Seals and Croft got it right, “Summer breeze, makes me feel fine, blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”
I love summer and all of it’s glory, the water, the sun, the smell of coconut sunblock, beach towels and vacations. Salt water, fresh water, or chlorinated pool water, it doesn’t matter, each spell a variation of summer.
Taking full advantage of our incredible outdoor surroundings, we have had an indulgent, fantastic summer. We spent a crazy action-packed week with friends at Hoopfest (the world’s largest 3-on-3 street basketball), Silverwood (the local amusement and waterslide park), rafting the Spokane River, picking fruit in the orchards of Green Bluff, riding the Route of the Hiawatha, boating and tubing on the Spokane River, Lake Coeur D’Alene from multiple perspectives, lots of ice cream, lots of food, and a minor league baseball game (Go Indians!). Cheers to you, our friends, for making the adventure possible.
Before we caught our breath, we found ourselves on a road trip destined to crash a Mormon Family Reunion. Top that! We learned our dear friends would be in Southern Idaho, approximately 8 hours away, so the boys and I jumped in the Suburban and headed east, then south, destined for Bear Lake. We ended up in Utah, much further than we planned but who cares! We saw our friends, our kids got together as if a day hadn’t passed and the whole family reunion welcomed us, and fed us. as if we were there own. I have always been a Mormon magnet, in the best of ways. Family values, good food, and lots of laughs, what more do you need? All families are wacky, we fit right in.
On the return trip home, the boys and I took the scenic route through Yellowstone National Park, one of my all-time favorite national parks. Our oldest son was 6 months old the last time we ventured through the park, so 12 1/2 years later, Yellowstone was still a sight to behold. We saw elk and bison and bear, billy goats, and deer. Yellow stones and thermal ponds, bubbling mud and geysers too. Lots of ice cream along the route to keep us cool and sane. We took a photo outside Roosevelt Lodge where their by-gone Grandpa Frankie used to stay. Grandma appreciated the picture of our wiley mutts. In the midnight hours, we made it home, driving a delirious 13 hours that day, worth every minute of our Yellowstone detour.
Honey, if you’re tired, our summer is just half way through.
From our Yellowstone road trip, we regrouped and tended to home affairs. The garden, the animals, oh and yes, work. We had summer camps of Extreme Sports, Videography, a week long YMCA camp at a pristine lake in the woods and a visit with Grandma in Seattle.
Our final summer vacation took us to the majestic state of Montana. We boated and tubed Flathead Lake, aerial adventured and ziplined Big Mountain at Whitefish Resort and explored Glacier National Park. WOW! If that isn’t enough, we shared a camp fire and s’mores with a Harley Davidson biker bunch from Chicago and made great friends with some Canadians! Eh? Yes, you heard me, some good folks from Calgary.
Our daughter transferred to Washington State University this week. She has worked hard and has transferred in as a Junior, studying Elementary Education. I am so proud of her, my girl. She knows school is BAE, before anything else. My heart surges with pride for her wisdom and strength, and lack of entitlement. She has worked hard, knows what she wants to do and has earned the privilege of an education. Go girl!
My garden is a vegetable producing machine, resulting in me putting up pints and quarts of vegetables for summer-in-winter deliciousness. I think of my sister with every harvest, every photo of my great nieces and great nephew, every interaction with her sons. My neighbors stop me every day to tell me how much they enjoy the sight of my garden. My hard work has paid off with my sister in my heart.
The boys refuse to cut their hair and have become wildebeasts of the inland northwest. Mugs only their mother could love, they are adventurous and brave, fun and crazy. Most days I feel they are trying to kill me, though, in reality, they are just being boys,, wild with spirit in their hearts and daredevil in their souls. I do my best to woo the savages with cookies and good food to tame their wild weirdness. My favorite moment of the summer was when the boys declared Dad to be “Scrooge” over me. Dad was confounded and perplexed at the thought! The boys said mom gets mad as hornets but does lots of nice things. Dad just gets mad. You know I love a good victory lap and I took it, laughing the entire way!
As rosey as I paint our summer, it all hasn’t been grand. There have been factors in my life that have sucked the summer breeze right out of my sail, disheartened and derailed my spirit. Because these factors are still on the active attack, I can’t go into further detail; however, as emotional as these instances may be, I am not beaten, I am still in the fight and I will prevail, one way or another. For future reference, be accountable to the words you speak to me. don’t lie, don’t mislead. Be true. Aside from this vague and aggravating issue, that is my expectation of every one in my life – be true, be honorable, be real. Is this really too much to ask?
Summer Breeze, makes me feel fine.
Maybe it’s just the fan.
There is no jasmine in the great inland northwest, but there is jasmine in the memories of my mind.
Our summer provided incredible experiences and unforgettable memories.
The best part? We still have two weeks to go….
multi-hyphenated-me 