Sunday, July 4, 2010

A Summer Evening at our House

New England may freeze you in the winter and procrastinate spring longer than necessary, but every summer I realize why people live here.

Oh, the summers!

One evening last week all eight of us seemed unwilling to abandon the late afternoon sunlight for its artificial replacement. After dining on Dad grilled burgers on our picnic table and inaugurating our new fire pit appropriately with s’mores, we all lingered in the backyard. Sitting in the rocking chair enjoying a book, I paused to check on the family.

My oldest daughter relaxed in the hammock, her teenage limbs stretching comfortably, and my youngest child snuggled next to her as they giggling their way through a picture book. My other daughter practiced her golf swing with occasional direction from her father. He watched her as he sat in my neighboring rocking chair, the three other boys piled on his lap showing him the intricacies of their newest favorite game on my phone.

The weather hovered in the mid seventies, the lingering smell of slowly dying fire permeated the yard, and the ever faithful ocean breeze, carrying the gentle sounds of waves, left a slight taste of salt as I breathed it. As the light waned, I flipped on the balcony lights to augment the light of bug-preventing candles distributed through the yard, and continued listening to the joyful murmur of my family as I read my book.

Content.

Peaceful.

Happy.

Oh, the summers!

When I think of my happy place, it's filled with memories like these. There is swimming in North Carolina and catching fire flies in Missouri; summer evenings spread over the years. The situations change and the children grow, but the feeling builds on itself. The joy now mixes with the joy of yesteryear and I keep them all to ponder in my heart.


Oh, the summers!



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If you don’t see much of me in the next couple months, I’d like for you to think of me experiencing memories like these. But, if it makes you feel better, you can picture me taking all the kids grocery shopping and then hiding in the closet with a jumbo sized bag of chocolate candy (because that is also a part of my summer experience)!

20 comments:

  1. I have never been swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, but I've heard the beaches are amazing.

    Oh, and it looks like I will be seeing you at the end of the month! Let the judging begin! ;)

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  2. Heaven absolute Heaven. Sorry I haven't been commenting...trying to make those kinds of memories too, but without the beach.
    We hope to see you guys soon and make up for our lack of beach memories this summer!

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  3. I feel the same way about summers in Michigan. Summers in Texas? They last until October and it's way too hot to go outside. Yuck.

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  4. Sounds beautiful!
    I LOVE time spent with the family too!
    I hope you have a great summer and get to have all the chocolate you need to survive! LOL!

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  5. Ok, that's it. We're moving to Conneticut, today.

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  6. Gorgeous! I'm starting to learn this about my own very northern home! The summer is amazing.

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  7. Oh I'm just glad for you - lovely!

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  8. Drink these days in...summer is a bit different in the Tri-Cities.

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  9. Waaaaaaa! I miss the Atlantic! Sounds heavenly.

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  10. Do your candles really take away the mosquitos? We can't spend more than a few minutes outside without being eaten alive.

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  11. Okay I would like to book some time in your backyard. Is next week good for you?

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  12. I always love reading about your ocean fun, but somehow I never thought about its soothing sound. I'm slowly wearing Kent down into letting me rip out an evergreen bush to replace it with a rock waterfall by our front porch. I think the gurgling water would be a nice background noise to evening conversations. But the whole ocean! You can't beat that kind of natural white noise.

    I love those types of summer evenings too. We've had an incredibly cool Utah weekend, just perfect for neighborhood fireworks and picnics with family. I love the Fourth.

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  13. Oh what a view! I agree that lazy summer evenings are the BEST. We sat out on the lawn with our kids and neighbors until 9:30 tonight and I loved every minute of it. Enjoy!

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  14. Stunning! I'm absolutely jealous!

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  15. Oh Charlotte, so so so perfect!

    I have my own "in love with summer" post coming later this week. Truly a wonderful time of year.

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  16. My love of summer is only heightened by my hate of winter. Oh how I wish it would last longer. Have a great summer. Wish I could stare at the beach with you. Or hide and eat chocolate.

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  17. Dood... when shall I book the plane ticket to visit you for the summer?

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  18. You nailed that post! Best way to capture the languid beauty of summer I've read.

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  19. I'd have to say that fireflies are what I miss most about living in Missouri. When I went to visit my brother in NY last summer I was able to see some.

    Awesome.

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  20. I so love the picture - oh! the peace I would feel staring at it for hours - so jealous :) hope you had a wonderful time. Naomi.

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