August

 

August reminds us to go to that park, grill steaks, brats, and burgers along with fresh corn on the cob.

 August pushes toward one more time at the beach, community swimming pools, and running through sprinklers in the front yard.

 It’s when summer camps end, adolescent memories for a lifetime are made. The excitement of buying new “back to school” clothes, shoes, notebooks, markers, pens and pencils – depending on your grade, a new multi-function calculator, protractors and compasses. An FYI here: I graduated from high school in 1989, I know, I know, I’m entering my crone phase of life, but I’m not sure how all of the newest technology fits into this.

 If you are starting your senior year in high school, you likely had your senior pictures taken earlier this summer and start exchanging them with your closest friends first.

 August gives us at least one or two weekends for camping at the county park, one or two chances to swim in the lake, get ice cream from the camp ground store, finally summon up the courage to swim out to the sandbar and stand up in the water only mid-thigh high.

It’s one more chance to hear the woodpeckers battling tree bark, mourning doves cooing at sunset, which is noticeably earlier than it was at graduation in early June.

August weekends become the way of counting down the number of kids hanging out at High Cliff on bright Sunday afternoons
who start floating away, the only thing left is their impression in the dewy grass.