Under the Big Sky
a list of June delights + Montana love in photos 💚
I know I’ve written about this before, but June is my favorite month. Everything is green, the evenings are cool, and the weeks of summer lie ahead like sheets rippling on the clothesline. June is the gift that follows the chaos of May. The pace is slower, yet the days are longer—twilight clings to the horizon until 11 o’clock. (Photo evidence below.)
In a word, June in Montana is a delight.
In the evenings, after the dishes are washed and I’ve put the kitchen to bed, I often find myself wandering around the yard. I meander in the silence, watching the sun set, checking on my zinnias, pulling weeds, and looking up at the sky. The grass is lush and soft beneath my feet. It’s easy to slow down and take it all in. I know in just a month, the heat of July will burn the lawn, and the evenings will feel like an oven. We’ll be in the full chaos, beauty, and stress of harvest.
But not now, not yet.
Maybe that’s part of the reason I love June, too; it’s the calm before the (harvest) storm. I know what’s coming, so I delight in the slower pace, soaking in all of the goodness of this month.
It’s easy to see in photos why Montana is known as “Big Sky Country.” But truly, you can’t understand its magnitude until you’ve stood underneath it. I’ve taken many pictures of the sky over the years—the sunrises and sunsets, and everything in between. Part of the practice of taking photos is stopping to notice; it’s pausing to take it all in. In the last week, I’ve been writing down all of the things that delight me, and I’m here to share them, along with a few of my favorite photos of the Montana sky that I’ve taken over the years.
And now, onto my list of June delights.
The view from my backyard.
Our new deck. For years, Rich wanted a deck on the front of the house, and a couple of weeks ago, he and the farm crew built one. I love sitting out there in my rocking chair in the evenings, reading a book, or early in the morning with a cup of coffee.
Salty sparkling water.1 For years, I’ve tried to love sparkling water, but I don’t. (They are okay, but I can never finish a can.) But this sparkling water is so good, and it’s a Montana company, too! You’ll often find me with a can in hand, watering my flowers. When I first bought them, Rich didn’t like them, which was nice—more for me! Unfortunately, everyone in my family likes them now.
Dropping my son off at an overnight football camp. I embarrassed him by hugging him in front of his friends as I was on my way out of the gym. No, I didn’t delight in embarrassing him. (Okay, maybe just a little! What’s motherhood if not getting to embarrass our children every once in a while?) But by the fact that he’s old enough for a full-contact tackle football camp and would be sleeping in a gym full of other pre-teens & teens.
Picking my son up from camp. I swear, he seemed older when we picked him up, a little more confident. It was so fun watching him play with pads and a helmet for the first time. He’s so small out there! But also, how is he old enough to be playing tackle football?!
Anenomnes and ranunuclus from a local flower farmer. Chef’s kiss.
Fresh eucalyptus hanging in the shower.
The blissful moments when all three kids are getting along. (Short-lived, but delightful.)
Allie bringing a stack of books with her in the car. Whether we’re driving 1 hour (a regular drive to town) or 6 hours (across the state), she loves to read.
Annabel Monaghan’s newest book. Her books are the kind of books I wish I could read again, but only to get that feeling of reading them for the first time—the perfect summer rom-com.
Rain on the roof.
Getting to share my writing with a new audience. I used to write and submit my essays to many publications, but in the last couple of years, I’ve slowed down, writing mostly here. I appreciate hustling less, but having an essay published in a new (to me) publication reminded me of the excitement of sharing my stories with new people. (Hello & welcome if you’re new here!) 👋🏼
A pedicure.
Shades of green. I mentioned above my love of green in June, but when I really stop and pay attention, it’s the kelly green field of winter wheat, the emerald field of chickpeas, and the field of forest green peas, with specks of white flowers on top.
Singing in the car with my daughters on a road trip.
Golden Hour in a wheat field. I love watching the stalks dance in the breeze, their heads catching the light, and the contrast between the blue sky above and the vibrant green field below, while out checking our crops with the farmer.
Whistler by Ann Patchett
My teenage niece and adult nephew teaching me to play Spikeball. I had never heard of the game until our trip to Spokane a couple of weeks ago. I reminded them that I was born in the 1900s, so they should be patient with me. We ended up buying one because Allie loved it so much.
Mowing the lawn. Hands down, my favorite chore. My son keeps trying to steal this job from me, but I’m holding strong. He can mow the bigger farm yard all he wants, but the yard around the house is mine.
Loosening the reins on bedtime. As a very Type A Mom Human, I love me a schedule and routine. But in the summer, it feels good to let loose a little bit and drop our regular bedtimes, since we don’t have to keep our early-morning wake-ups for school. (And for the first time in my nearly 12 years of motherhood, all three kids sleep in!)
Palomas. The best summer drink.
Grandma & Grandpa Camp. Each June, my parents take the kids to Wyoming for a week. They absolutely love their time with their grandparents, aunt & uncle, and cousins. They also love that it’s just their time, no parents in sight. Every time they return from G&G Camp, they declare how much more fun it is there and how they want to live there! We try to tell them that the week at grandma’s is extra fun, but if they lived there, it wouldn’t be a life full of endless popsicles, baseball until dark in the backyard, swimming pools, snow cones, and popcorn & candy at the movies! I don’t think they believe me. And that’s okay, I want the magic of grandma & grandpa’s to linger long after summer is over. As of sending this out, they are nearing the end of their week at G&G Camp. While I’ve missed them, it’s been nice to have a few (quiet) days at home without them, too.
Lunch on a patio with friends.
The light.2 ✨
Walking through a Farmer’s Market on a sunny Saturday morning.
An open kitchen window. I love feeling the breeze come through the kitchen window, hearing birds calling, and the occasional shout of one of the kids running by.
That’s my list of June delights! Now, tell me yours! Do you love June, too? Have you been to Montana in June? What’s delighting you right now?
Shout-out to Shauna Niequist for inspiring this post! I love the practice of slowing down and noticing the big & little delights around me.
Here’s to squeezing all of the delight from the last few days of this month.
This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Sky."
I know people share about LMNT all the time, because they sponsor them. That’s not me! But if LMNT wants to send me some free cans, I won’t say no! 😂
I stayed up waaayyyy past my bedtime for these pics.
Photos are gorgeous, Stacy! I love slowing down too and noticing small delights. June in Montana (when it's not raining lol) is exquisite. Cool mornings and nights, warm (and not humid) sunny days, breathing in fresh air. Hoping for a campfire tonight!
Gosh I love your writing, it’s such a gift to be able to relate to someone you’ve never met but living similar stories!