the sounds of summer....

some summer sounds change from year to year.

when i was little and forced into acting camp the sounds consisted of songs and dances about "green, green, green, green, GREEN HORNETS! zzzzzzzz" (just remember the arm motions that go along with that?)

or when we were on the bike bath selling all of annie's home-baked goods at a price that was way too low the sounds would be "LEMONADE!!! LEEEMMONAAAADE!!

or the sounds of the thunder storms that would send me running to ourleen's bed, so she could protect her big sis from the scary boomers.

or the sounds from the tent of giggles, and silliness, and stories. the sounds of snoring from your tent mate (t and i traded that back and forth), or the bodily functions of the first campers waking up (toot! oops xavy), and the last one to arise ("I was just DREAMING a little" -Dec).

the sounds of summer are so great, so distinct, so vivid, and so cherished.

but there is one sound that is indelible.

it is the sound i used to dread as a child.

for me it marked the end, returning to the 'burbs after a blissful summer on mv. it was the tree frogs, the crickets, the animals. they were loud, and having not heard them all summer the first night back they would keep me awake. all night. and i would wonder how anyone EVER slept with all the racket.

as i sat outside tonight enjoying the NON-humidity i thought if this, and how i embrace these sounds now. for me now summer doesn't mean months of freedom, beaches and awkward acting camps, but it still is special. it means ice cream can be eaten twice a day without the blink of an eye. it means late nights, fudged bedtimes and dirty feet.

i embrace the sounds now. all of them.

and i may even say that the acting camp was not all that bad.

i do make one pretty fierce hornet.