After what seemed like a very long winter, T-shirt and shorts season in my neck of the woods has finally arrived. It’s not officially Summer, but temperatures indicate that it might be here to stay for a while. People are out and about wearing flip-flops and half naked outfits. I can’t blame their uninhibited excitement after what seemed like an endless time of enduring the cold and brutal temperatures.
What I love most about this time of the year, besides the landscape visual delight, is the hope that comes alive in the air. Green leaves sprout out of everywhere. Colorful flowers of interesting shapes and shades make their appearance. Scents give the outdoors an interesting appeal. Waters from the sprinklers are screaming JOY!
My neighborhood kids are out in full force… playing ball, swimming in the club pool or simply messing around. Childish screams and giggles, a rarity during the cold months, have become a permanent sound of the outdoors.
Even the gardening crew is loving the weather-friendly atmosphere. The mowers are working overtime and pruning exercises go nonstop.
The other morning, I took a walk just after 8:00 in the morning and I heard incessant pounding from one of my neighbors’ backyard. Patio repair time! Folks are in the mood for outdoor activities… sprucing up their gardens, fixing things, planting new beginnings. It is a great sign of hope, motivation and inspiration.
People walking their dogs in the park have a bounce in their steps, taking their time to inhale the fresh air. In wintertime they’re usually rushing to get back to their comfort zones. Back then even the furred creatures didn’t look too glad to be shivering in the white-blanketed grounds.
I went out to work in my garden the other weekend and found the fur of a baby squirrel. It obviously died during the past arctic chill. Many of my rose bushes didn’t make the recent winter’s brutal cold. But it’s oh-so-true that when a door closes, a window opens! I found a tree peony finally making an appearance in my garden, and what looks like another peony variety next to it. I planted the roots two autumns ago and when the peonies didn’t come out last year, I felt greatly disappointed. Well, obviously, they just took their own sweet time! I might not get to enjoy the other seven peony varieties I planted, but I'm grateful for what I can have. Thank You, Jesus!
The solar lights on my patio have brought sparkle after dark. The good news is that they don’t cost me a dime in power consumption! What a concept!
The birds chirping on my patio means that they’ve come to visit the chokeberries on my tree that they love to feast on. The bird sounds are music to my ears because I feel blessed when my feathered friends come calling. Birds are harbingers of good fortune and when they visit, it’s a cause for celebration.
Let’s be joyful for the Summer fever. Enjoy every moment of lovely fair weather that graces our surroundings. Soak in the vibrance of the outdoors and the beauty of Mother Nature. I’m sure you’ll agree that nothing beats living in the gorgeousness of this landscape.
Have a blessed Summer!
