summer nights

I have to say, of all the seasons, summer is my favorite. As much as I love the change of seasons and the excitement that comes with it, it is summer that suits me best. The days are slower, the sun is out, the windows are open and there are a million opportunities to go outdoors and play. I love that I don't have to bundle up before heading outdoors, wear real shoes or worry about the weather. I love the hum of insects in the flowers and even the humidity we get just about everywhere in the South.

Most of all, though, I love summer evenings. It is so nice to leave work while the sun is still in the sky and have hours of soft light left in the day. There is something so relaxing about getting home and opening the windows, lighting the candles and cutting up an avocado for dinner. This summer I seem to be spending a lot of time on the patio, reading books and enjoying the warm air. Beulah moseys in and out the open door between the living room and garden, her little toenails clicking on the floor. I leave the lights in the living room off until I come in so as to not attract too many bugs. You can hear the traffic from the road nearby a bit and people going in and out of the doors of nearby condos, but those sounds are muffled by birds who seem to stay up awfully late and squirrels running up and down tree trunks, talking to each other in the branches. Once it is finally dark outside and I'm done for the evening, sleep is so much more peaceful because of the time spent relaxing without the television going or the stress I the long cold walks Beulah and I take in the winter.

If I had my way summer would never end.