Ah summer. I talked in my summer TBR post about how summer is my least favorite season of them all. I am just not a big fan of being hot, and Michigan is so humid and swampy.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t things about summer that I love. I love the slower mornings, and the evenings that stretch on forever. I have always loved sitting outside at twilight, watching the birds all head home to bed, singing their day’s final song, with the fireflies winking in and out of sight. The crickets and katydids chirp, frogs start their evening calls, rabbits and baby bunnies hop about, and the day sinks into night. Those are nights for dreaming on, and on those magical type evenings I drag myself back into the house from the porch where I am half-hidden from sight by the green leaves of the apple tree, bringing my empty mug of tea or wine glass in with me, and feel so content with the world as I climb into bed.

I also love the easy days, although Wyatt and I spend the heat of them inside. There is a quote from Watership Down that says, “Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.” I agree with that, isn’t that the perfect definition of cozy, but I think I also like feeling safe inside from the heat of summer. The two of us just aren’t made for the hot weather- Wyatt especially has trouble regulating his own temperature in the heat. So on the hottest days we seek the coolness of buildings filled with air-conditioning, our little house that overflows with life in all of our pets and terrariums and house plants, museums and stores, the library for books, car rides for ice cream. We play games and read books, paint and draw and watch movies.

I think those were my own favorite days of summer growing up. Reading all the books, the summer reading program at the library, playing with my cousins and my friend Dawn who lived across the street, swimming and biking and playing outside in the evenings right before the sun went down. Cheese sandwiches, popsicles, the ice cream man, lemonade. Peaches picked from my uncle’s tree and eating it all damp from the sprinkler, trying to get a peek at the toad that lived under his grill. All these memories!

We do venture outside of course, to gardens and pools, for picnics at the park, to the zoo, on walks or bike rides. But evening is our favorite time. Many weekend nights are spent at my brother Devin’s house, sitting around a fire, while Wyatt plays with his cousins and the four adults sit and chat over cool drinks. Sometimes we set up a tent in the yard for the kids to play in and around, which I remember my parents doing for me when I was little. This year Devin wants to show movies on his garage, which will be fun for the kids.

I think this year I am going to finally try to get Wyatt to the farm to pick strawberries. I say it every year but June always is so busy and goes so fast. This month we do have a lot scheduled. Music camp in Lansing and a 48 hour EEG are the big ones, but we have the school bus races to go see (hopefully), the strawberry moon party which will be a more subdued affair this month as it is sandwiched between camp and the EEG, and then Billy is off to Manitou Island for a few days as well. Wyatt and I will be on our own for a few days and I need to come up with some fun activities because kiddo is going to miss his dad.

This morning I am waiting for my squirrel friend to show up for her breakfast. She is a tired mama squirrel, and by the way she looks I am sure she has a nest of kittens somewhere. She comes and scratches at the window where I sit, and I feed her peanuts. Yesterday afternoon I caught her napping, spread out flat on the wooden railing, and I understood where she was coming from. It is tiring being a mom! I hope she enjoyed her little break before she headed off home. I will finish this second cup of coffee and by the time I am done, she will show up more than likely, so I should probably get her peanuts ready. I hope you all have a wonderful first day of June!