Summer isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, even in the best of times, but with record heat waves and high high high humidity, even summer’s most ardent supporters are feeling a bit burnt out. Let’s take a moment to refresh and remember all the great things this season has to offer as it enters its final weeks.
- Fresh produce ““ The summer is when most of the best fruits are in season. They’re cheaper and more delicious than at any other time of year. Is it too hot out for you? Get a break from the heat and eat pounds and pounds of cherries, heirloom tomatoes, raspberries, blackberries, and anything else your heart desires. Eat up now before the cruel touch of frost steals them away until next year.
- Summer festivals ““ There’s a lot of fun, positive energy around these festivals (and here I’m stretching the definition of festival and including things like state and county fairs and Shakespeare in the Park). People getting together to relax, eat deep fried foods shoved on sticks, and listen to some good jams belted out by all sorts of musicians. The best part is that many of these festivals really get doing around dusk, so you can enjoy the cool summer evenings, which are still warm enough for comfort.
- No more SAD! And speaking of those summer evenings, they are long as hell. The whole day is long, and generally, there is some sort of sunshine involved. Not everyone suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but for the people who do, the sun’s golden rays are tiny particle-wave packets of pure, unadulterated joy. I might be projecting just a little bit here with that description ““ I mean, whenever the Velvet Underground asks, “Who loves the sun,” I instantly shout, “Me!!” so there’s that. To be completely serious for a moment: SAD is a real disorder that many Americans face, but there are some treatments out there, so if you’re feeling the weight of SAD, please talk to your doctor.
- Frozen treats ““ Sure, you can eat your ice creams and your Otter Pops any old time of year, but when else is the contrast between ambient temperature and food temperature quite so delectable (well, you get the same effect with soup in the winter, but that’s not the point right now). Further, there are excellent deals on frozen treats in the summer”¦ says the lady with several hundred Otter Pops in her freezer because they were on 50% off sale.
- Nature Gone Wild! I suppose that for some people, people without an adventuresome spirit, this would be a downside of summer (I tease because I love, y’all). For me, I love seeing all the landscape turn into a riot of color as plants bloom, form seeds, and the grass dries from a nice green to a pretty brown. There are gorgeous butterflies and moths, and some fancy birds (like hummingbirds, the fanciest of the birds) for those who like their animals aesthetically pleasing. And if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home, there are plenty of nature documentaries shown through Netflix or educational programming channels, like Discovery or PBS. Hell, grab a bowl of ice cream and watch a show about bears fishing and you’ve got yourself a lovely summer day.
How about you? What are some aspects of summer that you like? What will you miss when it’s gone?
3 replies on “Best Parts of Summer: A Refresher for When the Dog Days Are Too Much”
During the school year my 2 oldest are involved in activities. We have dance, karate, softball, and gymnastics, throw in my kickboxing, my husband’s hockey league, and a contrary toddler being schlepped around, and its a full schedule. In the summer the kids are off of activities and hockey is off until September. I LOVE the fact that the summer isn’t hectic and time-crunched. But I’m not laying off of kickboxing….no ma’am!!
I love everything about summer, and I’m not ready for it to end just yet. The fruit, the sandals, the beach, the dresses, being able to spend time outside, everything. It’s my absolute favorite, and I should really move so that I don’t have to spend so much time with those other three seasons.
I know the end of Summer is coming, but I am so not ready! Partly because in the UK, it feels like we haven’t had much of a summer – no record heat waves here. I also suffer from SAD and haven’t found a solution to that yet (those lamps give me migraines) so Winter’s not so fun for me. I love Summer’s long nights and the fact that I don’t need to think about scarves and gloves when I leave the house. And I love my kinda trashy summer drink: vodka and orange juice with an orange Popsicle as a stirring stick. Mmm.