Oh for SUMMERTIME in the South!!!

No, I haven’t fallen and bumped my head.  I know, I know, I know…I never say things like that.  The redhead in me causes my skin to burn so easily, only to fade back to pale…no tan (unless you count the ever-merging freckles).  I am not the biggest fan of sweating (although, I have become more accustomed to it with the exercising).  You can always put more clothes on, but you can’t take everything off…in public that is.  I can’t stand Japanese Beetles…frankly, I can’t stand any type of insect.  Summer just plain isn’t my favorite season. 

But, oh, the longing, the lust, the cravings my palate has for the fresh Summertime vegetables and fruit!  The burst of the Bing Cherry as it explodes in your mouth (chocolate dipped of course)…the homemade ice cream as a bit drips from the side of your bowl onto the floor of your back deck…the fresh apples picked at the orchard that very same day…the succulent peach juice running down your lips as you bite into it savoring every bit that hits each tastebud…the fresh out of the oven cobblers and pies…the corn on the cob that you can’t let even one kernel remain on the cob and can’t help but lick each finger clean…(let’s pause a second here and just think about the fresh corn coming soon, mmmmm, cue drool)…the fresh picked peppers gently spicy on the palate…and, last but certainly in no way least, the juicy and meaty tomato sandwich made with a fresh picked vine ripened tomato from your own backyard. 

The sounds of Summertime aren’t to be outdone either.  My ears long for the sound of cherry tomatoes bouncing off the counter because you have an abundant supply…the snap of various fresh veggies being plucked off the vine lovingly…the snip of the rosemary busy…the oven timer as it announces the completion of a masterpiece worthy fresh peach cobbler or apple crisp just like grandma used to make…the water coming from the hose that trickles over every leaf and stem to provide nourishment in our harsh summer heat to our growing vegetables and plants…as much as I dislike the smell (I know, I’m an oddity), the sound of the lawn mower as it carefully gives our lawn a clipping…and the rolling thunder in the distance.

Oh wait!  There’s more…the smells!  I love the smell of fresh chopped cilantro on my fingertips…the smell of the rosemary stickiness still adhered to your fingers hours after a delicious meal…the fresh chopped garlic smell as it wafts through the air lurking into each air duct…the smell of the apple cider vinegar being poured over a bowl of fresh sliced cucumbers with a couple of ice cubes…the smell of the distant rain approaching just as you are begging for it so you don’t have to drag the hose out to water your plants…and oh, oh, oh, oh, oh the smell of the wondrous grill being fired up to assist in preparation of a mouth-watering meal.

Summertime means so much to folks here in the South.  As I hope it does the same for everyone else.  I myself am awakened with appreciation for my surroundings at every moment of the year, but there is something about the Summertime that awakens something deep within my soul.  There are things that I’m not quite fond of when it comes to Summertime, but there are many more beautiful fabulous things that I have no qualms about at all…

When this next Summertime rolls around…stop and take a second, wait…not a second, at least a few minutes, and admire the beauty that God has created for you and I.  It’s there, there for you to enjoy and find peace in.  Summertime provides peace to the mind, warmth to the body, and nourishment for the soul…

Don’t be afraid to drink up what God has blessed you with, it’s good for you…

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