Summer Daze

SUMMER DAZE

          Today is one of the Ohio days I wait all winter for:  a glorious summer day with temperatures in the low 80’s, very low humidity and a nearly cloudless sky.  It is a day when there is nothing that HAS to be done inside - no deadlines looming, no appointments pressing, no expectations that I be anywhere or do anything other than what suits me at the moment.  It is for days like this that I wait anxiously through the grayness of December, the extreme cold and snow-cover of February, and the rains of March and April (and this year May).  There are relatively few of these days in my life, but probably more for me than for those unlucky enough to only get 2 or 3 weeks of vacation a year.  This summer it feels like I have more of these days than in previous years, but that may be my imagination or misremembering; or maybe it is accurate because this summer I have fewer responsibilities than I’ve had in previous years – the time of my life that I find myself in, perhaps? 

          It is on these days that I want only to sit on my patio in the shade of my patio tent, with a book I am enjoying, and read, surrounded by colorful blooms, chirping birds and small furry animals snacking under the bird feeders.  I fully realize it is a luxury to have the freedom to do only this if it is what suits me.  At times, a small morsel of guilt creeps in.  I say to myself, “shouldn’t I be doing something productive rather than just sitting here reading a novel that isn’t for school?”  Then I remind myself that relaxation and leisure are productive.  They are restorative.  This is balm for the soul.  Just as the body needs sleep each night to rejuvenate itself, likewise the soul needs rest and relaxation – a lack of responsibility and a lack of “doing”. 

          As I’ve enjoyed my patio and lovely yard this summer, it has occurred to me how different this experience is from the patio and yard of my childhood.  Growing up with my parents, I always lived in the suburbs in a single family home.  The houses always had yards of at least .5 acre or more, with trees and bushes.  The houses also always had cement patios, usually with patio furniture including an umbrella.  Yet, somehow these patios were never inviting to me.  As I think back on it now, I realize that the culture of my family did not relish the environment of the shady outdoor space where nature could be seen and enjoyed.  My family didn’t seem to pay particular attention to the large variety of birds that might visit a feeder or the squirrels or chipmunks that might sneak up to grab a quick drink from the birdbath.  In fact, while we did have flowers on those patios, there were never feeders or birdbaths, and all bugs, birds and “critters” were strongly discouraged from entering the “people space”.   They were unwelcomed intruders that might eat a precious flower blossom or poop on the patio!

          The culture of my family said to me that nature is to be kept separate because it can be dirty.  The 2 houses I lived in from ages 7-18 both had patio doors, but they were “French doors” rather than patio-style sliding glass doors.  The glass windows in them were kept covered, lest the sunlight shine in too much and fade the carpet or upholstery.  The accompanying screen doors were seldom left open because they would let in small bugs that might hide in the draperies and make black marks….. and of course, Gypsy thieves could easily cut their way through a window screen to get in.

          This year, as I consider the prospect of moving to a new home, I realize how much of a priority this inviting outdoor space is to me.  This has become an essential part of my home – of my actual living space.  It is now hard to imagine ever living anywhere that I cannot walk out of a large clear glass door into an outdoor space where I can sit leisurely and enjoy multicolored flowers, a multitude of song birds, and bees walking around on blossoms.

          Today, as the shadows in the back yard lengthen and then disappear with the sunset, I will watch the fairy lights come on, one-by-one, and appreciate this inviting, luxurious space and the fact that I have reached a time in my life when I am able to enjoy it.

7/13/11