thoughtful thursday

it's been so hot, the temperature almost pushes away everything wonderful about summer.  summer brings an abundance of everything! there are fresh fruits and vegetables, often fruits and vegetables we grow ourselves.   the art of gardening brings such satisfaction.  there is also the opportunity to makes pies, ice cream, jams, pickles, spaghetti sauce, salsa and other delights as well as "put up" fruits and vegetables to enjoy during the cold months of the year.  the variety of flowers that bloom is breathtaking.  flowers are everywhere.  gardens burst with shapes, sizes and colors that fill the senses like nothing else seems to.  particularly joyful are the wildflowers along the roadsides; happily growing where a flower shouldn't be able to grow.  the birds sing louder, the frogs croak and the insects scratch out their music incessantly, fireflies wink, butterflies playfully flutter midair, young animals learning about their world abound.  activities that are typically only enjoyed during the summer are eagerly looked forward to.  the summer evenings stretch into forever making the cares of the world fall away if only for awhile.  when it's cold and gray, the memories of the abundance of summer sustain.