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| Image by KiKieh from Pixabay |
" Summer afternoon—summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two most beautiful
words in the English language. "
HENRY JAMES
The warmth and loveliness of summer is at last upon us in these parts. It has come rather slowly this year. And with all the turmoil going on around us, it seems the gradual warming of our days and especially our nights has made me appreciate their arrival more than usual. Perhaps you yourself have felt even more eager than usual. For what is that old line John Steinbeck once said, "What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." Indeed! The biting winds of weather and our world's suffering turmoil has had me longing for the warmth of June's summer days!
Long ago pen pal Joy and I used to play a word association game when we'd exchange letters. We found it a great way for getting to know each other. I'd decide on a word, often related to the current season, include my associations, and then wait for Joy's reply to see what interesting things appeared on her list. She'd do the same. I tried to be as evocative as I could, although too much thinking can spoil the spontaneity.
Will you play with me today? Quickly and without too much thought, what springs to mind when you think of the word 'summer'? To get the ball rolling, I've included a few of my own childhood summer memories directly below and then broadened it out further. Hope you enjoy thinking about your own summer associations.
Thunder storms
Freshly cut hay fields
Eating raspberries (for me raspberries IS summer)
Slurping watermelon and Popsicles on the back step
Listening to the Beatles on our cousin's transistor radio
Plucking peas in the garden
Curtains wafting in the breeze
Savouring the freedom of summer holidays
Bouquets of peonies & irises (and ants) on the kitchen table
Hum of the lawn mower
Fragrance after the rain
Mom's picnic chicken and newly dug potatoes
Swimming in the river with Dad
Long summer evenings
Hilling potatoes with siblings & making up little games to make it fun
Romping on the grass in the evening waiting for the dew to fall
Hoping for the thermometer to break 80°F (that would be a real hot day for us)
Playing wedding and picking bouquets of wildflowers in the ditch
Taking lunch to Dad in the field & sharing a sandwich in the shade of the tractor
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| Image by Kirsten Riemer from Pixabay |
Smells of Summer
" If summer had one defining scent, it'd
definitely be the smell of barbecue. "
KATIE LEE
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Camp fire
Woody, earthy smell of summer evenings
Rain on a hot sidewalk
Burnt sugary smell of marshmallows
Wild clover on the wind
Scent of the trees early in the morning
Sunscreen & bug spray
Fragrance of the mock orange
* * *
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| Image by DanceERC from Pixabay |
Sounds of Summer
" Some of the best memories
are made in flip flops. "
KELLIE ELMORE
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Flip flops
Lawn mowers
Sizzle of the grill
Splashing
Robins and songbirds
Ice clinking in a frosty glass
Bees humming in the flowers
Screen door slamming
The fffrrump of the sprinkler
Fireworks
Beach Boys
Whirring fans
Seagulls
* * *
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| Image by silviarita from Pixabay |
Tastes of Summer
" Happiness is cold watermelon."
UNKNOWN
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Ice cream cones
Raspberries & cream
Orange Popsicles
Potato salad
Strawberries
Lemonade
A&W root beer
Hotdogs, relish & onions
Garden tomato sandwiches
Fresh dill from the garden
Corn on the cob
Juicy peaches
S'mores
* * *
Sights of Summer
" If it includes wearing a summer dress,
my answer is yes. "
UNKNOWN
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Straw hats
People relaxing at a picnic
Kids squealing at the water park
Sunglasses
T-shirt & shorts
Sandals
Swing
Patio umbrellas
Beach towels
Folding lawn chairs
Fishing poles
Storm clouds in a darkening sky
Rainbows
Badminton on the lawn
* * *
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| Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay |
Sensations of Summer
" Summertime and the livin' is easy. "
PORGY AND BESS
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Summer holiday freedom
Books and snacks out on the grass
Sand between your toes
Grass under your feet
Sun on your bare arms
Feet paddling in the water
Floating in an inner tube
Shade under a tree
Iced cappuccino sliding down your throat
Dipping in the pool to cool down
Feeling the fan on your sweltering face
Itchy insect bites
Sunburn
* * *
Wishing you summer days on your skin, in your tummy, in your heart.
No mosquito bites or sunburns.
Cheerio,
Brenda
xox
So many thoughts spring to mind!
ReplyDeleteChildhood, never ending sunny days, swimming every day, freedom to wander in the sun, blackberry picking, fishing for tiny shrimps.....
Now, warmth, swimming pool with blue blue water gleaming, inviting me in, gardens, Summer dresses, holdays..
I could go on and on!
Thank you for a lovely post.
Once a person starts, the list can go on and on. It's so nice to have such lovely memories we can recall and enjoy.
DeleteDear Brenda this post inspired me to make my own list. Many of your memories are similar to mine. Thank you for letting me enjoy yours and relive mine. As always I had a delightful visit. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHave fun making your own summer memories list, Debbie!
DeleteSummer - fragrance of lilacs, scent of coconut tanning cream, picnics, road trips, driving through the mountains, swimming in the hot springs, June weddings, watermelon seed spittin' contests, tenting in the rain:), endless twilight, stooking hay bales, campfire smoke, wiener roasts...
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, you added so many I forgot about. Swimming in the hotsprings, those watermelon seed spittin' contests, and who can forget tenting in the rain! Thanks for the additions!
DeleteFrom my youth, summer meant working in Mom's ;large garden, picking what seemed like endless amounts of raspberries .I might add, I never did get tired of eating them. As an adult , summer meant less schedules and more free time to enjoy each day,
ReplyDeleteRuth, I remember having to pick raspberries at my grandma's and saskatoons on our farm. I found the first few plunks of the berries in the empty pail so disheartening--it was going to take f-o-r-e-v-e-r to fill that bucket. Especially if we were eating as we went along (haha).
DeleteOf course, summer = iced tea for yours truly! As the temperatures increase, I've been leaning into the lighter, fruity teas.
ReplyDeleteDid last weekend's hailstorm also strike Edmonton?
Yes, those lighter fruity teas would be quite delicious iced this time of year.
DeleteWe did not get that hail, but there was some in the region, I think.
Lovely post, Brenda.
ReplyDeleteSummer? Let's see.
- Brilliant, sunny mornings with golden light pouring through lacy curtains
- Sounds of bird choruses, trickling backyard fountain, tingling wind chimes
- Kids laughing as they squirt each other with the hose
- Lovely flowers, flowers everywhere
- Yummy hamburgers and hotdogs sizzling on the grill
- Strawberry ice cream cones and juicy watermelon
- Candles outside at night with incense burning to keep the mosquitoes at bay
- Day trips and discovering new places
Always love when you stop by, Brenda. I hope your week is wonderful. Susan
Oh yes to strawberry ice cream cones! And my mom had pretty curtains on her kitchen window and I always loved how the sun streamed through.
DeleteAll of these phrases are wonderfully evocative of summertime. We have been having perfect weather recently, in the 70s and dry, with high 50s at night so we can have the windows open. The only thing I dislike about summer is the AC. Of course, I'm grateful to have it when it's super hot and humid, but there's nothing like a fresh breeze floating through the house. Summertime was always a chance to spend endless hours reading!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, those endless hours of reading -- that was one of my favourite summer things to do.
DeleteLovely summer memories that inspire my own. As a child summer meant camping - the scent of the old canvas tent, the crackle of a fire, the hiss of the campstove when my dad pumped and turned on the gas. Then there was the itch of mosquito bites and the short-lived soothing of pink calamine lotion. Food eaten outdoors always seems to taste better. Camping meant that my mom bought cookies - usually a box of Dad's cookies. We never had store bought cookies any other time. Summer meant weeding the large vegetable garden, shelling peas, and lots of time for reading, climbing trees, and bike riding. The most evocative sound of summer is someone playing piano through open windows. Even now that stops me in my tracks. I'm sure I contributed to that sound with my practicing, too.
ReplyDeleteLorrie, Your list reminds me of so many things I missed on my list. The scent of old canvas, the hiss of the camp stove. Store bought cookies and tins of tiny Vienna sausages we'd heat up after we'd been dipping in the hotsprings (Miette or Harrison or Banff). And the piano playing through an open window. It was usually me doing the practicing in June for piano exams. There's a joy to thinking of all these wonderful memories.
Delete