By Terry Clifford
June in western New York is a month of transformation. The long stretch of winter and the hesitant bloom of spring finally give way to warmth, color, and life. Lawns start out bleached and brown by winter and thaw to lush deep green, lilacs, the region’s lakes and rivers come alive with boats, kayaks, and sweet sunshine! My neighbor moved here from Arizona during COVID. She works from home and was looking for a more affordable place to live. Every June, she flies a different group of family members here to “see the shades of green.” She says we are so used to them that we likely take them for granted, for 6 years I have seen this area at this time of year through completely different eyes–and it’s breathtaking!
Evenings stretch late, and there’s a familiar rhythm: backyard BBQs, bike rides along the waterfront, ice cream runs just before sunset, fireflies flicker in the twilight, and the air smells like freshly cut grass.
June here isn’t just early summer, it’s a celebration of return: to warmth, to community, and to everything that makes life by the Great Lakes so quietly extraordinary. Drink it up!