MY TAKE by Rose McGlew
Since I sounded like such a grump last week by complaining about all the work involved with summer living, I thought I’d try to redeem myself a little by trying to look at the positive aspects.
We had the first corn on the cob last weekend and it was good. If it’s already good before summer is officially here, I bet July’s corn is going to be stupendous. That’s one of the really great things about living in New Jersey and especially here in Mercer County with so many farms so close by. Between corn, tomatoes, and blueberries we’re set for summer picking. I think we’ll try to get in a few strawberries next week at a local farm before the blueberries and watermelons are ripe it’ll be a nice warm-up to the real action.
We bought plants for the front yard and some containers and the store was just full of people wearing sunglasses and shorts. That in itself isn’t so exciting, but the fact that their legs were as untan as mine made me feel better. We haven’t closed out the betting on how long it’s going to take me to kill all the flowers, so if you want to pick a date, let me know. I did buy a flat of begonias, which I know from previous experience are practically unkillable. I also bought some geraniums, which are pretty hardy, but I know the pansies will be gone in no time. But I enjoy them while they’re here.
We began with the interminable task of weeding out back but I did take away some comfort of a job well done and a cute scenario as well. We have a very large tree in the backyard (either beech or mulberry the jury’s still out) that is really a mess when it’s dropping pollen everywhere but it does provide the best shade in Robbinsville.
It’s also home to several families of birds. Most of them have nested high enough that the leaves cover them pretty well, but there is one nest of house wrens in an ancient birdhouse hanging in the tree. I’m able to see the birdhouse from the kitchen window, so I’ve kept my eye on it all spring, watching the various wrens, finches and sparrows flitting around deciding if it would be a good home.
One family decided it would do and their babies have hatched. At first, we could just hear little "peep, peeps" but were unable to see them. Finally, they’re big enough to poke their heads out and scout around for mom and dad. Mom will land on the perch and give them each a little snack and all we can see are these big open mouths at the entrance to their home.
I laughed and said to my husband that it looks like our own house in there. He smiled and replied that the only difference is that the birds never complain about what’s for dinner.
My son Paul was able to enjoy the day at a friend’s pool while we started the process of opening ours. My husband ended up testing the water a little more than he intended when putting the steps in. He tried to reach something that had fallen in and when he leaned in far enough to get his head wet… he decided that the item could stay in while he dried off. Who ever thought we’d wish we had opened the pool in the middle of May?
So that’s what’s happened already. What am I still looking forward to?
The smell of citronella candles burning while we sit on the back patio laughing with friends.
The bracing cool of a department store after a ride in the un-air-conditioned Honda.
The taut and salty skin on my face at 6 p.m. after spending an entire day at the beach.
The hot, claustrophobic, muggy night in the middle of August when we decide to have tomatoes and corn on the cob for dinner.
The camaraderie of standing in line at Rita’s Water Ice.
Hearing my Dad, as always, tell my kids to keep the boat in between the channel markers.
Listening to Boston’s "More Than A Feeling" as loud as the car can play it with all the windows open as I drive to work.
That’s for summer. That’s for me. That’s not so bad.
Rose McGlew is a resident of Robbinsville. Her column appears weekly in The Messenger-Press.