After an almost sort of spring, it feels like summer definitely made its presence known this weekend.
Although it would be a huge stretch to call me “outdoorsy,” inasmuch as that word entails camping and/or vigorous recreational activities, which are very much not my scene, I do like being outdoors when the weather is pleasant. I get cold easily, so I am usually uncomfortable in movie theaters or office buildings or other places where the AC is cranked way up, and I love feeling sunshine on my shoulders.
When I can, I like to take my laptop outside and work in the courtyard instead of my office. But I’m not doing that now. It’s only mid-May, but sitting in the courtyard doesn’t feel so much like a pleasant change of scenery as it does an actual personal attack by the sun.
The little corner of my porch, where I like to sit and read or sip my morning coffee or evening glass of wine, is suddenly not quite as welcoming – the mosquitoes were one thing, and the termites were another, but now I’m unbearably hot and sweaty even early in the morning.
Dining al fresco sounds so romantic – and it is, maybe October through April. But an outdoor meal is not enjoyable when you can feel sweat dripping down your back and your salad is warm and the ice in your ice water melts within minutes.
I know this is just an adjustment period. In a few weeks, I’ll be used to this heat, and by late July, our current temperature would feel mild in comparison. (By late July, I only venture out of my house to go to work or get sno-balls.)
But right now, I’m lamenting the loss of my outdoor spaces.
I will fill the void with a celebration of all things summer, though: Creole tomatoes, roadside stand peaches, blueberries from the you-pick farm, water balloons, beach trips, lemonade, Pimm’s Cups, watermelon, grilled sweet corn … and of course, lots and lots of sno-balls.
