Summer’s Many Memories

Summer on the farm means bouquets of wildflowers.

Summer means a vegetable garden.

Canning tomatoes on a hot afternoon.

Cows seeking shaded places.

Summer means a trip to Porter for fresh Glohaven peaches.

Summer means roses and butterflies on zinnias.

Summer is waterlilies on the pond.

It’s farmer’s market flowers.

It’s grandkids coming to swim.

Summer is dripping sweet ice cold watermelon, and flags flying high on the Fourth of July. It’s geese at the park, brown-eyed Susan’s, bright sunshine, a feast of color, and roadside flowers.

It’s the sound of laughter, fireworks popping, cicadas and leafhoppers making their music, the happy sound of children shouting and laughing at the swim pool, and the constant rumbling sound of farmer’s on their tractors making hay.

It’s the sight of green garden rows, roses, herons gracefully stalking their prey in the shallows, dogs napping on shady porches, and little girls in brightly colored sundresses.

It’s the vinegary smell of pickles boiling, the scent of lilacs and crepe myrtle, the musty smell of wet swim towels on the clothesline, the smell of a peach cobbler baking, and the unmistakable scent of suntan lotion and bug spray.

It’s the flavor of that first sliced garden tomato, the salty buttery taste of corn on the cob, the sweet of sugary watermelon. It’s the smoky flavor of hamburgers on the grill, the mustard and sweet relish on a hotdog and the delight of blueberry ice cream churned by hand.

Summer is the heat of sunshine streaming on your neck and shoulders, the soothing movement of a porch swing or Grandma’s glider. It’s the cooling rush of plunging into the swimming hole water, the refreshing rush of cold lemonade inside your chest, and the surprising touch of a butterfly landing on your sleeve or a firefly captured in your hand.

Summer is a season and loving, laughing, and living!