The Hissing of Summer Lawns

These days summer only seems to bring a hotter version of what already goes on during the rest of the year, but once in awhile I'm reminded of the reasons why I still love it. Suntanned skin and the smell of Coppertone. The sound of grass being mowed and the swishing sound of a broom as it clears away the green clippings. The smell of meat on a grill. The aqua-blue jolt of a swimming pool. The warm mucky scent of a lake or the briny aroma of sand and sea. Shells in a bucket. Ceiling fans. Reading a book on a porch swing. Gratitude for the trees that cast their long shadows over the driveway and herald the coolness of the evening. Baseball or softball. Shaved ice. Lemonade, homemade ice cream and summer salads. Popscicles. Sprinklers...and yes (thank you, Joni Mitchell)...the hissing of summer lawns.

What is summer to you?

Comments

[canknitian]

Cool rain on hot pavement.

Bare feet on the lawn.

Freckles...EVERYWHERE!

Sunscreen.

Road trips.

My beach weekend with friends.

Line-dried bedding.

The smell of a campfire.

The intoxicating smell of the ocean. I love rolling down the window as soon as we make the last turn off for the beach and filling my lungs with that perfect air!

Driving at night with the windows down. Dark and cool, but so comfortable!

Barbecued hot dogs.

[dodo]

summer is kids in the paddling pool, cats lying in the shade of the lavender bush, commuting on a stinky victorian no air con london public transport system, the sound of lawn mowers,too charred bbq food, hayfever, burnt nose, long cool showers, something else for Brits to complain about!

[Antique Mommy]

All of those things.... the smell of raindrops on hot pavement and the morning smell different in summer and it's noisier too - not quiet and still like in February.

[Ortizzle]

Right now it's the smell of paint, the graininess of tile grout... just kidding. But not.

More traditional summer things: juicy watermelon, flip flops, long lazy days, spontaneous excursions to nowhere in particular, sending post cards to the unlucky who are not on vacation...

[Claire]

I can't think of anything more beautiful to say about summer that you haven't already said! Except maybe lightning bugs - I love those guys.

[Loving Annie]

Those were good, Wordgirl. Happy Monday to you !

Summer is.... roses in bloom, air conditioning, the smells of baking in the kitchen, short-sleeved t-shirts, appreciation for the shade that trees throw, memories of swimming and ice cream heath bars...

[Loving Annie]

p.s. I have to tell you that your word verification is almost impossible for me to read.
It's a blurry gray box with faint black lettering.
Most days I have to do it 2 or 3 times beore I can decipher it correctly.
Does anyone else have this problem ??? Grrrrrr.

[daysgoby]

home-made lemonade, forgotten popsicles melting in the sun, wet dogs, drying off after swimming in the hot sun with an already damp towel. Lightning-bug tag at dusk. Putting up the big tent so the kids can pretend to sleep out. The smell of barbeques and hot dogs like a perfume on the air. The hot smell of the pavement.

[slouching mom]

Summer, for the city girl that I still am, will always be the opening of fire hydrants and the full, welcome sound of the release of all that cooling water.

[Pendullum]

Frogs blurping...
Birds chirping,
Waves
Spashing,
Kids giggling,
Ice cream truck songs,
Fires crackling,
And the taste of burnt marshmallows...

[Fold My Laundry Please]

For me, summer has always been summer reading programs at the library, free family movies at the local theater, and swimming...lots and lots of swimming, fireworks and flags waving and, of course, buying brand new school supplies at the end of it!

[Tink]

Night strolls along the beach
Floating down the river
Vacations
Constant mowing
Open windows
Daily sunscreen on my farmer's tan
Butterflies and Fireflies

[V-Grrrl]

sandals and worn jeans

remembering how it felt to fall in love

Honeysuckle

Running for miles and miles in the Virginia heat, blessing every patch of shade

Hanging out with Vicky at a local pub

Lying down on warm rocks after swimming in a cold river

[Gina]

I live in Southern California, where it is summer all the time now, didn't you know? ;)

I would have to say going to the pool and being able to go into the ocean up to my waist without freezing my buns off.

[Nils]

I loved this post - as always. Rather than chew up space here, I've bitten the bullet and responded with a post of my own ...

[Nance]

I'm a teacher. Summer is no bells.

[sheryl]

cherries, nectarines

long walks before sunset that last well past dusk

100% cold water showers

sex on the beach

[platypus]

Our summer this year is so far non-existant, with flooding, thunderstorms and an insane amount of rain. It should be:

The smell you get when it's rained on hot concrete

Freshly mowed lawns

That outdoor smell you get when you can dry clothes outside

Barbeque smoke

Oh, I want summer back!

[Her Bad Mother]

Warm rain. Ice cream. Ice-cream *trucks*. Cherries. Suntan lotion (whoops - sunSCREEN.)

[Loving Annie]

Happy Wednesday to you, Wordgirl !

[elise]

Ahh, those word pictures and smells were EVOCATIVE! Well done! When it's the middle of winter I am going to come back to this post and read it, just for the feeling it gives :)

Love summer things.

[Arabella]

Summer is lightning bugs, bare feet, bare shoulders, that wonderful feeling when you're sweaty and feel that first blast of cold air from the A/C, shrimp on the grill, and pina coladas.

This post makes me happy. Well done.

[jen]

beautiful. homemade pesto, the noise of fans at nighttime, art festivals in the sun.

[DebbieDoesLife]

Right this minute it means wistfully thinking of snorkeling in the Adriatic Sea...and being dreadfully jet-lagged.

Summer means usually:

tender, pink shoulders
the smell of coconut (pina coladas? suntan lotion?)
bright colored towels hanging over the backs of the kitchen chairs
the smell of meat cooking on the grill

[L.A. Daddy]

I can't smell anymore, but I always thought the smell of cut grass was the ultimate sign of summer. And I like the click-click-click-ssssssssptht! sounds of sprinklers.

I also miss summer thunderstorms. We don't get those out here.