Is it summer yet?

Technically summer doesn't begin until June 21st, but how do you gauge the seasons changing for you? Does it feel like summer because yesterday was Memorial Day and near 90 degrees? Is it because the kids are getting anxious for school to be ending soon? Do you have your pool prepped for the warm weather? Are your flowers planted? Did you get your first taste of a sunburn this past weekend trying to do it all?

My kids are no longer in school, but I did play outdoors and take a sunny walk with my grandchildren. I did outdoor work and got some sun on just one side of my body (I guess I was facing the shrubs longer than I thought with the sun settling on my shoulders). I watered my flowers, read a bit on my patio, listened to an outdoor band, and took a slow walk on a board walk by the water in St. Clair, MI.

Suddenly the month of May has gone by in a blur and tomorrow will be the start to the month of June. In my mind the summer consists of three short months (June, July, and August). Why is it though that back in the winter it seemed like it would take forever for summer to arrive? Now that it's here it will fly by just as fast as spring did. Is there a way to slow down the clock? Oh, there are some days when I wish that were possible.

What are your plans for the summer? Sadly if we don't make the plans now it'll be September in the blink of an eye and once again we will miss out on all those wonderful summer events and outings we thought we would participate in. Make the time! Take the walk outside after dinner. Read on your patio instead of on the couch. Take the trip you've been thinking about. Visit the parks, the lakes, the train depots, the gardens that inspire you, and your family. You can't get the time back once it's passed you by so make the most of it now.

I know it's hard. There are always schedules, work responsibilities, and To Do lists; but the truth of the matter is that those things will never go away. There will never be the perfect time. There won't always be a next year. Just listen to news. As difficult as it sometimes is, try harder to live in and appreciate the present. I know this is hard for me, but I'm realizing that it's time to appreciate and value the present even more.

When We Ignore The Signs

Some things in life are predictable; that most times we will buy a losing lottery ticket, at some point our fast food drive thru order will be incorrect, you'll undoubtedly get stuck some time in traffic behind a school bus or a cement truck, and yes ... you'll forget that the sun shines just as brightly on a 60 degree day as it does on an 85 degree day.

That last part about the strength of the sun would be for me. I spent my long Memorial Day holiday doing yard work; planting flowers, planting shrubs, getting our yard ready for summer. By the time Memorial Day came around I was exhausted. I woke up Monday morning determined to NOT do anything that involved physical labor. I opted to treat myself to sitting out on my patio listening to my wind chimes, watching the birds frolic in the birdbath, reading a new book, and just sitting there feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. The last month has had a lot of rain and grey skies; it's been gloomy to say the least. I think I truly forgot what an afternoon in the sunshine felt like. The temperature was only in the mid 60s, but the sun felt warm and the clear sky looked like hope ... hope that the gloomy rain might be behind us and hope that there was a promise of an approaching summer.

So how was my afternoon? It was grand. It was relaxing. It was quiet. I finished my book (something I don't often have the opportunity to do). It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Sadly, a few hours later I realized I had totally ignored the signs; the ones that should have been obvious to me. I'm still Irish and fair skinned, with more than my share of freckles. The sun on a clear 65 degree day was going to be just as powerful as a full out summer sun. Today my arms and legs are as red as a lobster. It will fade, but will I have learned my lesson? Gosh, I hope so.

Things happen when we ignore the signs. When a speed limit sign says 55 mph, it's more than a suggestion. When we go 70 mph in a 55 mph zone, we are asking for trouble. When we eat a food that we know will bother our stomach or we are allergic to, we are ignoring the signs and asking for something to go wrong. And yes, when the sky is clear and the sun is bright, we are asking for discomfort if we don't properly prepare ourselves. Obviously I needed to apply more sun screen than I did. Obviously I needed to pace myself more than I did. I really needed to pay attention to the signs. My only excuse was that 'the book was REALLY good', lol.

I will be uncomfortable for a few more days, but hopefully I will pay better attention the next time.

When is the last time you ignored a sign? 

What was it? 

Did you learn from your mistake?