“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” ― Henry James

Garden Roses

Summer is my favorite season

For its golden sunshine and sherbet sunrises

A Recent Summer Sunrise

For sundresses and walking barefoot in the garden

Tangerine-colored Daylilies

For stacks of books and reading in the shade

Sunflowers and Delphinium, a bouquet I enjoyed from my writing partner, Erika Robuck

For hummingbirds with their rubies

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

And magical fairy flight

Ruby-throated hummingbird, juvenile male — dazzling feeder from dear friend Beth Hoffman

For heart-stopping color

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly

And painted wings of light

Monarch butterfly on buddleia

Summer afternoons, the color-filled ones with time smudged around the edges, seem to refill my well and refresh my spirit with wonder. Summer afternoon must be the two most beautiful words in the English language.

How about you? What do you like best about summer?