I don’t know about your summer, but mine flew by too fast. With the onset of Labor Day, and the leaves of birch trees turning slightly yellow, I’m presenting my first annual “Summer Rating” column.
I don’t have a Farmer’s Almanac chart or anything official, only the memory of an ideal summer which happened when I was 18. Of course it’s a bit high as standards go, so I’ve made some revisions to include features of an “Ordinary Ideal Summer.”
.Weather: As North Shore summers go, this was pretty average. Enough sun…enough rain… not too many cold days. Although we suffered a blitzkrieg of a lightning storm in July, we were lucky. Duluth lost a myriad of beautiful trees on that same night.
.Golf: Did not spend enough time playing or practicing. No excuse for not getting out my wedge and improving that skill right in my back yard. No longer able to claim status as a novice golfer, I still experienced tons of fun and laughed a lot while golfing but by mid- July, no longer kept score. Since then, I’ve really had a good time out on the links.
.Gardening: Except for tomatoes refusing to ripen, this year’s garden is a success. Tons of sugar snap peas, huge raspberries and a very promising crop of potatoes and carrots. Oh yes, and several turnip plants went crazy.
.Deck lounging: Just the right amount of warmth for sitting this year. Soft breezes kept away mosquitoes and allowed me to spend many evenings relaxing with a book, sitting at my small glass-topped patio table enjoying the summer twilight.
.Outdoor exercise: Eh. Started late in July and am trying to walk a longer distance each day. Can’t say I’ve won any prizes, but am up to half a mile?
.Baseball watching: Another disappointment year watching the Twins. Once again, I’m thinking of rooting for another team—the Kansas City Royals, maybe.
.Amount of flip-flop wearing time: Excellent. I actually bought an extra pair.
.Swimming: I don’t swim, but had a blast watching two of my grandchildren swim and splash off the dock and the other one parade back and forth from the house to the lake, changing her ensemble numerous times.
.Wild animal sightings: A huge black bear hung out on the South Shore Drive as witnessed by several neighbors who saw it up close and personal. Dick also spotted the beast crossing the road and reported that it is as gigantic as everyone says.
All in all, I’d rate this as a good summer and am almost ready to see the leaves turn color and feel autumn’s nip in the air. Almost.
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