Show By IRIS Along about the middle of January I try to remember what the long golden days of summer were really like and I cant It doesn't see m possible we ever had early mornings with the magpies squawking and the coolness beginning to disperse with the sun or evenings when the neighborhood children rode their bicycles through the lovely dusk or t hot t quiet afternoons when the whole world dozed IN ORDER THEN TO RETAIN as much of summers summer's magic as I can available to be hauled out when the snow sifts down I list the things remembered best There are the sounds of the summer sleepy chIrp of robIns before dawn the flick of sprinklers over the crisp grass the chunk of ice cubes in a metal pitcher and rustling leaves when a breeze springs up I like to listen to the pounding of a quick storm on the streets the sWish of tires as cars are driven through the rain and the carrying voices of children who splash through gutters abruptly full ALMOST A MEMORY IS the drowsy sound of a hand shoved lawn lawnmower mower and I don t know anyone who claims to en the roar of power mowers but I do like to hear the sound of a rake pulled through grass or a thresher comIng up the field behind our lot Summer has many delightful tastes peculiar to the season In spite of the miracle of refrigeration we weI dont don't get watermelon or cantaloupe any other time of I the year nor those delicious firm white grapes that seem to get bigger and better all the time None of the berries taste nearly as good frozen as they do freshly pIcked and tomatoes brought in from the back garden to be sliced and eaten at once are a different he herb heb b altogether than the ones shipped In during winter I didn't know whether tomatoes were a vegetable or a fruit I looked it up and found an herb but now I dont don't know whether herbs are a vegetable or a fruit WE DO EAT DEVILED eggs and potato salad and boiled ham sandwiches during other seasons but they taste different when they are eaten outdoors Maybe its it's the sunshine and the fresh borne air dirt The color of summer is mostly green when I think about it There are trees and grass before they parch to brown and the green of gardens before their harvests ripen I SUPPOSE IF THE LOOKS are primarily green then the Ule feel has to be hot but in this valley we can add to that the feel of evening U If there is anything more delightful than the first chill breeze slapping across the back of a hot neck I dont don't know what it Is Of all the smells of summer I suppose my favorite is a thundershower on dry dirt I 1 regard all things about summer thunderstorms as delightful come to think of the it of laden black clouds sight boiling bolling up the crackle and hiss of lightning and rumble of thunder and finally the rain Itself pouring down in thick silver streaks I know many people who would gladly forego thunderstorms and who during a season when we have many of them keep the dust out from under theIr beds but I love a 3 good vivid thunderstorm I wish we had one I |