Today is midsummer’s day. And it’s raining. Only lightly now, but I’ve been drenched twice. My anemone de caen are trying to flower, but it’s hard when there is so little sun.
I keep overhearing gloomy conversations such as “they say we’re going to get three months’ rain in the next three days”, or “they say it’ll brighten for the weekend and then get really, really wet again,” or “they say that in 1976, when we had a proper drought, it was actually really rainy until the end of June,” or, and this is my favourite, by which, of course, I mean it’s the worst of the lot, “they say it’s going to rain until September.” Please no. We’re off to Scotland in July for god’s sake.
How can it possibly be midsummer, when we haven’t even had more than three sunny days in a row since March? But there’s no denying the date on the calendar. It is the 21st of June. And at about this time every year Joe and I like to have our annual is-this-our-wedding-anniversary conversation. It’s a moveable feast, a bit like Easter, and takes place any time between the 21st and 28th of June and during the course of the debate we always decide that June 21st sounds about right. More often than not we’ve missed it.
Today is not our wedding anniversary though. And the debate ended, as it always does, with me pointing out, for the sixteenth time, that we would surely have remembered having a midsummer’s wedding. But then again, when midsummer’s day feels so very
un-summery, perhaps we wouldn’t. It turns out that our wedding anniversary is the 22nd.
Keep the faith – Scotland may actually be better! I was on Iona last week and we had quite reasonable weather. I’m always a bit confused about the wedding anniversary of one of my daughters. They did the legal bit in a register office one day and then a lovely humanist celebration in a garden the following day, so I’m never quite sure…
Well that is good to hear. I have to say though, that we’d be fools if we were going to Scotland for the weather, and fortunately the West Coast is lovely even in the sheeting rain – or at least that is what I keep telling myself.
Oh, and congratulations for tomorrow!
You know what, I think this summer is exactly like every other summer. I’m always a bit surprised anyone thinks it is ever going to be different. Remember it is Wimbledon next week so don’t expect any sun
Think it is hysterical that you don’t know when your wedding anniversary is!
You’re right, it always rains during Wimbledon – perhaps that’s the plan though, for the first time since 1976 it’ll be sunny throughout.
Congrats for tomorrow- you’ll have a lovely day whatever the weather…(I don’t think that being confused about the date of your anniversary is funny- we have the same debate every year as to exactly which day it was…)
I like your soggy rose photos- sums up the summer really…it can only get better- surely?!
Thank you, I’m glad I’m not alone!
Ugh. We are having similar non sunny weather over hear in Oregon. Bah!
However, you and your husbands inability to keep your wedding anniversary straight cheered me up a bit! My husband and I can’t remember ours either, never mind that it is actually framed and on our living room wall. Sending you thoughts of sunshine, if only because I selfishly want to see more pictures of your very lovely roses.
Yes, please do keep sending thoughts of sunshine in this direction! Sorry to hear you’re getting the same rotten weather.
Does anyone remember the date of their anniversary? I can now stop feeling guilty for never being quite sure of ours.
Judging by the comments, it seems one is either a rememberer or a forgetter (not sure if either of those is a real word), in relation to wedding anniversaries, rather like being a marmite lover or loather. You can now shake off that guilt!
Isn’t that a Carole King song – “It might as well rain until September” ! I know this rainy weather is a pain but as long as we get a couple of good days in between I’m prepared to put up with it. The alternative (hosepipe bans and drought) doesn’t bear thinking about. Let’s hope you get the sunny in between days when you go on holiday – and the rest of us too!!
You are right, of course, and I know that if it were baking hot and my plants were on their knees and I wasn’t able to water them I’d be moaning on about that as well. But yes, fingers firmly crossed for an improvement even if it is short-lived.
I love your pictures even if it doesn’t feel like midsummer! We too have just returned from the Highlands and Skye and we had more sunshine than rain, so hope the sun will shine on you in Scotland in July.
Sarah x
Ahem, midsummers day is the 24th June. It’s distinct from the solstice. I know because it is my parents wedding anniversary. Honest. In any case, wishing you a very happy anniversary!
Thank you, I stand corrected! I had a school friend whose birthday fell on the 21st and she always claimed it was Midsummer’s day and I never thought to question it, just assumed the summer solstice and midsummer were one and the same. Though it turns out this year’s solstice was the 20th June and in Finland and Sweden midsummer’s day fell on the 23rd. All very confusing and clearly none of it would help when trying to remember our anniversary! Hope your parents had a lovely day.
We can never quite remember if it was June or July! Love your roses, and how come you have cosmos flowering when mine (west coast of Scotland) are still all green? Good luck with the weather for your holiday….