Summer Mood #1

Sticky hot days. Wildfire smoke blows into Minnesota from Canada. Puppy Finn now four times the size he was in February. The garden bursts with St. John’s wort, wild bergamot, coreopsis, lavender, yarrow, and day lilies. Bumblebees scuttle into flowers face-first, their fuzzy butts the only visible part of them.

Time slows if we let it. TV and computer both turned off. Cool drink within reach. Rustle of leaves from the birch trees overhead. Rabbits freeze in place, ears twitching, eyes locked on ours, until they boing-boing-boing away to safety.

Dogs know. Lay down, be still, sleep but open your eyes every so often to look around. Say yes to walks and snuggles and treats – this is how to avoid regrets.

Listen to the crows. They have a young one they watch over in the neighbor’s back yard. The whole crow family pitches in. This may be how crows define love, loyalty. Everyone together, adults alert, babies safe.

Peace.

All photos by kcmickelson 2025.

Published by Kathleen Cassen Mickelson

Kathleen Cassen Mickelson is a Minnesota-based writer who has published work in journals in the US, UK, and Canada. She is the author of the poetry chapbook How We Learned to Shut Our Own Mouths (Gyroscope Press, 2021) and co-author of the poetry collection Prayer Gardening (Kelsay Books, 2023). View more posts