This post is in response to the WordPress one word daily prompt: Summer
Ah…… summer. This seems to be the year for Hydrangeas which always scream summer for me. Ours are in full bloom and never looked prettier. Isn’t it wonderful that our glorious God gives us such magnificent beauty to enjoy? Last night my husband and I had his parents over to spend some quality time on Father’s Day. They are 84 and soon to be 87. I love my in-laws dearly and enjoy spending time with them. We grilled chicken and had corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, green shelly beans, yeast rolls and iced tea (with lemon of course)! We sat on our back porch watching lightning bugs light up the backyard and feeling grateful for a nice gentle breeze at the end of a hot summer day. It was heavenly. For dessert, we ate a big bowl of my husband’s homemade strawberry ice cream (I do believe it was the best he has ever made).
Summer always brings back fond memories of childhood.
- My mother getting out the “summer clothes” to see if my sisters and I could still fit in the shorts we had worn the previous year or if some shopping was in order
- Playing in the backyard sprinkler…. even the dog joined in and had as much fun as all the kids
- Catching lightning bugs in jars with neighborhood friends, then having a sleepover where we would put the jars by our beds
- Swimming, swimming and more swimming
- Sunburns
- Long days spent at Opryland Theme park
- Strolls in the woods
- Sweet tea with lemon
- Neighborhood Kool-Aid stands and bake sales
- Neighborhood games of flashlight tag, tether-ball, softball and kickball
- The Great Tennessee Airshow and growing up watching The Blue Angels and The Thunderbirds
- Fourth of July picnics and watching displays of fireworks
- Camping out under the stars
- The smell of Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil
- Sunbathing and applying baby oil with a few drops of iodine (does anyone remember the purpose of the iodine)?
- Riding bikes
- Roller skating
- Charlie the Popsicle man
- Walking to the local library with friends and then walking back home carrying large stacks of books that we couldn’t wait to read
- Climbing trees
- My dad picking fruit from his beloved Nectarine tree in the back yard
- Barefoot days and stepping on bees
- Making clover chains
- The smell of mimosa blossoms
- Honeysuckle
- Ice cream cones on hot summer days and walking to the
Dipper Dan ice cream parlor with friends - Days spent at the airport with my father watching planes take off and land, exploring the cockpits of jet planes and going up for airplane rides
- Summer vacations to Florida
- Lazy summer nights in backyard patio chairs under Japanese lanterns enjoying time with much-loved neighbors
Happy Summer!
Gail ♥
Moonlight Reflections 
I loved this post! It reminded me of things in my childhood. We have a lot in common in general.
Thanks! And nice to meet you!
I think when you grew up in the southeast in the 70s going to Opryland and to Panama City was a requirement. I spend a lot of time at both places, too.
Yes, I think you’re right. We lived 5 minutes from Opryland so my mother always bought me and my sisters season passes to the park. And I remember they were only $25 back then!
Your hydrangeas are gorgeous! What a beautiful shade of blue. Happy Summer!
Thank you! Happy Summer to you too!
Oh, Gail I have many of the same summer memories and it saddens me that children growing up now miss so many of them, either by choice as they spend so much time inside on video games, etc or because parents must protect them from this crazy mixed up world we live in.w
Very true Wendy. I saw a judge comment on TV last night how rare it is to see kids playing outside these days because they would prefer to stay inside with all their electronic devices!