Just Past MidSummer

Is this the legendary summertime blues for which there is no cure? Or is it just another Monday? Since childhood, it has seemed to me that summer was on the downhill slide into fall once my birthday had passed. There is really so much summer left to be enjoyed. I just dragged myself in from a lovely hour and a half in the hammock! A still, practically bug-free, upper seventies afternoon lounging with the newpaper, a slice of cold leftover pizza, a beer and a nap. One of those rare days that only reside in June. Even though July is more than half over, the grass is green and lush from the rain that has fallen regularly. Most years it is dry and brown by now as the lawn turns dormant in the heat. Freeing us from the drudgery of mowing for as long as six weeks. The lilacs are long gone, but have been followed by daylilies, purple coneflowers, yarrow, loostrife, hostas, lavender, and Russian sage. Annuals in their potted glory add color in between, reliable petunias, begonias, geraniums, impatiens and my favorite pink gerbera daisy. There are still many, many days of sandal-wearing, bike-riding, and hammock swinging to be relished.