Way back in 1982 I worked for a small newspaper in Brewster, Kansas. I believe the name of the paper was "The Brewster Gazette". It didn't stay in business for long. During that time I had my grandmother write a weekly article that we called "Grandma Smarty Sez". I know this isn't June, but after writing about the earth earlier, I thought I would share with you an article Grandma wrote which I think we all would be wise to listen to whether it is Summer, Fall, Winter or Spring. Every season has it's own beauty. Grandma had a true love of the earth. It was a rare day when she didn't go for a walk and take in the beauty of the earth. She passed this on to her children and her grandchildren.

Grandma Smarty Sez

Are you missing out on something this week that you won't have a chance to enjoy for twelve months, and even then it will be different from the one this year. Life is mighty short so don't pass it up. All outdoors is so lush and beautiful after the rains.

This is the solstice week. The longest day of the year was Monday, so by the time this is in the paper, the day will be a minute or two shorter.

On one of these longest days this week, get up early and check and see if the sun plans to shine, that is if the clouds will let it. If they do, get on your clothes and go out and see what is going on in this world before most folks are out of bed. Put on a jacket. Early mornings are chilly even in June. Take a walk, most anywhere will do since this is the year every little spot of earth seems to have something growing on it.

Sure, we have been hoping for dry weather with milo to plant, summer fallow that looks like a young forest. The growing things know what they are doing, making the most of every minute of sunshine.

No doubt farmers will be farming, housewives cleaning and cooking, kids playing or arguing ten years from now, or twenty, or fifty. If not, so what? You may be around and then you may not, especially if you are as old as I am. So take a half hour or so just to look and listen.

There are whole green fields shining like a huge diamond in their covering of dew, huge fields of wheat soon ready for harvest, leaves on the trees so heavy not a bit of sunlight comes through. June grass is covering the pasture. Stop a minute or so and take a look at a stalk of side grama grass with its neat row of seeds all on one side.

Listen, too, to the June sounds. Most of the birds do their singing this month. There are robins, brown thrashers, king birds and the pastures and roadsides are full of larks, buntings and meadowlarks. The killdeer will try to coax you away from her nest by making a big racket, and if that doesn't work, she can always try her broken wing act.

James Russell Lowell wrote in his poem The Vision of Sir Launfal:

And what is so rare as a day in June?
Then, if ever, come perfect days;
Then heaven tries the earth if it be in tune,
And over it softly her warm ear lays.
Whether we look, or whether we listen,
We hear life murmer or see it glisten.

How true this is for folks in western Kansas this week of the summer solstice in June 1982.