June 24, 2009 09:36 am
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Summer has arrived in fine fashion, hot and hotter. 100 degree days are upon us and the hottest months of the year are ahead of us.
Welcome to summertime in Texas. One of the four seasons that happens to be the warmest of the year with the longest days.
How fortunate can we get? Of course, they are having their winter down in the southern hemisphere. Yeah, right.
I’m prone to make a few summer assumptions and perhaps you are as well.
School is out in most places around the country, so day cares and grandmas are in the baby-sitting mode as we speak.
Summer baseball leagues, sand castles on the beach and ice cream sales all reach for the sky.
Backyard barbecues, church fish fries and garage sales are doing their dead level best to make people happy and satisfied.
On the heels of graduations far and wide, VBS, youth camps of every possible flavor, and camping trailers offer new adventures to the young and the old. The campfires glow nightly.
Vacations galore from sea to shining sea — Americans are enjoying the multicolored landscape of the good old U.S. of A.
I can remember traveling from Texas through the southwest in the back of a Rambler station wagon in the mid ’60s.
After leaving Burleson, we made our first stop in Midland to see kinfolks. Then on to El Paso, up to Carlsbad Caverns and on to the Grand Canyon.
A couple of nights in Las Vegas did the trick and on to sunny California to see the mighty redwoods. Oh, my aunt lived there too.
With the economy attempting to sink our boats while the “bailed out” Wall Street bigwigs live it up, most of us are scaling back a little on the vacation plans or abbreviating them to a weekend getaway at Uncle Bill’s farmhouse, or so I assume.
Can’t forget about those summer projects, now can we?
Some time ago I opened one of my garage doors and someone stopped and asked if we we’re having a garage sale.
I think it’s time to clean out the garage, don’t you think?
And that brings me to my shed by way of a workshop project in the backyard.
I do have it staked out and in the planning stages.
I’m gathering materials and racking up a few volunteers along the way.
Any Saturday now I think we’ll be ready for a full-scale attack with nail guns and all.
The flower beds are blooming away, but World War II with the squirrels is on.
The little demons seem to take pleasure in digging in the soft soil and burying nuts, but thanks to some hot pepper seeds the war seems to be leaning in our direction.
The strong smell of chlorine rising to the heavens lets me know the “shocking” truth about the state of most swimming pools over the winter.
They were very likely dirtier than last week’s underwear that fell behind the washing machine. Hold your breath kids, and keep those eyes closed!
Driving throughout the neighborhood, I notice it’s obviously landscaping time for a lot of folks. Rock edging, pampas grasses, and beautiful ferns adorn yards far and wide.
The smell of fresh sod being laid out wafts its scent through the air as you drive by.
Cows will find their way a little more often to the pond, for watering and for cooling off.
They are not quite as dumb as you might think. They also know how to find the shade in the middle of the day away from the scorching heat.
Birthday parties, summer jobs and cruises fill many a schedule this time of the year. Are we busier than during the winter time or does it just seem that way?
Either way you spread it, Americans are on the move.
Backyard umbrellas, a new lawn mower, fertilizers of all brands are repeats from time to time and an increase in the bird population.
And why not with all the new birdhouses and baths that we put out for them?
Of course we can’t forget about our little friends coming after the red juice, hummingbirds.
Popsicles from the ice cream truck, honey from someone’s beehive, and fresh garden vegetables are all summer assumptions on my part. And, I might add, a summer consumption as well.
Stay cool and enjoy your summer.
Randy Sheridan of Burleson is a speaker, counselor and mediator. He can be reached at drsheridan@aol.com.
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