Summer STILL Isn't Here?

So, the calendar says Summer doesn't start for a few more days. Tell that to the weather!

Saturday afternoon. 90º and super humid. Might as well be summer. While I hate the heat (and my hair REALLY hates the humidity), there are a few things I like about summer.

When it gets hot and I take my dog out, he gets especially hot - after all, he is about two inches from the ground. This is when I give my dog his favorite treat: Frosty Paws.

He will push that cup of what he thinks is ice cream around the house. He will pick it up with this teeth and carry it around from room to room - mainly because the cat is curious and he's trying to keep him from getting his furry paws on it. Once he has licked that little cup clean, he immediately takes a nap. Maybe he has brain freeze? Can dogs get that? Seeing how happy he is with that treat makes me happy. And it makes me want something cold, too.

Little known fact about me: I would be barefoot if it wasn't so hot my feet would melt into the sidewalk or I'd get some disease from the nasties just waiting to jump onto my feet. So, to protect my feet, I wear shoes (duh). One of my summer favorites are flip flops. It's as close to not wearing shoes as you can get. Yes, I'm well aware they can be bad for your feet and ankles. However, I'm not willing to give them up. You're looking at some of the most comfortable flip flops ever: Havaianas. If you haven't had the pleasure of wearing them, you're missing out. Super comfortable and light! (BTW - That super green grass is my backyard! I might have a little victory in my own yard!)

Last summer, we suffered through a horrible drought. Thirty-something days with temperatures over 100 - and most days didn't even have a cloud in the sky, let alone a single sprinkle. It was hot, y'all! I have one tree - a crepe myrtle in my front yard. While those trees are really heat tolerant (and apparently can go without water for months), I was a little sad for my tree last year. It hardly flowered. Its limbs seemed to say, "I give up" with each passing day. But now, with rain on a regular basis, look at what greets me in my front yard every day:

Beautiful pink flowers blooming on every branch! There are more flowers each day. It really makes me happy to see that every morning when I walk outside. It's like the tree is celebrating the end of the drought! There is one downside to the crepe myrtle:

Those little pink flowers don't have much of a grip on the tree. The slightest breeze knocks them off the branch and they wind up in the grass. I spotted them four houses away on a walk this afternoon! It's almost like pink snow. Pretty, until I track in little flowers and find them on my carpet. They even get caught in my curls! Despite all that, I still love them.

I am sure it won't be long before I'm complaining about the heat. Just because I've spent most of my life in South Texas, that doesn't mean I will EVER get used to the heat - or even like it. You should not break into a sweat walking outside at night. You should not feel like you're in the early stages of heat stroke just walking outside to pick up the newspaper in the morning. That's just not right. But I take comfort in the little things that make me glad it's summer - and wish for fall to hurry up and get here so I can get a break from the heat!