Gentle Reader,
Apropos of nothing, a little poem I wrote the other night:
Mountain and meadow,
Sunlight and shadow,
All made to glorify TheeBirds here, beasts there
Fauna tall, flora fair
Every one singing of TheeChild’s laugh to old man’s sigh
Calendar pages flying by
Humanity aching for Thee
It’s the five-minute flash write with the fabulous people. We: play.
Go.
All these pretty happy shiny people with their pretty shiny happy Instagram posts, loving summer.
My disdain for you knows no bounds.
That’s not really true. There are people for all seasons and seasons for all people. This isn’t mine. Which is odd. Because I was born in August. The hottest month of the year around these parts.
Summer is the time for extroverts, I think. They get to go out and play in all the groups with all the noise and all the mess. Me? I’m sitting inside, by my air conditioning unit, sulking. Waiting ever-so-impatiently for late September and the slide into non-tortuous temperatures. For rain and boots and scarves and crisp mornings that beckon one out into the glorious, changing expanse.
I hate summer. People get depressed in winter; me, I feel low in the haze and the heat. Yes, I’ll go play with you for awhile. I’ll swim or enjoy a ride in a boat. I’ll certainly eat ice cream. I do love to garden. But after an hour – I’m done. It’s over. I’m sweating and sticky and my facial expression is involuntary, major side-eye. The great she-crab just wants to retreat into her shell. (Do crabs do that? Probably not).
How glad I am, as Anne Shirley was, that we live in a world where October exists.
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues– Cochran & Capehart
Stop.
Marie, First of all, I love your poem. Beautiful!! Your post about play reminds me of my son. He feels much happier in the cooler, cloudier days. He says he feels safer. Me? Summer is my happy place. It’s interesting that our differing personalities are drawn to different seasons. Is there an Enneagram for that? 🙂
LikeLike
I totally get what he means by feeling safer! I think it’s about layers; you get to wear cozy sweaters and coats. You feel more protected. When it’s hot, you wear as little as possible and that definitely makes me feel exposed.
It would be really interesting to know if any research has been done on personality types and their seasonal preferences. *off to Google that*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Marie, one of my other friends loves the scents and sounds of fall too. I am glad that you enjoy some ice cream in the summer though. I honestly am a lover of all seasons. I’m in the 5 spot this week.
LikeLike
You’re such a pleasant person, Tara. I mean that as a sincere compliment. I appreciate your sunny disposition. We grumps need people like you in our lives. 🙂
LikeLike
I hear you, Marie! I learned through long exposure to ‘deal with’ inclement weather, but as one of the Vulcan dudes on Star Trek once said, “one should not mistake composure for ease”.
Your neighbour at FMF this week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/07/your-dying-spouse-333-from-humiliation.html
LikeLike
Ooooo. I like that quote.
LikeLike
Spring. That’s my season. Although Autumn runs a close 2nd. I’m not fond of extremes but ‘d rather have the heat than that nasty 4 letter word that begins with S and ends with W. 😉
LikeLike
Haha! I’m so used to snow that I get sad if we don’t have any during December and January. I really would rather deal with the drifts and ice than the stream of sweat currently making its way down my spine. Blech.
LikeLike
Leave it to Marie to just ‘put it out there.’ That’s why I love you, girl!
LikeLike
Well, you know. That’s how I roll. ❤
LikeLike
“There are people for all seasons and seasons for all people.” Truth! I love fall in Texas. I do miss the snow of Colorado. I could probably NEVER live in Chicago – utter fear of being trapped under a white blanket of snow. I like visiting your blog, Marie. You remind me so much of one of my closest friends. xx I’m at #31 this week!
LikeLike
Dumb question: does Texas have fall?
The hubs goes to Chicago once a year for a work thing. Every time he comes back he says, “I am not a city guy.” For that, I am so thankful! I don’t think I could handle living anywhere that doesn’t have some space to breathe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We do. It lasts about a week. Lol!
LikeLike
Marie, I love your poem. And I thoroughly enjoyed reading your view of {play} though I don’t agree. I’d rather be hot and sweaty than cold and shivering. Ha ha and I was born in December (in California). I’m so grateful there is a season for everyone and everyone for a season! Bless you as you feast on joy next to AC!
LikeLike
“Bless you as you feast on joy next to AC!”
This is the best blessing that anyone can give me in the summer. Thank you, Lisa!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You should come to Scotland- we don’t get much of a summer here! 🙂 I do enjoy it when we get summer weather because it tends not to last long, but I don’t enjoy being too hot for very long.
LikeLike
We got to visit Scotland, Edinburgh specifically, for a few days back in 2009. I loved it! We climbed to the top of Edinburgh Castle on an overcast, windy, late summer day. Perfect for me!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I appreciate your sense of humor and laughed out loud at the vivid images you painted with your words. Thanks. Visiting from FMF.
LikeLike
That makes me happy, to know that you laughed. Humor is a gift!
LikeLike
Well I hope you can use that air conditioned time for reading some good books…. That’s what I love about summer! :). Happy Friday to you!
LikeLike
I am indeed whiling away some hours with books. I signed up to review new titles with three different groups, so I’ve got new stuff coming my way all the time. It’s fun!
LikeLike
This made me smile.
First, I enjoyed your poem before the post.
Reminded me of a poem I might find in my mom’s old time children’s prayer book.
Second, though I can’t relate to feeling the same way you do about summer, I know it’s true for many people.
It is the season for extroverts and outdoor enthusiasm mixed with heat tolerance.
I love sweaters and boots, but I hate having to bundle up!
I like your real thoughts here and it’s nice to know that while I experience the November blues, you’re thriving there.
LikeLike
Somer, I’m so sorry that you experience the winter blues. Depression – clinical, situational or seasonal – is awful. I’m going to jot down a note on my calendar, to begin praying for you when the days get short and the temperatures drop.
LikeLike
While I do love South Florida, the summer months (with go through half the year here) are tortuous. The humidity level is out of control and if I’m not by a pool, ocean of in a boat, yep, I’m inside with the a/c too. I hear you. I can enjoy the view quite nicely from inside 🙂 Thanks for your honesty. Love that!
LikeLike
I can’t even imagine what my hair would do in humidity like that. I’d either look like a wet poodle or Shirley Temple with a bad case of frizz. No in between. Spare your hair and enjoy that view! 🙂
LikeLike
Marie,
oh the beauty of all the seasons! I sympathize that the heat of summer is my least favorite part. As a school teacher, though? I am so thankful for the summer! And, oh how I wish I could have met you at the ocean’s shore on your summer vacation. Perhaps a future rendezvous will be available sometime.
I remember long summer hikes in the mountains away from people and away from the busy pace of the city.
I remember watching the summer storms erupt over the long plains of South Dakota.
There is beauty in the summer, but again, I sympathize as a fall baby, that I am not made for the heat.
So so glad you stopped by!
Love,
Tammy
(#62 this week)
LikeLike
Hi, Marie, your post made me smile so wide. The crab retreating into its shell, Anne Shirley and Octobers, and all the while you still don’t mind a good swim, boat ride, or ice cream. You know yourself well and wear it confidently, and as you know, I admire that so so much and hope to be as ok with myself as you are some day. So much love:)
LikeLike
Oh, Marie! You’re my kind of people. I miss my hubby terribly, but I’m staying in Alaska as long as I can. He can swelter in the 100-degree temperatures (which is actually unusual for where we live in Arizona). A perfect summer day gets to 68 or so…maybe. I, too, hole up inside next to the AC when it’s warmer than 70. I, a Pacific Northwesterner, ended up marrying an island boy. Sigh.
LikeLike
Summer is the worst! Haha! I’m looking forward to fall too.
LikeLike