Sunset at the pool, a summer farewell.

// Last night we watched the sunset from the comfort of the pool. I was warm, sitting in a white plastic chair with a book in my hands. My boys, they were a little chilly, splashing around in the water and having a good time.

It felt a little like it might be the last hurrah of summer, if you know what I mean. Kids are now walking around in the cool morning air with brand new backpacks strapped to their backs, creases in their brand new school clothes, smiles on their faces. School zone signs are flashing yellow, warning us to slow down and drive at snail speed through those crosswalks. It's not fall yet, but once school starts it's not summer anymore either, so we find ourselves floating somewhere in that in between seasons. I haven't given up my shorts yet due to the heat, but I'm extremely antsy to start wearing blue jeans. It's the change before the change. The preparation of change, I suppose.

So I've said my farewell to summer this year without shedding a tear. The heat of summer has driven us stir crazy at times, and we will welcome cooler fall weather with open arms. The kind of weather that lets you take leisurely strolls to feed the horses down the road, right in the middle of the day. The kind of weather that doesn't require sunblock at any given time. The kind of weather that you can still wear sandals in, while pairing them with long jeans and a scarf. The kind of weather that elicits a warm mug of something steamy in your hand at all times and let's you sip a hot bowl of soup to warm you up in the afternoon. The kind of weather that wraps you in an aztec patterned throw while you watch a movie and makes you think about wool socks to warm your toes at night. The kind of weather that comes before the sharp cold of a frozen winter. The kind of weather that is nice and kind and cozy.

Although summer was good to us, of course. We had camping trips and boating trips, we pruned in the lake, we ate ice cream by the pool. It was the summer of dirty dr pepper's and late nights at the playground. We missed the demo derbys but made it to a rodeo plus TWO fairs, so. I'd chalk it all up to some good times. Summer is always good to us, and that's why I'll always love it. Even if the heat is more than I can take some days. The heat may be getting harder to bear in my old age (ha!), but there's still something magical about it. I'll always have a summer heart.

There's also something magical about autumn and the holidays, but it's the kind of magic you wouldn't get if you didn't make it through a hot summer first. It all goes hand in hand, don't you think? I love the harsh change of seasons brought in by a moody mother nature that rules our state. Today will be ninety degrees and tomorrow I'll be driving through a canyon full of yellow and red autumn leaves. If you blink you'll miss summer, and if you blink again you'll miss fall, so be careful! Because then you'll be stuck in a never ending miserable winter waiting for spring!

Happy end of summer and happy friday!

xoxo