Summertime and the livin’ is…
….not making me all that happy. As an older adult, how should summertime be categorized? Is it easy since there is no school, easy because there is freedom to run and play as we did when we were children? Or is it now more of the same day in and day out with the only difference being the weather?
There certainly are different activities in the summer, but this is so for every seasonal change. I like summer, spring, and fall. But I am in love with winter. I love snow. I love watching it fall from the sky, gathering into small piles as it hits the ground and the wind moves it about. Snow is so peaceful, so serene, just soothing to me in a way that sunshine and rain cannot accomplish.
I grew up in Kansas City, MO. Every winter we were buried in snow. Every day we bundled up and went out to build snowmen, have snowball fights, make snow angels, and sled if a hill was available to conquer. I think the best part of these days was when Mother would make hot chocolate for us when we came in at dark. And if we were even luckier, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner. Oh yes, we played outside pretty much all day.
I moved from the Sonoran Desert in 2006 because I wanted to experience the change of seasons again. But I was really wanting snow, snow, and more snow. Since then, it has only snowed appreciably twice in these 18 years. Bummer, bummer, bummer. But despite this failure, I wish and hope every time the winter season begins that this will be the year. I have jokingly told my children that I wish it would snow up to my windowsill (I have a 6th floor apartment), so that raises all sorts of alarms in their minds.
Once again, it is summer and time for swimming, picnics, ice cream socials, and nights sitting on the veranda with a mint julep in one hand and the Farmer’s Almanac in the other searching for the winter forecast.
Summertime and the living is pretty much the same, at least for me.