It’s no secret that I despise summer. With temps in the 90’s and humidity at 100 percent, time spent outdoors is miserable. Weeds grow high because I have no desire to suffer in the jungles of Ohio just to do garden work. Then there’s the poison ivy and the snakes and the lure of central air that keep me plotting to spend most of the summer inside with the curtains drawn to keep out the heat.
I will be thrilled for sweater weather.
Yet, I feel guilty for this sensation that I’m wishing my life away. After all, tomorrow is promised to no one and there are plenty of people who would love for one more day – even if it is a miserable humid one like this.
So I continue to beat back dreams of cooler days and am trying to stay present in my current situation. So, I’m working on a list of things to do before end of summer. It’s a short list and I’m grasping at straws to think of something else to add to it. In contrast, the fall and winter lists each contain dozens of entries.
I must work on this.
What’s on your summer bucket list? How do you stay present in moments that you don’t enjoy?
Summer began yesterday but the heat arrived early and has been wailing on us for a while now here in southern Ohio. In case you’re new here, I’m not a fan of this season where I live.
I like how green everything is and the act of discovery every day when I check the progress of my flowers is rewarding. I like not worrying so much about how the weather will impact my travels. My wardrobe of summer dresses makes me happy because they’re comfortable and cool. Baby animals, turtles and butterflies make life more interesting. There are lots of events and car shows throughout the season so there’s a lot of free entertainment at our fingertips.
This is all great. The rest of it kind of stinks.
The heat and humidity here make it hard to go outside and enjoy any of those things I mentioned. Then there are the bugs and snakes. And poison ivy, allergies and the endlessly wasteful act of mowing. Plus, summer clothes are ugly and I really hate seeing everyone’s bare feet. The sight of toes in a flip flop makes me cringe. Did I mention that we spend most of our time running from one air conditioned place to the next just to survive?
It’s literally the worst season in Ohio. Next to orange season, of course. That’s when the Ohio Department of Transportation exhibits every orange barrel and cone they own along miles and miles of Ohio’s roads. This season runs approximately from mid-March through Christmas and is nearly pointless but does brighten the roadways, I suppose.
By the way, I never complain about winter so I have license to complain about summer.
I had Juneteenth off from work and a day free to do as I pleased. While I contemplated going out for a midweek adventure, my desire to beat the heat index and be cool won out. With temperatures in the mid nineties and a heat index over 100, I just couldn’t volunteer to leave the house for any reason.
Instead, we stayed inside with the central air on and curtains drawn, watching movies and eating cold things. It was the most relaxing day I’ve had in ages.
The summer solstice has come and gone and now we begin to see every day lose just a little light. While I despise the weather, I better get busy with some adventures. After all, if we wait for perfect conditions to do the things we enjoy, we may never get anything done. We have to make the best of our circumstances and try to enjoy life anyway!
Summer doesn’t officially begin for a few days but we are expecting heat and humidity to hit southern Ohio today and settle in for at least a couple of weeks. Since it will soon be dangerously hot, I hated to enter summer hibernation without a really good hoke under my belt. I was grateful to make it out yesterday for close to six miles and for the unexpected joys this hike brought.
Looking up made me feel small. It usually does.
Looking down introduced us to a new friend. He seemed altogether unimpressed by us but we liked him.
And spots like this one offer a solid reminder that there’s nearly always a way through.
If you are fortunate enough to live in a place where there’s outdoor access and you are able to go out and enjoy it, do yourself a favor and go. The good nature will do for your body, mind and spirit is immeasurable.
“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.” – Harper Lee, from To Kill a Mockingbird.
I happen to think summer is the worst of the four seasons but this quote from my favorite book is superb. If you haven’t read this book, please go do that now. It’s the perfect summer read.
Here’s a gentle a reminder that summer and adventure season are just around the corner. So get out those maps, make your adventure bucket list and start planning!
The barn is visible from a sunflower field in Gallia County , Ohio – one of last year’s fun adventures!
Yesterday brought a rare weekday morning off from work. We have been under a heat advisory for the last several days so I took advantage of this found time and headed to the lake for an early walk. Lots of other people seemed to have the same idea as it was busier than normal with walkers and joggers.
Walking here is nice because it’s a paved path close to home where I can measure exactly how far I have walked. There is often a little breeze and that breeze yesterday felt divine.
The light was pretty so I stopped to snap a picture of these boats that are available for rent. if you look closely, you’ll see the bridge to the island in the background. That bridge has appeared on this blog a few times over the years and is a favorite subject of mine.
This swing looked so inviting that I paused for a picture. For a split second, I considered how nice it would be to sit there with a cold lemonade and watch the day go by.
Then I remembered that the heat index would soon be 110 and that once the shade was gone the sun would burn me to a painful shade of lobster red.
So I kept moving. That’s more my speed anyway. Movement makes me happier than sitting around any day.
When it comes to the seasons, summer is my least favorite because the heat and humidity here tend to keep me indoors or strategizing how to accomplish things with the precision and control of an Army General. Keep moving, soldier. The heat is the enemy and it will soon be upon us!
We are supposed to have a reprieve from the heat this weekend before it comes raging back again next week. I’m going to head outside for a while today and breathe air that doesn’t hurt my lungs. Wherever you are, stay safe and enjoy your day!
