Thursday, August 7, 2014

SUMMER? REALLY?

Ahh-h, summer. Those lazy, crazy, hazy days of sunshine and cicadas whirring amid yonder treetops, when sweet corn, half-runner beans, and genuine tomatoes grace the table…and come early morn, when only the foolhardy venture outside without first donning sufficient outerwear to ward off frostbite!

Yup. I've checked both calendar and almanac. It is indeed officially summer here in Ohio. Except it feels more like early spring or late winter. At least when I first get up. This morning the wall thermometer in the hallway read 60˚F! Brr-r-r-r-r! And that was the highest reading of any morning in several weeks. On more than one occasion the temperature has been as low as 51˚F! Cold enough to put frosting on your cornflakes!

Now I'm admittedly no lover of hot weather. Summer is usually my least favorite of the four seasons. But I do look forward to taking my mug of coffee and whatever I'm having for breakfast and enjoying my meal outside, on the deck, where I can bask in the rising sun, watch hummingbirds fuss over the bergamot, and listen to the nearby river murmur its way down the riffle. This is a wonderful time of day—the best time, I think, and certainly my favorite. A quiet, gentle period, filled with interesting sights and sounds and small dramas, yet sweet and relaxing—the perfect way to begin a new day.

Usually. But a summer morning loses much of its seasonal ambiance when you're bundled in multiple layers, still shivering, and trying to remember where you stored your gloves. Moreover, I've not yet heard a single ratchety cicada.   

How can you have a proper Buckeye summer without singing cicadas? And really, should parkas be de rigueur seasonal attire for summer in Ohio? I think not. And so, I make what, for me, is a heretofore unheard complaint: this summer is just too cold!   

4 comments:

Gail said...

Hi Grizz - beautiful photo -the colors so vibrant - I can feel them :-)
Here to, the nights and mornings are chilly, I pull the blankets and quilt up to my ears and snuggle down. I love it. NO complaints here about the cool temps. My Mom would already have mentioned how colored leaves are falling - Autumn is fast approaching and Summer is fizzing - she would have long since reminded us that once June 21st passed the days would be getting shorter - school clothes and supplies were already being advertised and any humid or hot days would be short lived. I can hear her words of seasonal wisdom :-)
So pull on your parka or sweatshirt, pour that hot cup of coffee and see your breath while you set on your deck in cool glory and natures mystery. Ahhhhhhhhhhh

Love Gail
peace.........

Grizz………… said...

Gail…

Thank you, I made this monarch shot yesterday as fluttered above what few zinnias I have blooming this year. The image is heavily cropped, which is why it's not so crisp—but I liked it anyway. Glad you do, too.

It has warmed up plenty since this morning. Not stuffy, sweaty hot, but warm. And for the record, I've actually loved everything about this unseasonably—record setting!—cool summer, other than the fact I can't have breakfast on the deck wearing flipflops, shorts, and maybe a tee shirt—Jimmy Buffett attire—unless I'm willing to freeze. Aside from that, I'd be good with every summer hereafter being this cool. Like you, at night I just pull the blanket up to my chin and snuggle down. It's great sleeping weather.

Both Mom and Dad always paid attention to weather and season, the year's passing and natural signs. And I, too, miss their comments and reminders more than I can say…though I know you understand. Alas, time flows ever on.

Thank you again for your warm and lovely comments. I always appreciate hearing from you.
And you're right, I just need to dress for the weather, have my breakfasts outdoors, and quit grumbling. :-)

Moonmuser said...

Frosting on the cornflakes??! That's a good one.
I agree .. early morning is the most wonderful time of day, at least on days I don't have to ump up and get ready to go to work. It's so quiet and peaceful, birdies are conveying their messages, sometimes a soft breeze... I can feel it now!

Grizz………… said...

Momcat…

It's overcast here this morning, though 67˚F, not chilly. I've been up since 6 a.m. which is now barely daylight. Summer is definitely on the move.