At least it used to be the summer kitchen years back when no one had air conditioning. My husband and I moved it into the back corner of our backyard and it is now my garden shed. I am waiting (not so patiently) for my husband to help me fix it so I can paint it buttery yellow. I also want to put a 12 x 12 deck out the front of it. Ahhhh what dreams and plans.
      I am just going to have to do a post sometime on that schoolhouse…complete with photos…one of these days!

      Liked by 1 person

      • kindergartenknowledge says:

        I love the idea of a Summer Kitchen! The deck would be cool looking! You can sit on your deck and survey the farm…not that you would boss anyone around or anything! On the Today Show this morning, they had a segment about women having “sheds” in the yard for their own special place. They were decorated really nicely…they are used for crafts or sewing or reading or whatever. That is what your Summer Kitchen will be! Yes…do a post about the schoolhouse!!!!!!! Mike and I thought about you two last night when we were listening for a while to Trump’s speech from Iowa. He wants to know if you were there…I think that it was held in Cedar Rapids. Lots of people there!

        Liked by 1 person

      • thechickengrandma says:

        We did not get to hear Pres. Trump. Cedar Rapids is kind of on the other side of the state. We are about as far NW as you can get without being in Minnesota or South Dakota.
        Would I boss people around???? If I could get by with it I probably would LOL! Raising sons….that did not work well.
        I think they call those little women sheds – She Sheds. So I guess I have a she shed. Actually I have a small set of cupboards and a tiny gas stove that I got from a cabin at Lake Okoboji. They are eventually going in my shed!

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    • thechickengrandma says:
      Reply

      Thank you so much! Like I have said I love digital so I can snap away till I get something I like. I am learning as I go. I am not sure why the mud shot intrigued me …but it did and I am so glad I did take it!
      My youngest son has always had a great eye with photos and I have listened to his advice when he tells me, “Go for the weird angle mom.”

      Liked by 1 person

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