Those who know me well can tell you that I’m a glass half empty kind of guy.
Actually, it’s more like OH MY GOD, THERE’S ONLY HALF A GLASS OF WATER LEFT! WHAT IF I CAN’T FIND ANYMORE? I’M DOOMED!!
That little tidbit of information will help make more sense of this post. I am, sadly, a man who is prone to looking for the greener grass on the other side of the fence instead of just enjoying the moment.
As somebody who suffers from a severe case of the winter blues, I spend the cold months eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring and summer. In my mind, winter seems to last forever and I spend entirely too much of my life wishing the calendar would hurry up and get to the warmer and sunnier parts of the year.
Which makes the following statement kind of ironic: every year there comes a point when I have had enough of summer. I’ve had enough of the heat, the mosquitos, the heat, pulling weeds, the heat, sky high water and electrical bills and the heat. Have I mentioned I’m not a fan of the heat? Temperatures above the mid-80’s make me miserable, and cause me to develop a case of swamp-ass as soon as I step outside.
I am aware that there are people in this world who need it to be in the 80’s before they can change out of their winter clothes. We have a TV meteorologist here in the Denver area who is like that. I won’t mention any names, but her name rhymes with Lathey Tabine. Her summer weather forecasts have caused me many eye injuries over the years. I’ll be outside on a hot summer day and the sweat will be pouring off my eyebrows like a miniature Niagara Falls. I’ll go in to get some dinner and watch the news. Kath…,uh, Lathey will come on and say “It’s a warm and comfortable 94 degrees outside right now”, and my eyeballs will roll so far back in their sockets the optic nerves get pinched.
(True story: we had a day back in July where the temperatures in the Denver area fell a degree or two shy of 80 degrees. She informed her viewers that it felt “autumnal” outside. My eyes rolled so far back in my head I was able to inspect my cerebral cortex).
Anyway, back to me. Exactly when my summer malaise arrives changes from year to year. Because May and June were so cool and rainy this year the heat really didn’t get going until after the 4th of July. Even then, we had a few days in the low 80’s and upper 70’s scattered throughout July to moderate the misery. The early part of summer was not too bad.
Last year, on the other hand, I was done with summer before we even got to July. That’s because it was a very hot and dry summer. Hell, we had temps hit the 100’s in early June, and my lawn was scorched before we even reached the solstice. It didn’t help that it seemed like half of the American West was on fire because of the drought.
Image by Simon Matzinger from Pixabay
Well, I am here to announce that I have reached the point where I am now done with summer. The long stretch of 90’s has finally gotten to me. The heat has sapped my spirits and I am ready to welcome autumn with open arms.
I’ve spent a lot of time in my garden this year However, in spite of all my efforts, my lawn and garden seems as tired of summer as me. Not much is in bloom right now, the lawn has gone into summer dormancy and the container gardens look like shit. To avoid the heat while working in the yard I have to go outside early in the morning or late in the evening. The temperatures at these times are more tolerable, but that is also when mosquitos prefer to be outside. Mosquitos dislike the heat as much as I do.
It’s not just gardening that has lost its luster, either. By late summer I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm for riding my bicycle. The thought of riding an hour or two in 90+ heat just lacks a certain appeal.
This year I’m a little more motivated than I have been at this point in years past because earlier in the year I signed up for an organized ride in mid-September. If it weren’t for that, I imagine my bicycling doldrums would be in full swing by now.
Hell, sometimes it’s so hot out I don’t even feel like lounging in my hammock.
The good news (for me anyway), is that autumn is just around the corner. My spirits should revive with the cooler temperatures that come with the changing colors. Gardening will become enjoyable again. The lawn will re-awaken from its slumber and green up for several weeks. Autumn plants (such as mums, asters and plumbago) will burst forth in all their glory. My trees and shrubs will begin wrapping themselves in the reds and golds of their autumn raiment.
With the more moderate temperatures, I’ll be more motivated to bicycle again. I’ll be able to to ride more often and go further, and won’t feel so wrung out when I finish. For a few weeks blissful weeks bicycling will be a joy once more.
With all that being said, summer is with us for several more weeks and I will remind myself to enjoy the season as much as is possible (for me). I will endeavor to stay in the moment and try not to wish my life away. For winter will be here all too soon and I will once again be longing these warm summer days.
How about you? Are you also excited for the arrival of autumn, or are you about to go into mourning over the passing of summer?
