The end of summer may be on the horizon, but there’s still some time left to cram some sparkle into the last week of August. There are still opportunities to pick berries, squish sand between your toes and enjoy starlit nights outdoors.
As a child, golden rod flowers reminded me that my grasshopper and butterfly-catching days were coming to an end. They still prompt me to make the most of the summer’s last days.
Yesterday my grandson and I picked blackberries in patches overlooking the ocean in the morning. In the afternoon, we let the waves crash into us at the beach. After nightfall, we explored a woodland path with flashlights. It was both exhilarating and exhausting. The best summer days are like that.
It could have been better. I could have had the sense to not get my legs all scratched up by the blackberry brambles before I went into the stinging salt water. That’s minor. Scrapes, scratches and bug bites are all part of the outdoor summer experience. But it could have also been worse. Just before putting down my foot, I spotted a large, active wasps’ nest on the ground beneath an apple tree where we were attracted by some low hanging fruit.
Recently we tented in the yard, thrilled to witness the flight of bats from behind the screened door after sundown. We didn’t see any bats last night, though we did get to see a shooting star. The best summers are a series of moments such as these, strung together on a necklace that sparkles around our necks until the following June when we begin to gather gems for a new one.
Stalk butterflies, visit the beach or simply take in the wonders of the night sky, but do make the most of these last days of summer. Cramming has never been so enjoyable.
Text and photographs copyright Amy-Lynn Bell 2012