Childhood Summer

I have not been writing lately. I have not been sewing or knitting or doing much of anything.
I have been somewhat in a state of transitioning, but I think I am now ready to get back to my life as normal.

Part of this transitioning period was due to a new computer. I finally got a Mac! After a few years of Windows 8, however, this Mac has been a learning curve for me. Today I was able to download some pictures from my camera and it was pretty easy. Here's hoping for many, many great years with my new Mac.

Next, I have been using my *downtime* to plan my summer, the next school year and my long term goals as far as my farmstead cheeses are concerned. Highest on this list, however, is my summer.

Simply put, we are focusing on home.

I know there are tons of summer activities available but I am truly a believer in childhood summers.

Childhood summers mean the kids can get up and spend their day doing what they please. Last week my kids read books, played games, used up an entire box of sidewalk chalk, played in the pool, and explored outside. They brought me wildflowers, unusual twigs and an assortment of bugs they collected.

Yesterday we sat outside, grilled a nice dinner and visited with several friends who came to share food and fellowship. Yes, the endless summer cookouts.

Childhood summer. Slow summer.

This isn't to belittle the fun of traveling or the experiences of a camp, but don't we do enough outside activities throughout the year? Can it be a real summer without several nights of catching lightening bugs?

              ****The cat Fender loves to explore with us outside****
               
Even when we lived in a subdivision, the summers consisted of an outside kiddie pool, sidewalk chalk, homemade play dough, a tree house and lots of driveway cookouts with neighbors.

In the everyday business of laundry and meals, a slow childhood summer is a balance, even for teen agers and possibly ESPECIALLY for teenagers.

Judging by my newsfeed on Facebook this morning, I am quite possibly the only one who advocates for a slow summer, but since when do I fit in? Since when do I follow the majority crowd?

Now I am signing off (until later this week),  we have cows to milk and a summer to be enjoyed!

Happy Monday, Ya'll