Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine
Season-wise, I don't discriminate. I like ’em all for one reason or another. And the turning of them makes being an earthling truly sweet, no?
What I think I love most about summertime though is the air. It's substantial—you experience it. The stuff wraps around you, carrying saturated colors and smells. Tank tops at night, a graceful sun beam shooting through the trees, the deepest azure of a slow-moving river, a whiff of of jasmine from the vine crawling up the portico ... Things that might otherwise be unaccessible to you, in other words—they're all unlocked by this soft, fecund breeze.
If you're out and about in the next few weeks (which, I mean, why the fuck wouldn't you be?), just take a sec and breathe it in. Feel it. That's good stuff, I contend.
Over Hill, Through Woods
Friday afternoon adventures are an institution I can really get behind. We embarked on one of these last Friday, and I mean look where we ended up?
Leave work early—just make it happen. Drive up the winding road. Walk down the winding trail. Follow the pin on your iPhone until you lose service, and then, oh ye of little faith, just keep putting your feet in front of each other. Maybe, just maybe, you'll emerge from the shade of the pines onto a dazzling sand beach, not a soul in sight, an electric-green pool rippling before you, a rope swing hanging motionless from a tree across that pool.
Summer Stories
I know a lot of you appreciate the magic that is a good summer weekend, so no need to cover a bunch of details and talking points here about my wood-smoke-scented, watermelon-flavored past few days. I'll just say that the backs a' my knees are sunburnt and there's sand in the bottom of my shower and there's a mountain of potato salad leftovers in my icebox and there're a bunch of new phone numbers in my tele. It's the kinda stuff you store away and use as fat to chew on later when the sun's setting at 4:30 p.m. and gray rain's a fallin.
Peeps on my patio!
New friends, new arts down at Commonwealth. Arizona breeds good folks.
He looks nice enough but when you get him wet ...
FOJ
Oh hi, how are you? Been a busy bunch of days since we last talked. Fourth Of July-wise, we'd all planned a giant river float, and so when the day dawned mid-70s-partly-cloudy, we fucking floated anyway. Plans are important.
It was a little hot and a little cold as the sun came and went. I forged the water face down on an air mattress, which was pretty boss until a wave smoked me in the head on the first set of rapids. Knocked my chapeau and sun spectacles right off, and refilled my Coors Light with Clackamas River water. However, when the river turned glassy-smooth and moved slowly, we all hitched our tubes together and made a giant floating friend barge. Lots of laughing and other moments of quality.
Many hours later, after we'd crawled out of the river and roasted our goosebumps in the late afternoon sun, everyone went to Hudson's house for a mini-ramp-orientated BBQ. This scene, right here—with sun-dappled yard, dogs, food, and friends—is quintessential summer stuff, non? Simple folk like myself could not ask for more.
P.S. I stole these pics from my pals' Instagram feeds. River shot: OriginalBK. Mini ramp shot: O_m_k
Summer To-Do List
1. Attend a Fourth of July BBQ. Play with sparklers.
2. Float the river. Obvi, right? But last summer I didn't do it once.
3. Live off watermelons and beer for a while.
4. Cut out everything in my life that isn't absolutely awesome—including the toxic shit and the shit that's of zero note.
5. Drink my first cold-press coffee.
6. Host a backyard cookout under sparkly strings of lights.
7. Take the dog on a road trip somewhere hot. Roll down all the windows, let the air fill the car.
8. Skate more backyard mini ramps. There's just no such thing as too much here.
9. Watch my big sister tie the knot. Maybe cry?
