The Good Old Summertime
As the song goes, “There’s a time in each year that we always hold dear, good old summer time; with the birds and the trees-es, and sweet scented breezes, good old summer time, when your day’s work is over Then you are in clover, and life is one beautiful rhyme, no trouble annoying, each one is enjoying, the good old summer time. In the good old summer time.” But this song can be debatable. Summer in Texas has its ups and downs.
Take for instance, the bugs. I had a yellow jacket fly into my house and land on my face. Luckily, I swatted at it before it stung me. Then, I had one of those large spiders scurry into my living room when I opened the back door for my dogs. I am reporting that both the yellow jacket and the spider are no longer with us. I sat outside late one evening and these mud daubers kept buzzing around me. I went inside and got the bug spray. Went back outside, sat down, and the rascals disappeared. It’s like they knew I had bug spray in my hand.
Those pesky flies are not only aggravating, they can also be gross. No sooner, food is put out on a picnic table, the flies show up. It’s like they are watching with binoculars ready to pounce on any piece of food anywhere around. Seeing someone with a fly swatter swatting at those flies while I try to eat is downright disgusting. Texans can vouch for how miserable a fire ant bite can be. They can blister and they definitely itch. A friend of mine told me she still has a scar from where a red ant bit her when she worked at a Christian camp years ago. I am tired of bugs, ants, flies, spiders and don’t mention snakes to me.
Now, we are under a burn ban due to the lack of rain. That means no barbecue and no burning trash. The beautiful green grass has disappeared. If you don’t water your plants every day, you might as well say goodbye to those poor dried-up plants.
Of course, the main topic is the heat. I heard a lady say that it got way too hot way too soon.
I had to agree with that statement. How many more days can Fayette County citizens take over one-hundred- degree temperatures? It’s hot when you get out of your car to walk into the store. It’s hot when you walk out of the store to get in your car. Sweat drips down your face and the back of your head feels wet. Some people call it perspiration but here in Texas, in July, it is sweat. And, we probably have two more months of this. I told my dogs to come outside with me. They both looked at me with those pitiful sad eyes not wanting to step out of the cool air conditioning. Who can blame them?
During the Christmas holidays we sing, “Tis the Season to be Jolly.” Nothing is jolly about this relentless heat. You would think, we as Texans, would be used to this and not complain. We have to remember, “To everything there is a season,” and we are right in the middle of one of the hottest summers I can ever remember.
There are positive sides to summer in Texas. Who doesn’t like to take a good swim? I grew up swimming almost every day during the summer. I even worked at a concession stand at a favorite local swimming pool. I didn’t care if the water was 85 or 95 degrees. I loved the water and how refreshing it was.And, then I learned how to water ski. It was pure joy when I could get up early in the morning and ski on water that was like glass when no one else was around. My dad loved driving the boat and I loved water skiing. It worked out well for both of us.
More reunions are held during the summer months. Mainly because children are out of school and many people take vacations around the time of their family reunion. It is so fun reminiscing about your grandparents or great-grandparents, seeing and visiting with people you only see once a year, meeting new family members and playing games.
With summer comes baseball. Now, last summer watching the Houston Astros was a blast. Of course, they were winning. This year, it is still fun to watch even if they are not winning every single game. Baseball is just part of summer.
To Texans, barbecue is one of the nutritional food groups during the summer. Barbecue wouldn’t be the same without the sides of potato salad, macaroni/ cheese, Cole-slaw, baked beans, and a pickle all served with a tall cold glass of iced tea. You can’t have a barbecue meal without ice cream for dessert. Who remembers cranking the old ice cream makers and adding salt to the ice, cranking, cranking and cranking and during it all your mouth is watering and licking your lips anxiously waiting for that very first bite?
Who remembers those Tupperware popsicle holders? My mother would mix up some Kool-Aid, pour the liquid into those holders and put them in the freezer. I would have a tasty popsicle every afternoon. And, of course, the ice cream truck coming down our street was such a highlight of my day. Fudgesicles were my favorite. Now, you can purchase any kind of popsicle or ice cream bars in the grocery stores. But nothing tastes better than getting an ice cream cone at one of your favorite hamburger restaurants. Refreshes the mind and the body.
Summer also means vacation time for many people. Seeing new places is exciting and adventuresome. I remember loving water parks, going to the old Astroworld theme park in Houston five times in one year, and water skiing on one of the lakes in Missouri. Some vacations are so memorable.
Summer is also time to wear those favorite flip-flops or sandals. More people are getting professional pedicures to make their feet and toe nails look exceptionally good while wearing their favorite summer footwear.
Hooray for libraries having summer reading programs and activities for children. These summer reading programs keep children away from constantly watching television and playing video games. It expands their horizons and improves their reading skills.
Some people may disagree but Summer isn’t all bad. The enjoyable things outweigh the bad things. It is fun to watch the birds take a bath under the sprinkler. It’s relaxing to eat a bowl of homemade ice cream while sitting in a lawn chair on the back porch late in the evenings. It’s exciting to watch your favorite baseball team win. The good ole summertime is time for special memories with family and friends. Stay hydrated, stay cool and be safe.