A Taste of Summer

I was absolutely stunned when I realized that June had arrived. I mean really, in my mind we still have not closed May so how can it be June? Perhaps it all has to do with the fact that we did not have those April or May showers so the flowers are already looking sad and tired. Of course the fact that we have “enjoyed” three days of temperatures of over 100 degrees accompanied by searing hot winds and dirt could have something to do with it. I believe that it was 108 in Childress yesterday.

Both of our grandsons are out of school now and they are looking forward to a wonderful summer. Jordie and Jim have hit the golf course despite the weather, and Cole has just returned from a trip to Orlando where he enjoyed the hotel’s lazy river and trips to Disney World. Next week he is off to Cancun with his parents. When he is home, he has a great pool in the backyard. Jordie is still playing baseball and Cole is going to experience his first time in track. Despite all of this activity both boys are prone to becoming “bored” very easily when not engaged in something that they enjoy so we plan swimming trips, science camps and other activities designed to keep them entertained.

Cole's pizza shaped veggie and herb garden

I think back to my summers when I was in school and I remember so may lazy times spent reading while lying on my bed with the windows open and a cool breeze blowing through, and though I am sure on occasion my brothers and I were bored, we dared not express that feeling or we might find ourselves in the field chopping weeds in the cotton. Keeping us entertained had a far different connotation then!

When we were younger and still living on the farm in Muleshoe, I can still remember our Dad coming in from the fields at noon and dropping a watermelon from the garden in the irrigation ditch which was filled with icy water. Later in the afternoon he came home for a break. Out came the watermelon and we spent time in the shade of a big tree in the front yard enjoying this sweet treat and spitting seeds across the lawn. Most days he would also bring a large burlap sack of freshly picked corn and dump it on the lawn where we would all gather to shuck the ears and Mother would cook it for our dinner that night. By the way at that time it was supper because at noon we had a huge meal (dinner) that my mother spent hours cooking for the family and the “hands” in the fields. Rarely did a week pass without our dad pulling out the ice cream freezer (the kind you had to turn the crank) and treating everyone to homemade ice cream.

I realize now that summers were really hard on Mother. Cooking on a farm for multiple people, keeping house (I helped in the summers), ironing clothes for everyone, (remember starch not in a can), and in addition we always had a big vegetable garden which led to canning and freezing. To this day, I feel guilty if I don’t grow something edible in our garden. I have six tomato plants in the alley along with the flowers.

In the evenings we often spread a big blanket on the lawn and we would lie on our backs and watch the stars. I was awestruck at the sight of the Milky Way. Okay, you have to remember that we didn’t have television or a computer at that time, but it must have made a big impression on me as I still remember those moments very vividly.

There is no doubt that summer was a much less organized time with plenty of opportunities for us to just be kids free to roam and play. We lived way out in the country until I was a freshman in high school so a social life was not in the cards for us until we moved to town.

As we got older, I remember lots of summer evenings spent with friends dragging main and sitting at the Dairy Mart both in Muleshoe and in Childress. Sadly, I also remember the hours and hours spent lying out at the pool or in the backyard slathered in tanning lotion and at times baby oil and iodine so I could get a good tan. Needless to say those of us who engaged in this practice have paid a high price for vanity. On the other hand, I also remember that on those times that Mother took us to Clovis to swim, I always got to have a Snickers bar when it was time to go home.

Even now, with retirement, summer is still something to be savored for us. We do look forward to grilling the hamburgers, steaks, chicken and veggies. Well, actually we look forward to eating! There is always the ongoing debate about whether things taste better barbequed on a charcoal grill or grilled on a propane grill. However, it doesn’t seem to matter when it is time to eat. It is so great to gather in the backyard and on the deck when it is possible to avoid flies and mosquitoes.

With all this reflection on summers past and the great things we look forward to in our backyard in the summer, it occurs to me that perhaps we have a great recipe for taking a backyard vacation. Gas prices are high and the cost of everything has skyrocketed beyond reason. Maybe we can borrow some of the things that we loved most about summer and have a spectacular time for much less. Bring out the mosquito spray, the sunscreen, and the ice cream freezer (electric please). Fire up the grill, throw on the hot dogs and invite your favorite people. Don’t forget the blanket for star gazing. Perhaps a hammock for Jim for Father’s Day is in order. Of course, it has to be big enough for Jim, me and the 3 cats.

By the time summer is a reality, I hope that the weather will be much calmer and that we have been blessed with soaking rain to perk up the lawns and the gardens. Most of all I hope that we all take the time to remember and to share the joys and the taste of summers past, today!

Take me out to the ballgame. Jordie at bat