Summer Stillness

Finally we are in the dog days of summer and I can’t help but think, “can’t we just sit in this beauty forever?” The weather has been glorious here all week (mid-70’s, low humidity, sunny) which means a lot when you live in a state that claims to only have 2 seasons: road construction and winter. We’ve also finally had a full week with decent air quality, something that was not easy to come by just a few weeks ago in the Midwest with wildfires in Canada continuing to rage on.

Despite the climate grief I’ve been feeling, early/mid-summer is one of my favorite times of year; everyone is finally out of the hole they’ve been hiding in all winter (or maybe that was just me!). Getting to see family and friends that I haven’t seen in months is one of the most precious parts of summer for me.

Still, I think what I cherish the most about these beautiful summer days is the quiet moments in between. The moments by the lake when it’s still enough to notice the head of a snapping turtle poking up out of the water for some air; or hearing nature’s white noise machine, the persistent chorus of bull frogs that sound more like bull horns; or seeing lightning stretched across the sky over 50 miles away and sit in wonder. In these moments it feels like time stands still and I can breathe deep.

I feel like a kid being caught up in all the stillness and beauty of nature.

A few weeks ago my partner and I went to see a herd of bison that live at the Belwin Conservancy every summer near Afton, MN. Belwin is a nature preserve with 1,500 acres of prairie, savanna, and woodlands in Minnesota’s Saint Croix Valley. It’s one of those hidden gems that you would never guess is only a 15 minute drive outside of the cities. We got to view the bison from an outlook area and watched them graze.

Bison roaming freely at Belwin Conservancy

One of the many Great Mullein flowering plants along a trail at the Belwin Conservancy

What I loved the most about our visit to Belwin was the quiet moments. We saw a few other people at the outlook and along the trails we hiked on, but all in all, it was the sounds of nature that spoke the loudest.

A few of my favorite poems this summer have been written by the extraordinary poet, Ada Limon. Limon is the 24th Poet Laureate of the U.S. and has numerous published books of poetry. Her most recent title, The Hurting Kind, traces the seasons of the year through lyrical poetry interweaving stories that show the interconnectedness between humans and nature. It’s definitely worth a read!

In her poem, “Give Me This” she talks about the joy of watching the groundhog in her backyard and allowing herself simple pleasures, moments of stillness in the midst of all the heaviness of this world.

Take a listen here: Give Me This by Ada Limon

One of my other adventures this summer has continued to be gardening. This year I’ve tried my hand at flower instead of herbs and vegetables. Flowers have been a bit less commitment than trying to keep veggies alive (and ensuring they were fully edible), but still a project nonetheless!

My impatiens in early June...