Our neighbors are no longer nestled indoors and neither are we. Sights we missed in other seasons are showing off. Here are just a few favorites:

• Yellow sun against a blue sky and sudden storms that hide both
• Growth—veggies and flowers showing themselves in our gardens and patio pots
• Children splashing in pools and running through sprinklers
• Walkers, hand-holders, hikers, and bikers
• Backyard gatherings and burgers on the grill
• Colorful birds swooping in for sunflower seeds and spattering in birdbaths  
• Sandy beaches, rolling waves, and kites dotting the sky
• Pick-up ball games and busy playgrounds
• Hopscotch grids chalked on sidewalks
• The glow of fire pits and gooey marshmallows bobbing on sticks
• Flittering butterflies and fascinating lightening bugs delighting young and old
• People on porches, stoops, and decks, chatting and laughing

Look around your neighborhood. What summer sights do you see?

Yesterday summer officially arrived welcoming delicious foods unique to the season. Our kitchens and patios will offer the treats we’ve been waiting for. Here are some of my favorites:

• Watermelon—sweet and juicy
• Corn on the cob—salted and dripping with butter
• Homemade potato salad—a labor of love
• Strawberries—on shortcake with whipped cream
• Ice cream—cold and refreshing in our favorite flavors (don’t mention the calories)
• Jersey tomatoes—in salads and on sandwiches
• Barbecued meats—hamburgers, chicken, and ribs, dripping on the grill and down our chins
• Hot dogs—we may shun them every other season but now we load them with relish or kraut, pretending they’re healthier that way
• Salads of all sorts—fruit salad, green salad, macaroni, coleslaw, bean salad—too many varieties to name
• Pickles—yes, we eat them year round but somehow they’re now crisper, tastier, more tart
• Iced tea and lemonade—in pitchers with floating lemons and droplets of water running down the side
• Smores—though popular throughout the year, there’s nothing like ending a barbecue around a fire, toasting marshmallows

Do you have a favorite?

I love to watch the unfolding of spring as I search for glimpses of green on barren branches.

I love the discovery of purple and white crocuses breaking through winter’s softened soil.

I love spring’s early, bright yellow greeters—the swaying forsythia  and bobbing daffodils.

I love longer days, warmer walks, and calmer breezes.

I love the excitement of spotting my first robin and the expectation of goldfinches and hummingbirds.

I love the greening of the grass and the promise of garden produce, local and fresh.

I love peepers chirping their spring welcome, even when their cacophony begins to grate.

I love packing away my winterwear in exchange for pastels and lightweight wraps.

I love seeing children on their bikes and hearing them laugh on playgrounds.

I love the spectacular appearance of pink cherry blossoms and magnificent magnolias.

I love outdoor gatherings, firepit conversations, and rocking on the front porch.

I love God’s creation of seasons and that New Jersey gloriously displays each one.

He changes times and seasons…

Daniel 2:21