Summer's Here

Well I think summer is here to stay. The weather has consistently been in the 80s and the thermometer is climbing toward the 90s. So even though it snowed a little over a week ago, I think I’m safe to say it’s finally summer (actually, it’ not officially summer until Saturday) So to celebrate I have made a list of the top ten things I love about summer. The pictures don't all relate to the list-they're just my latest pictures that I wanted to include.

10 Things I Love about Summer:

1. PICKING HUCKLEBERRIES: This is always a big event. In fact, huckleberries are so extremely sought after in Idaho that wars and family feuds begin over them. NO ONE, and I mean absolutely NO ONE, tells just anyone where the good picking spots are. You know you are a true friend to someone if they invite you to go with them, thus spoiling their “secret spot.” Then of course you have to make sure the bears haven’t decided to pick berries the same day at the same place…otherwise you have a problem. This is how it works--we scout out all the good spots and plan a time to go, preferably when they are in their prime ripeness. Before we go we come up with some contraption to make it possible to pick the most berries in the least amount of time. Usually this means attaching a bucket to your belt so that both hands are available to pick. Then we pack a lunch on the chosen day and head out. We try to pick enough to make pies, jam, muffins, pancakes, ice cream, and to just plain eat for one whole year! So far I have been too addicted to them though to have them last a full year. They are always gone by the time I make one last pie for Thanksgiving. I am especially looking forward to huckleberries this year because they were so scarce last year because of the drought. In fact, I only ate one berry…that’s right-one! This winter was so moist that I figure there will be plenty for humans and bears and the berries should be big too!

2. RODEO: It has become a tradition of ours to go to That Famous Preston Night Rodeo each summer. Actually, it being a tradition might not have been an option since Jonathan has been attending it his whole life. Jonathan’s Eagle Scout project even related to the rodeo. He put the row and seat number stickers on the bleachers at the rodeo grounds so that the tickets could be sold as assigned seating. I guess that’s what makes the Preston rodeo so fun. There’s so much family history behind it (his dad was rodeo chairman for a long time) and it’s always a big family event. 3. BBQs and DUTCH OVEN COOKING: It’s funny that our whole marriage we have basically had access to any cut of beef, but we’ve never had a grill. Steaks just aren’t the same if they aren’t grilled. So to put a stop to that I got Jonathan a grill for Father’s Day. Now we can eat our steaks and hamburgers fresh off the grill…and yes, you are invited. Cooking dutch oven outside is another summer favorite. We cook dutch oven a lot during the summer so that we don’t have to heat the house up with the oven. Usually the meal consists of dutch oven potatoes, peach or strawberry cobbler, and some type of meat dish. 4. HAYING: Even though I sometimes complained about getting out of bed at 4:00 to be in the field raking hay by 4:30, there’s nothing quite like haying season. Sure it can get a little monotonous driving a tractor or swather around in a circle for six hours, but I never got tired of watching the sunrise, watching hawks soaring above my tractor and diving to catch mice, or passing Jonathan going the other direction and winking at each other. I won’t be swathing or raking any hay this summer, but hopefully I’ll still go out and ride with Jonathan while he’s cutting. He’ll start cutting tomorrow.

5. CAMPING and FISHING: Even though I always end up griping because some how the biggest rock always ends up under my back, I love camping. The best camping includes s’mores, sitting around the campfire, watching a skunk walk right by Lisa’s leg, fishing, and waking up wondering if that noise is a bear growling or someone snoring:-)

6. COUNTY FAIRS: Sometimes they’re nothing too impressive, but I love watching the kids with the animals they’ve raised and looking at all of the giant vegetables from peoples’ gardens. The arts building is always fun to walk through as well and see all of the quilts, paintings, etc. that people have created. 7. THUNDERSTORMS: I love the relief a heavy rainstorm brings after a really hot day. The lightshow that comes with it is always amazing too. 8. GARDENS: I love all of the fruit and vegetables that come out of a garden. Nothing says summer like corn on the cob and watermelon! Strawberries, Cherries, and Raspberries are also favorites. 9. RUNNING THROUGH THE SPRINKLER: I haven’t done this for a really long time, but it’s always fun to see kids running through the sprinkler and then remember back when I was little. Now I just have a crazy dog that runs through the sprinkler. Duke absolutely goes crazy when we turn the water on. Patch isn’t too crazy about the water, but Duke could play in it all day. When I turn the water off he looks at the sprinkler with a funny look on his face like, “what happened? Did I kill it?”

10. BEING LAZY: It sounds terrible, but I love lazy summer days when I can just lay in the hammock and try to stay cool.