10 on the 10th: July!

First things first! Welcome back to Leslie!!! I am absolutely over the moon Leslie is back after a brief hiatus from blogging! I have only “known” Leslie for a brief time, but we have become quite good friends. I was glad to be able to continue this series, but I am even more glad Leslie is back to co-hosting! Next, Gail, of Is This Mutton?, is also joining us! I have said it many times, and I will probably continue to say it…blogging is a wonderful way to “meet” new people!

July’s prompt…

When I came up with this idea way back in the early spring, I had no idea what I even meant by it! July is a bit like February, isn’t it? I mean, we do have Canada Day on the first, the Fourth of July, Bastille Day on the 14th, and Mandela Day on the 18th. But, with these few exceptions, the other “holidays” in July are kind of in that make-up-a-day category, right?

Summer and education…

Now, if you’re a teacher, July is also the time when you’re starting to think about going back to school even though you’ve just barely gotten out for the summer. Students in my neck of the woods will be back in school before the end of July…July 28th to be exact! Poor kids! They don’t know the luxury of starting school after Labor Day and ending before Memorial Day! That may not make any sense to those of you reading outside the United States, but it’s basically starting the first Tuesday in September and ending before the last Monday in May. We also didn’t make up snow days! But, I digress!

Back to the topic…

I am defining Summer as the time from June to September and completely ignoring the Summer Solstice! Here in Central Indiana Summer may start in April and last through October. Or, it may start in May and end in August. You never know. Right now, we have been dealing with higher than normal temperatures and high humidity…so, it’s a wet heat (if you know, you know)!

My list, in no particular order…

•  One thing I love about summer is the shade cast by trees. I truly have a love affair with trees. I especially love birch clumps when the bark peels off. And, there is nothing like sitting under a weeping willow with a drink and a cookie or two. My one and only weeping willow was chopped down seven years ago (yes, I’m still upset about it). When we moved to this house, we had one spindly maple tree in the front yard. We now have five trees in the backyard including one of those dastardly pear trees you aren’t supposed to plant anymore. I love how that pear tree and the river birch, combined with my hibiscus bushes, have created this shady haven in the corner of the yard.                                                                                                                                                    
• My second summer love is the abundance of colors.  Everywhere you look, there is color!  You can find an array of pinks, purples, yellows…all the colors of the rainbow!  And, where are these colors contained?  Well, they’re in flowers, of course!  Usually, I plant several pots of different kinds of flowers…wax begonias, non-stop begonias, impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, geraniums, and marigolds.  I also planted canna lilies last year.  The package said assorted colors, but every one of mine was orange (or were they yellow…I can’t remember).  I didn’t plant anything this summer, and it is hard!                                                                                                              
• The next thing I love about summer is my teacher friends are available for fun!  What kind of fun you ask?  Well, you can read about my recent girls weekend here!  I miss being with these two women on a regular basis, but when we get together the talking is nonstop!                      
• I think my next love about summer is the laid back atmosphere of the time.  It may be just me, but it seems like everyone is just the teensiest more relaxed and more open to going with the flow.  Again, that may just be me!  After all, I pretty much have summer all year long when it comes to having to work!                                                                                     
• Any other year, I might also include going to the pool as a summer love.  My kids used to swim on a summer league so the pool was always a part of our summer.  Now, when I talk about the pool, it is the neighborhood pool.  I’m an introvert and enjoy being by myself.  But, going to the pool by yourself is not my cup of tea!  And, my swimsuits are all packed away in who knows which box!

That’s only five…

Now, we come to the part where you learn what a strange person I am!  I do not like summer itself in any way, shape, or form!  I don’t need summer vacation since I’m on permanent vacation.  I don’t have to worry about running out of days because all my days are mine!  I have never been a fan of summer.  My mom would always try to get me to go outside.  Instead, I would rather be inside reading a book!  I know this seems to be in direct opposition to most of the things I love about summer since most of them involve the outdoors!  I guess it’s the same as being an extroverted introvert!  I love the things I can have in the summer, but I don’t particularly want to be outside with them.  So, here goes the rest of the list!

The remainder…in a bit of an order…

• I do not like to be hot and sweaty.  I cannot stand the feel of sweat running through my hairline, down my back, and making my hair limp and my make up to run!  I’m not sure about your stance on global warming, but I’m convinced it’s here.  I really don’t remember days reaching the 90s (30sC) when I was a kid.  A warm day would have made it into the 80s.  I may be all wet (see what I did there), but that’s the way I remember summers from when I was a kid.                                                                                    
• I don’t really like to bare that much skin.  I’ve always had a bit of a skin condition on my upper arms.  I picked at them and now have slight but noticeable scarring.  I honestly don’t enjoy baring my upper arms, but I hate being hot more!                                                               
• Humidity…there I said it!  If Indiana had dry heat, I might be OK with 90 degree temperatures.  But, we usually have 90 degree heat coupled with 90% humidity.  You feel like each of your appendages (and I count bosoms here) has increased in mass by at least 75%.  That increase in mass leads to increase in temperature and…well, refer back to my first dislike of summer!
• This one is probably going to make some of you wonder about me! I don’t really like summer clothing that much. I love summer dresses that are floaty and feminine. But, shorts and I are not really friends. When you are blessed with larger thighs, you are always battling the legs of your shorts. One leg (or sometimes both) will ride up on the inner side of your thigh so you’re constantly pulling those doggone things back into place! I absolutely hate that!!!
• My last one is the gift of menopause! You know what I mean! Hot flashes! I have hot flashes in the winter, but they are almost welcome! In the summer, hot flashes take on a whole new meaning! They definitely come from one of the inner circles of Hell! Paula (from Dimples on My What?) wrote about menopause, and a light bulb went off in my head! I had never realized my hot flashes usually generate from the back of my neck! Paula gives some pretty good tips for battling hot flashes, but I prefer to just bellyache about them! And, I can guarantee I will have a hot flash just as I am finishing my makeup and hair which causes said makeup to run and hair to flatten! If we could only harness that heat, right?

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Wrap it up, Marsha!

I apologize to all of you out there who adore Summer. I am just not crazy about the season! And, I didn’t even mention the insects! So, can we talk? How do you feel about summer? Are you crazy about the months of June, July, August, and September? Please leave me a comment, and we can talk! Remember, you don’t have to have a blog to participate…leave a few of your likes and dislikes in the comments! I promise to respond as soon as I can!

Thank you!

I really am grateful to all of you who subscribe to my blog. Please feel free to share it and my Instagram (here) with your friends if you’d like! And, I love it when you see me out and about and let me know you read my blog! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, Being a Wordsmith, and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here). I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I also co-host Final Friday Print Mixing with Michelle on the last Friday of the month. I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties! Boy, that’s a lot of co-hosting!

And, now it’s your turn!

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