Summer
01/06/14 05:19
Well, it is the first day of June. I remember looking forward to June as a child. June is my birth month. June is the beginning of summer. There were plenty of times in my growing up when June started with rain and cooler weather, but by the end of the month it was dependably warm and we were dressed in cutoff jeans for the rest of the summer. Our summer chores were light and we didn’t have too much structure. We’d build tree houses and play in and around the river, make lunches and head off for day long fishing trips. The fishing opener was usually in May, generally around Mother’s Day, but wee didn’t worry much about having to go fishing on the opening day of season. We had all summer and with a place on the river, we thought we pretty much had the river to ourselves. We saw plenty of other fishermen, but they weren’t much competition, and we knew where you could wade the river and how to get around the various fences and other obstructions. The two miles between our place and where the Boulder joined the Yellowstone weren’t very accessible by car. The best way was to walk. And there were plenty of big trout in that stretch of the river.
Summer was a definite change of pace. That change of pace continued throughout my education. In college I would switch from being a full-time student to having a full-time job during the summer. Most of my summer jobs were fairly-well defined in terms of the number of hours per week. I didn’t have the kind of jobs one has to take home with oneself. I would work and then I had time to myself and my own adventures. When we went away to seminary we would return to Montana and work at a church camp during the summers. The days were much longer at camp and there was always something to do and it was hard to get a day off, but the change of pace was wonderful. And for a small town kid, three months away from Chicago deep in the mountains of Montana 43 miles from the end of the paved road and 25 miles from the nearest phone was a real treat. These days they’ve run the phone lines up to the camp, but they haven’t improved the road much - a decent compromise in my opinion.
We noticed the change in pace that comes with summer when our children were at home. They were on academic schedules and had their summers off from their studies. I remember looking forward to summer when our children were in school. We got more time with them and we always planned at least one grand family adventure. We took trips, went camping and found plenty of adventures to share.
Summer is a little less dramatic these days. Often we take part or all of our vacation during the summer, but we’ve found that many of the things we like to do for vacation lend themselves to other times during the year.
The church does experience a change of pace during the summer. We have fewer meetings and some groups take a month or more off during the summer. But there is plenty of preparation that takes place over the summer and a few big events each summer. This coming week we are hosting the annual meeting of the South Dakota Conference of the United Church of Christ. It will be hectic, with lots of furniture that needs to be moved, crowds of people who will need bits of assistance and plenty of details that need our attention. We’ve been preparing for months and the week is now upon us. After that, there’s a break until Vacation Bible School, and we’ll be taking two weeks’ vacation. We’ll have a new granddaughter to visit and a grandson with whom to share adventures.
So there is still a change of pace in the summer. Of course there are summer chores. Lawn mowing is a bit more predictable than snow shoveling, and in general it takes a bit more time. I need to clear about 2 hours each week for that chore. I don’t really mind and I need the exercise. There are plenty of outdoor repairs that need to be accomplished. And the summer rummage sale invites a round of decluttering.
C. Tobias and H. Carste wrote a song that comes to my mind each year. I don’t think I ever learned all of the words. Nat King Cole used to sing it:
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer Those days of soda and pretzels and beer Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Around here our days aren’t really lazy and our weather is seldom hazy and as for crazy, I guess that is a matter of opinion. Soda and pretzels and beer are all too high in calories and filled with things that I don’t need. Around here it is more water and ice tea and maybe a few burgers and brats on the grill. I guess the song doesn’t really fit the way we live our lives.
The song ends with the words, “You’ll wish that summer could always be here.” I don’t really share that sentiment. I like all of the seasons of the year around here and I don’t exactly have a body type that is made for summer. Most people look at me and think, Umm . . . Eskimo. My hair color is about the same as snow these days and it never was black, but my body shape carries plenty of extra fat for the lean cold days of winter.
Still, there are a few fun things to look forward to this summer and the change of seasons and change of pace will keep us hopping. We’ll get a few camping trips in and I’ll get the boats out on the water.
Go ahead and roll out those lazy, crazy, hazy days. I’m ready for summer.
Summer was a definite change of pace. That change of pace continued throughout my education. In college I would switch from being a full-time student to having a full-time job during the summer. Most of my summer jobs were fairly-well defined in terms of the number of hours per week. I didn’t have the kind of jobs one has to take home with oneself. I would work and then I had time to myself and my own adventures. When we went away to seminary we would return to Montana and work at a church camp during the summers. The days were much longer at camp and there was always something to do and it was hard to get a day off, but the change of pace was wonderful. And for a small town kid, three months away from Chicago deep in the mountains of Montana 43 miles from the end of the paved road and 25 miles from the nearest phone was a real treat. These days they’ve run the phone lines up to the camp, but they haven’t improved the road much - a decent compromise in my opinion.
We noticed the change in pace that comes with summer when our children were at home. They were on academic schedules and had their summers off from their studies. I remember looking forward to summer when our children were in school. We got more time with them and we always planned at least one grand family adventure. We took trips, went camping and found plenty of adventures to share.
Summer is a little less dramatic these days. Often we take part or all of our vacation during the summer, but we’ve found that many of the things we like to do for vacation lend themselves to other times during the year.
The church does experience a change of pace during the summer. We have fewer meetings and some groups take a month or more off during the summer. But there is plenty of preparation that takes place over the summer and a few big events each summer. This coming week we are hosting the annual meeting of the South Dakota Conference of the United Church of Christ. It will be hectic, with lots of furniture that needs to be moved, crowds of people who will need bits of assistance and plenty of details that need our attention. We’ve been preparing for months and the week is now upon us. After that, there’s a break until Vacation Bible School, and we’ll be taking two weeks’ vacation. We’ll have a new granddaughter to visit and a grandson with whom to share adventures.
So there is still a change of pace in the summer. Of course there are summer chores. Lawn mowing is a bit more predictable than snow shoveling, and in general it takes a bit more time. I need to clear about 2 hours each week for that chore. I don’t really mind and I need the exercise. There are plenty of outdoor repairs that need to be accomplished. And the summer rummage sale invites a round of decluttering.
C. Tobias and H. Carste wrote a song that comes to my mind each year. I don’t think I ever learned all of the words. Nat King Cole used to sing it:
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer Those days of soda and pretzels and beer Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer
Around here our days aren’t really lazy and our weather is seldom hazy and as for crazy, I guess that is a matter of opinion. Soda and pretzels and beer are all too high in calories and filled with things that I don’t need. Around here it is more water and ice tea and maybe a few burgers and brats on the grill. I guess the song doesn’t really fit the way we live our lives.
The song ends with the words, “You’ll wish that summer could always be here.” I don’t really share that sentiment. I like all of the seasons of the year around here and I don’t exactly have a body type that is made for summer. Most people look at me and think, Umm . . . Eskimo. My hair color is about the same as snow these days and it never was black, but my body shape carries plenty of extra fat for the lean cold days of winter.
Still, there are a few fun things to look forward to this summer and the change of seasons and change of pace will keep us hopping. We’ll get a few camping trips in and I’ll get the boats out on the water.
Go ahead and roll out those lazy, crazy, hazy days. I’m ready for summer.