Sometimes it’s fun to look back at places and times and things that made life special when I was young. Was it really as great as I remember it? Or has my mind “edited” out the parts that don’t fit in the memory I want to keep?
During the summer, we ate outside more often than we ate in the house. We played until it was almost dark, and then gathered on Daddy’s Marine Corps blanket, in the middle of the back lawn, to live the classics, as Daddy read them to us.
Slowly, gently the earth has warmed,
No chilling wind on this summer day.
Gone is the snow, gone are the clouds,
Sprinklers sprinkle, and children play.
Butterflies, with their regal wings,
Flitter among the pretty flowers.
In the shade of a tree, is a good place to be,
And the children play there for hours.
Daddy pulls out the rusty old barbeque
And, with a wire brush, cleans the grill.
The charcoal is lit, in the dark old pit,
Pleasant summer memories linger still.
Mama’s gone back in the kitchen,
She’s making homemade ice cream.
Summer’s more sublime, Most of the time,
Or that’s just the way it would seem.
Running around in the backyard at dark,
The grass feels velvety between our toes,
Mismatched shirts, over ragged shorts,
Oh, how I loved those summer clothes.
Sitting down to a pleasant summer meal,
Under a blanket of bright, heavenly stars,
Grilled hamburger patties, toasted buns,
And mustard and mayo, right from the jars.
Corn on the cob, with melted butter,
A fresh green salad and olives, too.
It’s all so delicious, but remember:
Save room for lots of ice cream, too!
After supper, when the dishes are cleared,
Gathered on the blanket, it’s time to read,
Daddy’s voice brings alive “Gulliver’s Travels”
What more perfect evening could I conceive?
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