We are home from our last official vacation. School starts soon, but it does not start yet, not until after Labor Day. So we are in the middle of two summer weeks that feel like bonus time. The leaves are full on the trees. The crepe myrtles are blooming, as are the roses (still!) The tomato plants have finally ripened into full fecundity. I have been eating tomatoes at least twice a day. My 7-year-old too. He favors mozzarella and olive oil. I am partial to red onions, feta cheese, and Caesar dressing myself. The kids are done with anything formal. The two older boys have gone to a “camp” of sorts in a friend’s yard, featuring water guns and a creek. The 5-year-old and 7-year-old have been sleeping in their cardboard fort in the basement. Over vacation, the 7-year-old began watching some video about a fort kit you could buy: duct tape, stickers, etc. I said this sounded like something we could do for ourselves, and sure enough, the kids were able to convert an IKEA sofa box into a rather spacious abode. They brought down sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights, even water bottles. I don’t think I’d let them sleep there on school nights, but it is still summer, for these weeks at least. The crickets are still buzzing at night and the sun is still hot, if the light is starting to slant in the late afternoons. Soon September will be here, with its sense of time passing. But for now there are still evenings of watching monarchs on the butterfly bushes. There is still time to chase my 7-year-old on his bike down the path by the retirement home. I can sit on the porch in the evening, watching the hummingbirds. Their wings whirl, like they’re off in a hurry somewhere.
But I am resisting the hurry for a few more days. In these bonus summer days, there is still time.
What a paean to summer! Sounds glorious!
By contrast, we have been back to school for over three weeks. We get out in May. Here in the South July and August is mercilessly hot and humid. Too hot to truly enjoy for summer activities. At 104 with near 100% humidity it’s probably best that we are sitting in an air conditioned school because the alteranative would be an air conditioned house.
Jennie, we are in the same boat – I’m in west Georgia. This does sound pretty idyllic, though! We are in the full swing of fall kid soccer, but so far I’m really enjoying it. It gives me a chance to spend a couple of hours 3 days a week with quite a few of my neighborhood friends, and the kids always sleep really well, too 🙂
Us too, here in CA. It’s forecasted to be 107 degrees the next couple of days (!!!) so we’re holed up with the AC as well. The walk to school is actually quite nice at 7:20am, but afternoon pickup is by car. But since we came from Seattle about a month ago, where summer had *just* started, I feel like we have lots of summer still to enjoy. My kids’ outdoor swim lessons continue through mid-October so I suspect it’ll be hot for a while.
Megan’s weather is like mine. It will be hot here until October and never truly get cold as other parts of the US. Last January, my son had a park party for his birthday and it was 72. Although, that’s milder than normal. Even with the heat, I love the long days. I miss the sun being out at 8:00 more than I miss the warmth.