Well, it’s finally summertime, and as we roll into that too-short-a-season once again, our minds tend to wander to thoughts of… summer lists? In my mind, summer is the official season for list making. It’s also a time of the year that we hold onto with a zealous grip in Northeast Ohio, and as a result, there are related qualities, sensations and experiences that uniquely define summertime for each of us. Think about it: as soon as the days heat up and the sun stays around a little longer, each of us digs in our subconscious closets for the items, opportunities, and ideas that bring out that summer smile. Sure, we may have a favorite place to get a hot cup of coffee in the depths of February, but do we really look forward to it?
I’m talking about the kinds of things that make your spirits soar and your smile broaden and remind you that you are alive. Maybe you, like me, recently rediscovered that your car’s sunroof actually works, or that mowing the lawn can be a Zen-like experience, or that there are real people living in those other houses on your street. Summer is full of such moments of heightened awareness, moments that we have come to treasure and even to… quantify! Let me try to identify some classic examples, and I encourage you to add your own as we celebrate the (hopefully) glorious summer of 2009!
Top summer/beach books: I like to read all the time, but usually it’s nonfiction. Summer is when I like the frothy stuff: thrillers, messy family epics, broad historical fiction, etc. I love the old west tales of Larry McMurtry, the seafaring epics of Patrick O’Brian, the brilliant book Life of Pi by Yann Martel, and of course, The Soloist by Steve Lopez.
Top movies: Where does one begin? I am a sucker for The Natural with Robert Redford - I will watch it every time! Lawrence of Arabia and Bridge over the River Kwai are my picks for epics, Cinema Paradiso is my favorite foreign film, and this summer I heartily recommend Star Trek and The Soloist (again!)
Top Foods: potato salad, steak on the grill, corn on the cob, the fresh catch of the day, and lots of fruit that is actually ripe for once! I have pretty simple tastes.
Sensations: blue skies, green leaves, the smell of suntan lotion at the beach, feeling the heat of the pavement through your shoes, cutting across the wind on my HobieCat in the afternoon sun, the sound of the ceiling fan lulling you to sleep, or just sounds, period: birds, breeze, music, laughter, thunder, all through the open windows of your house!
Places: Lakeview Cemetery, the end of my dock at sunset on Lake Chautauqua, Cedar Point, Wade Oval, Blossom, Progressive Field, Coventry, and the Outer Banks.
Admit it - you’re probably smiling as you read this and adding your own answers and lists. Please feel free to enlarge these or begin anew. Summer in Ohio is a great gift; I pity those poor folks in Southern California who never realize what they are given every day.
Have a great week!
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