JUNE BLOOM: Brian's Favorite Flower

It never occurred to me that my husband might have a favorite flower. Then the other day he said it was the orange tiger lily. “I love seeing those along the road,” he said. “They only bloom in June and that means school is out and summer is still ahead.”

I’ve always thought of those as happy flowers, too, or maybe even weeds. If they are weeds, bloom on, because they form picturesque floral-scapes along country roads, fences and ditches. They seem to bloom out of nowhere, in places you wouldn’t give a second glance 11 months of the year.

I think most of us spend our lives, to a degree, thinking of time in relationship to school calendars. If June means freedom and tiger lilies, those bright purple weeds and the sound of cicadas in August mean school is about to start. Crocus appearing out of the snow in late February mean hold on, spring break is coming.

The school calendar is even more significant when, like Brian, you have 40 years under your belt working in education. “I’ve been going to school since 1958,” he has often told people. He's now been retired from either attending or working in schools for a year. But he’ll never stop packaging life according to a school calendar.

And that’s why he loves seeing those orange tiger lilies blooming, as they are, now, in June’s remaining days.

Speaking of remaining days of June: If you live in or around Elwood, Muncie or Tipton, let’s connect! Three different venues, three different programs are on tap for the rest of the week with the little book tour for That Sweet Place: At Home in the Heartland.

•  Spend what might be a summer-stormy evening with us at the North Madison County (Elwood) Library at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. I’ll talk about what made me start writing novels at age 50 and more importantly, ask you about YOUR bucket list. Nothing on your list? How about some inspiration. There will be refreshments and a door prize. Come on over. It’s free.
• After lunch at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 24 at The Applewood Clubhouse, 2201 N. Tillotson Avenue, Muncie, I’m giving a talk to the Muncie chapter of the Pen Women on finding your voice as a writer and building readership. For information about joining us, call Cathy at 765-618-8709.
•  On Saturday, June 25, join several Hoosier writers at Authorama in the Tipton Public Library. We’ll be around from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. visiting with folks and chatting about our books, the writing life, and whatever anyone wants to discuss. There will be a panel discussion in the afternoon. 

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