Happy Summer Solstice!

At 2:06 PM EST Summer officially arrives.  If we were druids, we'd all be making a pilgrimage to Stonehenge and conducting wild sexual ceremonies by the ancient stones.  However, not too many of us are actual druids, although when I was a kid I used to tell people my family religion was druid since we got our presents on the Winter Solstice, not Hanukkah or (heaven forbid!) Christmas.  My parents were just Jewish enough not to want to incur the shame of appearing to celebrate Christmas in any way, shape or form.  However they weren't very good Jews either - my mom's idea of celebrating Passover was to make chicken soup with matzoh balls and roasted chicken breasts served with horseradish on the side.  That was pretty much the extent of it.  I do have an enduring fondness for horseradish, especially ground raw and powerful.  But I did grow up with a rather confused sense of religious and cultural identity.  We were Jews, but we never went to temple or celebrated the Holy Days.  I knew not to ever work on Yom Kippur but not really why I shouldn't, just that it would be shameful to do so.  We were not religious but when I was engaged to a Catholic man (in the Navy yet!!) my parents completely flipped out.  Once I had children of my own, I wanted them to be more aware of their heritage so we joined a temple.  My parents flipped out again.  This finding more about my religion to my mother was a rebuke of the way she raised me.  Right mom... it was all about you.  

Back to Summer.  I don't particularly like Summer.  I hate the heat and humidity, which in New York City can kill you.  Literally.  I mean it - it's been documented.  You walk out of your ridiculously air conditioned office building to head for the subway and the hot warm sticky air slaps you in the face, sucks the oxygen out of your lungs and practically throws you to the ground, gasping.  I do like some of the things Summer brings.  I like the beach, but not when it is crowded with screaming obnoxious children and teenagers blasting horrible music.  Or what they call music.  I love Summer produce - there is nothing better than an ear of sweet corn that was picked from the field a few hours ago, still warm from the sun.  Or watermelon the color of a flaming red sunset that is so juicy you need to be hosed off after you eat it.  Or a simple bowl of strawberries and blueberries with a little whipped cream - red, white and blue, does it get any more patriotic than that?

But the thing I like best about Summer is that Autumn comes next.  Yeah, I know I shouldn't rush time but I love fall - it is simply my favorite time of year and I savor it.  I love the smell in the air and the foliage and the ritual pulling out of sweaters and jackets.  Ok, I'll save the rest of my love letter to Autumn for another post.

So today we celebrate Summer and all it brings: heat, sweat, mosquito bites, BBQs, fireworks, long summer evenings and beautiful sunsets.  Always take the good with the bad.

Happy Summer Solstice!

At 2:06 PM EST Summer officially arrives.  If we were druids, we'd all be making a pilgrimage to Stonehenge and conducting wild sexual ceremonies by the ancient stones.  However, not too many of us are actual druids, although when I was a kid I used to tell people my family religion was druid since we got our presents on the Winter Solstice, not Hanukkah or (heaven forbid!) Christmas.  My parents were just Jewish enough not to want to incur the shame of appearing to celebrate Christmas in any way, shape or form.  However they weren't very good Jews either - my mom's idea of celebrating Passover was to make chicken soup with matzoh balls and roasted chicken breasts served with horseradish on the side.  That was pretty much the extent of it.  I do have an enduring fondness for horseradish, especially ground raw and powerful.  But I did grow up with a rather confused sense of religious and cultural identity.  We were Jews, but we never went to temple or celebrated the Holy Days.  I knew not to ever work on Yom Kippur but not really why I shouldn't, just that it would be shameful to do so.  We were not religious but when I was engaged to a Catholic man (in the Navy yet!!) my parents completely flipped out.  Once I had children of my own, I wanted them to be more aware of their heritage so we joined a temple.  My parents flipped out again.  This finding more about my religion to my mother was a rebuke of the way she raised me.  Right mom... it was all about you.  

Back to Summer.  I don't particularly like Summer.  I hate the heat and humidity, which in New York City can kill you.  Literally.  I mean it - it's been documented.  You walk out of your ridiculously air conditioned office building to head for the subway and the hot warm sticky air slaps you in the face, sucks the oxygen out of your lungs and practically throws you to the ground, gasping.  I do like some of the things Summer brings.  I like the beach, but not when it is crowded with screaming obnoxious children and teenagers blasting horrible music.  Or what they call music.  I love Summer produce - there is nothing better than an ear of sweet corn that was picked from the field a few hours ago, still warm from the sun.  Or watermelon the color of a flaming red sunset that is so juicy you need to be hosed off after you eat it.  Or a simple bowl of strawberries and blueberries with a little whipped cream - red, white and blue, does it get any more patriotic than that?

But the thing I like best about Summer is that Autumn comes next.  Yeah, I know I shouldn't rush time but I love fall - it is simply my favorite time of year and I savor it.  I love the smell in the air and the foliage and the ritual pulling out of sweaters and jackets.  Ok, I'll save the rest of my love letter to Autumn for another post.

So today we celebrate Summer and all it brings: heat, sweat, mosquito bites, BBQs, fireworks, long summer evenings and beautiful sunsets.  Always take the good with the bad.