"Summertime and the livin' is easy" --George Gershwin

I am all over summer. It is my favorite season.

Some of the things I love about summer:

• less clothes in general and sun dresses in particular
  
• grilled foods
  
• feeling the sun on my skin
• having a vast array of ripe fruits and berries and melons
• day lilies and hydrangea
  
• Silver Queen corn and tomatoes that taste like tomatoes
  
• having hours of daylight to enjoy after I come home from work
• ice cream
• craving and enjoying salads
  
• people coming out of their hideyholes, smiling
  

Summer is languorous. Summer is delicious.

And probably the thing I love most about summer is my lack of footwear. If it were socially acceptable I'd be barefoot all the freakin' time. From early spring to late fall, I wear sandals when I'm out and I'm barefoot when I'm home. Always. Like the moment I come in the door from work the shoes come off. And if I'm around the house, I'm barefoot, too. I love the feel of grass under my feet.

And this makes me a "bad example." You see the neighbor kids are not permitted to go barefoot outside. Can you believe that? Not ever. Their parents have convinced them that going barefoot is dangerous and dirty. The kids have even suggested that my going barefoot is dangerous and dirty.

Aren't all the fun things in life described this way?

Summertime and the Living Is Easy

I love this time of year. Is there anything better than long, sunny days followed by clear, warm nights? Fresh fruit in abundance and variety? Day lilies and lightening bugs? Picnics and light picnic wines? Street festivals? Dining al fresco?

Oh sure, there are wildfires in California and the Southwest is experiencing record high temperatures but here there's just the usual Summer experience. Long hot days, the occasional thunderstorm, and a desire by most to be out and about.

So yesterday we had fireworks on the court where we live. Not just sparklers but the real McCoy. Neighbors spent hundreds, probably thousands, on fireworks. We grilled and everyone on the court, and beyond, brought food and drink and sat out and chatted and watched all the pretty, noisy explosions.

And in the midst of this, it made me think about how the American identity is so tied to war. Our celebration of our country is a series of larger and larger explosions, often accompanied by military music. Our national anthem talks about "bombs bursting in air". Our national bird, now off the endangered list for the first time that I can remember, is a bird of prey.

And still, with reminders of war, in a country slogging through a most difficult war, I have the luxury to stop thinking about war. I am grateful for the country I am born to; the generous, inclusive spirit of the people around me; and especially the long, peaceful Summer days.

I'll be spending quite a few enjoying the great outdoors, while the gettin' is good, and away from this blog. I wish you a lovely Summer experience filled with the things that make you smile.