Squeaky flip flops. Crisp, cotton baby doll pajamas. A worn Monopoly board. A banana seat on a bicycle. Cereal for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner. Lazy afternoons spent under the shade of the massive oak tree. Dusty evenings spent in my shed with my Barbies. Summers in the '70's.
Summer workshops. Trips on school buses. Long lists of reading books. Weeks with granny. Odd jobs. Extra babysitting. Cut off jeans. Reruns of Gilligan's Island. Walks to the Lucky 7. Late night games of Hide 'n Seek. Summers in the '80's.
Hot panty hose. Hotter car. Quiet Saturday mornings on the deck. Long-planned vacations with suns that set far too fast. Late night walks. Early morning bike rides. Peach cobbler. Friday evenings on shaded patios. Summers in the '90's.
Paper plates. Pop-tarts. Blackberries. Icicle pops. Pool floats. Happy Meals. Park picnics. Blanket forts. Beach trips. Dirty floors. Kool-aid smiles. Shade tree swinging. Watermelon bellies. Summers in the '00's.
Beach camp. Sonic Happy Hour. Chacos. Ben & Jerry's. Summer Blockbuster Premiers. Destination vacations. Open Door. Patio dinners. Weekend coffee on the porch. Firework extravaganzas. Saturday pancakes. Media room marathons. Summers in the '10's.
Aside from college, I have lived in five cities. All in Texas. Some would call that isolated. I call it lucky. I love a hot summer. Every part of it - from the breezy early morning through the heat of the day to the still dark heat of a starlit night. I love that school is out. I love that vacations transpire. I love that life slows down. I love that company comes by. I love that crazy schedules dissolve. I love hot cars. I love cold drinks. I love relaxation.
There was a song on the radio when I grew up. The opening lyrics captured so much of how summer's definition in my heart came to be, as I played outside with my brother and my neighbor:
Goodbye to you, my trusted friend.
We've known each other since we were nine or ten.
Together we've climbed hills and trees,
Learned of love and ABC's,
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time...
I think as I grew older, and we raised the boys, I tried to hold on to and then share with them the joy and the fun of a simple summer afternoon spent playing Clue or swimming with dad after work. Summer can be the best part of life.
As my life marches on and I age, I am more aware of the season in my own life. As much as my heart wants to stay planted in summer, it does always give way to fall. Seasons out of time are words for a song. No matter my age, though, I think in my heart I will always live for summer. Kind of gives new meaning to the phrase "I Heart Summer."
I Heart Summer ~ Summertime Faves ~ July 2013
Sketch Credit: Simple Stories blog post by Gail Lindner http://simplestories.typepad.com/simple_stories/2013/08/summer-friends.html
Paper: Simple Stories
ABC Stickers: Simple Stories
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What special summer memories, Penny. They make your beautiful layout all the more sweet. You know I love that Simple Stories line but you made it even better! Also love the red mat on the banners and how the clouds lead you across the layout.
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