Perfect summer day

Goodness! Yesterday was the perfect late summer day. One of the neighbor girls came over to play for a few hours. She is two and four years older than our kids, but they all played well together the entire time. We had a great supper and spent the remainder of the evening, well past the sun's setting, by our fire pit, enjoying the warmth and light.

Big hot sun

Are we really sneaking-up on mid-August? Oh, it's been a hot, sticky, wonderful summer. The recent visit from out-of-state family was a great highlight and chance to reconnect on life events that have happened since our last time together. Our son mastered riding a bike without training wheels. Our daughter can ramble on a conversation with us, no problem. And Em and I finally got around to hanging a pot rack (of sorts) in the kitchen. The last few days have been refreshingly cool and comfortable, but have reminded me that autumn is approaching and that, quick on its heels, will be winter.

But I also need to remember my own words on the passage of time. No sense thinking about a shorter, colder day tomorrow...there is plenty of sun to soak up today.

Chalk

The $0.97 chalk we purchased is so lightweight that it only lasts a few words before wearing down to your fingertips. I guess you have to spend the extra money for the good stuff. Good thing we bought the big box.

We've had the best weather this week, and the kids have been outside every night...and have gotten to stay up a little later than normal. It's what summer is all about, and our kids are living it. Margo (out of frame) gravitates toward blowing bubbles and riding her bike. Miles likes to spell words and draw roads. Em and I just enjoy the sight of two happy kids playing on a warm summer evening.

The return of bare feet

Gone is the frosted ground. Now is the time for dirt between our toes and sand in the bathtub.

Minnefornia

"We're out there having fun in the warm California sun." ~The Ramones

We have fun in our short, hot Minnesota summers. I spent a good share of time running through a sprinkler when I was a youngster. The near-100-degree days are perfect for that sort of thing.

Em and I enjoyed yet another welcome week off from work following Independence Day. Though we didn't spend our days chilling our bodies with cold water from a hose, we spent some great time together outside biking and working around the yard.

Hope your summers are hot and fun. Cheers!

Summer conversation

Miles: "Bubbo!"
Brian: "That's right, bubble."

Miles: [pointing to a feathered flier] "Beee!"
Brian: "That's a bird. Say birdie."
Miles: "Bebo."
Brian: [laughing] "Close enough."

Brian: "Okay, let's go. Get in."
Miles: "Cai!"
Brian: "Yep, get in the car."

We have these conversations often.

The Games We Play

It's hard to imagine a summer without strange games like bocce, the beanbag toss game and the game to which I don't know the official name where one throws a rope-ball object towards a ladder made of PVC pipe (see the picture). My favorite is bocce, I think because of the primitiveness of it. One hurls a large, heavy sphere at a smaller lighter sphere. The player who's sphere lands closest gets the point. Simple. Very fun. I bet cavemen played a similar game.

Stars and stripes and sun and run

My wife ran very well in the 5K Get In Gear race. After placing 13th out of some 800+ runners, she looked refreshed and said she hadn't run that hard since college cross country. Before the race I was able to walk around Minnehaha Park and got some great pictures of runners warming up, stretching and meditating. But perhaps the best pre-race photo op came with the raising of a giant American flag over the finish line. It was so big it took the ladders of two St. Paul Fire Department trucks to raise it high above the pavement. There was just a light breeze blowing the flag as it was slowly raised. I found the best shot behind the flag looking directly into the sun. It's great to walk into such serendipitous opportunities.