Maybe Summer Isn't So Bad After All...

Without a doubt my favorite season is fall. I am absolutely enchanted by the whole ambiance that fall brings. I love the splashes of color on the trees that slowly seeps into rich vibrant hues. I love apple cider and carving pumpkins. I also really love the weather, perfect for long runs and hikes without feeling like you are going to melt into a puddle. The weather is also perfect for cozying up with a blanket, a doodle, and a book outside. I love the need for a fire outside for warmth and the way the color dances along with the tree tops. I could write about my love for fall and sweaters all day. However as I looked up into the sky last night, I realized there are things I love about summer too. I love how a million fireflies makes the trees look alive. Like Christmas lights and a carnival collided and decorated the world. I always feel like the saying "Christmas in July" should really reflect the twinkling show the fireflies so masterfully put on for us, as it reminds me of the sparkle of snow. I also love the heat lightning in the clouds. It lights up the clouds in the most magnificent purples I have ever seen. Although heat lightning means it is obviously really hot outside, I still appreciate its beauty. To me summer also means more family time. We seem to work twice as hard, but we are together. If I am working inside and I know my Dad and Brother are outside, I like to think of ways to surprise them. I will bring them popsicles or a fresh cup of lemonade, and the happiness that is found in a refreshing treat in the middle of the summer is like no other. I feel that appreciation and gratitude is found in greater amounts in summertime. In the winter you may get cold (okay really really cold, that last winter was a doozy), but adding blankets and huddling with doodles and friends is almost like a no brainer fix. I find it is similar to baking, easier to add things than take away. In the summer there are times where you just simply cannot take away enough to feel cool. So you are forced to think about other things that you appreciate and make you happy. Like a surprise glass of iced tea or the way the hay bends and ripples under the warm summer breeze. Last night as the storm started rolling in and I looked up to witness the great and terrible beauty big storms bring, I thought to myself... maybe summer isn't so bad after all.