“Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.”
~ Regina Brett
Summer is in full swing and boy, has it been a hot one! I usually love to take long walks in the early morning or evening but it has been so hot, I find myself sitting in the air conditioning, reading a good book – one of my favorite pastimes. I recently finished The Chef by James Patterson: a fast-paced thriller about a New Orleans police detective by day and a food truck chef by night. It was a good summer read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
August is usually the month filled with festivals and things to do, the Crim Road Race, Back to the Bricks and so much more. This year is a little different with so many events cancelled due to the health crisis. But there are plenty of fun, safe things to do in and around Genesee County. I have, frankly, enjoyed the slower pace of life and found a few places I want to visit.
I have never been to the Robert William Nature & Historical Learning Center in Davison but after writing a story about it (see p.36), I plan to spend a day there. My youngest grandson, Elijah, will love the special Storybook Trail for kids. It sounds like the entire park is beautiful. Also, after writing about the River Trail Watchers (see p.16), I would love to explore and take a walk on the Flint River Trail.
Now that Michigan’s growing season is in full swing, I also plan to take advantage of the fresh produce and do a little canning this year – storing up a taste of summer to get me through the cold winter months.
August is National Golf Month, so I plan to enjoy another one of my favorite pastimes – golfing with friends at one of Genesee County’s many beautiful courses. The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) founded National Golf Month in 1993 promoting the sport as family accessible and open to all ages, genders and skill levels. We have an annual family golf day at Willowbrook Golf Club in Byron.
The thing I enjoy best during the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer is spending time with the family at a backyard barbecue, cooking burgers on the grill and eating corn on the cob from a local farm stand – and, watching Elijah run through the sprinkler, laughing and screaming in delight.
Of course, the best way to stay cool on a hot, August day is with a frosty ice cream cone or a tasty frozen treat from your favorite local ice cream shop.
Whether it’s boating on the lake, kayaking down the river or reading a book under a shade tree in your own backyard, stay cool and enjoy these last lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!
