June is busting out all over! My rhododendrons are now in full bloom! Columbines, daisies, irises, and more are showing their colors. I finally got all my annuals into pots, and have placed them around the yard. There are five large pots on the patio. The snapdragons and ivies that made it through the winter now look very healthy. Several marigolds reseeded in a pot, so they’ll have a special spot somewhere. I love the daily rituals of watering, and checking all the flowers and plants. Deadheading keeps the annuals blooming all summer. My grandmother Hathaway’s pink roses keep spreading. They do smell wonderful when in bloom. My mother’s climbing rose is budding now, and my Great Aunt Fannie’s white climbing rose needs a better location, but it’s alive! The load of super soil I recently had delivered has been added to the gardens. My flowers bring me joy, and I prefer to see them outside, so I rarely make a bouquet for myself.
My sister and I recently attended our first show of the season at Maine State Music Theater: Hairspray. It was fabulous and howlingly funny! Next up is 1776. MSMT performed that one in 1976. We saw it then, but look forward to seeing it again, all these years later.
Susan and I went to an 80th birthday party for Linda Westleigh on Saturday. It was held in Newry. A beautiful day and
I saw the movie Disclosure Day last week. I enjoyed it, and it left me with some questions…
Last night—Tuesday—I went with my daughters to see Mumford and Sons in Bangor. Our history with Mumford goes back to 2012, when they came to the Eastern Prom in Portland for the Gentlemen of the Road Tour. That was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to, with several other well-known groups performing too. The Dropkick Murphys made a guest appearance, which was amazing! When Rachel heard they were coming to Bangor, she got tickets, and so we celebrated my birthday! We packed a picnic and stopped at a rest area just outside of Bangor. We parked, and had a leisurely walk to the venue. The show was wonderful, and the best surprise was when our aisle was cordoned off—we became suspicious, and sure enough! Three of the group walked right by us (and we were on the end of the aisle), and then performed on our level, not too far away, doing several acoustic numbers. The show was a solid two hours. We got back to Rachel’s around midnight. I slept on the couch and headed home this morning. There are times when I think I’m too old for that sort of thing, but I guess I’ve still got it!
Enjoy the beautiful days—and also the rainy ones.
A couple of upcoming events for your calendar (the first one is today!):
Send me your news/events: lalalindastowell@gmail.com