Jen Jeffrey Billington
September’s calendar page was just turned and I feel as though we didn’t really have a summer. Everyone is indulging in everything pumpkin and I still want watermelon.
Yes, I realize Tennessee and Kentucky had a pretty hot, steamy summer but that is my whole point. Summer is for activity! And who can enjoy the endless summer activities in the great outdoors while avoiding heat stroke?
Here in Murray, KY we either had TOO hot of a forecast or it rained … a lot! We even had several downpours during the whole month of July! Our crops didn’t look very good this year. The corn seemed to do well, but the beans and tobacco farmers’ yield suffered this year.
And, the area where I live has a terrible season we go through each year – horse fly season. It isn’t your occasional horse fly you may see at the stables, but swarms of the infidels hovering over our houses ready to attack.
They always come (and stay) during the whole month of August. August! My favorite month. Well, not anymore. Now, I remember to wear light colors and move slowly while heading to my car and I stay inside as much as possible – yet I was bitten six times this year.
When summer finally arrived, I couldn’t wait to be out with our horses, partake in fresh fruits and vegetables and just enjoy being outdoors. I love summer and I even love the heat – the heat without so much the ‘index’.
The heat index rose to nearly 105 degrees many weeks of the summer and when it didn’t, we had bouts of rain and some flooding.
Now, I have always tried to be appreciative of each day and smile anyway making the best of things, but this year I really felt that I was jipped on my summer and here it is already October.
I am bringing out my long sleeves as we have had a cool front move in this week. The A/C is turned off and I am wearing socks and hoodies to stay warm.
This is the time of year when hubby doesn’t want to turn the heater on for the season until we see snow.
Why, I had to lie in the tanning bed WITH MY CLOTHES ON just to get my body warm yesterday. And oh, did that fake sun feel great!
At least, during the first of this week when the glorious fall temps appeared (along with the sun) I was able to bathe and groom my horses. And now, we are overcast with temps in the 50s. That is still nice and I am appreciative… I just didn’t feel that we had a summer to remember.
Summer is my favorite season, but living here in Kentucky – I may just have to pick another favorite season or month in which I enjoy ‘every single thing about it’.
Oh, I am still appreciative of all the days - don’t get me wrong. I thank the Lord for the rain we had, the beautiful (sweltering) sunshine and the beautiful sunrises and sunsets I photograph nearly every day.
I just like to do a few memorable things in each season and, this summer I didn’t really get to enjoy too much.
Maybe as God works all things to the good, everyone will benefit somehow from our ‘hiding from summer’ this year.
While fleeing the razor-jawed horse flies in August, I have been inside working on a project and working partly through September.
I am about to launch an online magazine for my hometown called “The Murray Mirror” and I already have over 30 writer’s and contributors.
It has been fun putting this together and we hope to be up and running sometime in October. I have had so many fun ideas that I cannot wait to share them once we are up.
If anyone has been following my stories over the past few years and you want to keep up with me, please LIKE our page on facebook and you will see when the magazine is live. I will still send writing to the Chattanoogan.com – I’m a forever fan and so grateful for their grooming me in many ways.
I really hope autumn gives us a few weeks of blissful outdoor activities before the really cold weather settles in. Get outdoors while you can and, when jacket weather comes… just put that jacket on and get outside anyway.
jen@themurraymirror.com