“You haven’t written in a while…” That’s what I’ve been hearing lately from some of my dear friends and readers. Yes, I am still finding joy in this time of COVID (and sadly, it is a still a time of COVID), it’s just that I’ve been too busy to sit down and write about it. Which is a good thing.
Minnesota is not for the faint of heart. The weather for 9 months can be fairly unpredictable, and for at least 3 of those months, downright brutal. It’s a bit disheartening for someone like me, who really hates cold weather. Then along comes summer, and I invariably say to my husband, John, “now THIS is why we live in Minnesota.” It’s beautiful here in the Northland in June, July, and August, and don’t we love it. Everyday, scads of people are outside enjoying the lakes, the walking paths, the bike trails. Just plain getting OUTSIDE. The sun is shining, the heat might be too hot, and the humidity might have me sweating, but I don’t care. I absolutely love summer.
John and I purchased a camper two years ago, and I cannot begin to describe the joy it gives me. Last time we went camping we pretty much did nothing. Some walking, a visit to the nature center, but mostly sitting and reading, playing games, and cooking dinner outside. It is a fantastic way to get a busy person like me to slow down, to let nature take over my worries, and to stay in the present moment.
Here is a delight in the middle of summer in Minnesota: the color green. As we drive to our latest campground, I am overwhelmed with the beauty of the sometimes flat, sometimes rolling fields of green crops. The variety of greens in the treetops, even the green of golf courses. It is a soothing color and surely the color of life, and I miss it dearly when I am sitting inside looking out at a gray January cold-snap.
So, today’s joy in the time of COVID: summer, warmth, sunshine, heat, campfires, bicycles, walking outside, swimming in a lake, reading a book on the patio, playing badminton, riding a bike, and the color green.
I am so busy enjoying this summer life, that I really will not be writing much about it. Inspiration may hit me in August, but if not, you’ll hear from me again when September’s chilly air brings me indoors.
Happy summer!