Summer's coming

I just took Maddy out with my weak little flashlight, sans corrective lenses, in the pitch-black darkness....I was uneasy to do so until I took a whiff of the air (which is a miracle....my allergies are kicking my ass and I'm tempted to rip off my nose seeing as how it's only a burden at this point). I calmed down upon smelling honeysuckle and rain, signs that summer is almost here.

That smell takes me back to when I was younger and my whole family (22 in all, minus those who couldn't make it, plus the best friends/boyfriends/girlfriends du jour) would spend so much time at the lakehouse over the summer. One of my most fond memories ever is everyone sitting around watching movies and playing board games at night, the windows open to combat the resultant nastiness of having no AC.

I LOVED when it would rain at the lakehouse, adding ambiance to our evenings and making it that much more relaxing. Our back yard (which we always called the "front" because it faces the lake which my family holds in such high regard) had several big bohemoth pine trees that have since been cut down, one of which held a bug zapper, in true redneck form. I remember the lush green sweetgum trees bathed by that creepy cool blue light, next to the back porch. I remember feeling the moist rainy air and being calm and quite content being in the same room as all those people for whom I felt such adoration and intimidation at the same time.

The other day I went walking along the dike next to Walker golf course and came across a blooming vine of honeysuckle. I plucked one, bit off the end, and suckled the honey like I did when I was little, not even thinking of who could be watching or what the vine could be covered in. I wish our family still got together like we used to, but now with all my cousins getting married and having kids of their own, it's almost impossible :o(