The summer of 2013

I have my friend MaryAnn to thank for these bold, buxom, brilliant sunflowers that now grace my dinner table. If each season could be turned into a beautiful flower, I think summer would have to be a sunflower.

And what a summer we had out here in the Pacific Northwest! Warmth and sunshine and blue skies occurred day after day after day, leaving me no choice but to live in shorts, tank tops, sundresses, and flip flops.

Summertime seemed to crawl along at a delightfully casual pace this year (though towards the end it felt like the pace was turning into more of a gallop). I enjoyed perfect ratios of work, fun, boredom, excitement, anxiety, elation, energy, exhaustion, anticipation, and contentment. Each mood picked up where the last one left off, keeping me slightly off balance enough to appreciate and enjoy each one while it lasted, yet never having too much.

This was truly one of the most enjoyable and memorable summers I've experienced in a while. Two thumbs up to Richard, my summer activities co-conspirator, and to all the folks who shared the sunshine with me this season. Now, onward to fall -- and there are some pretty neat activites just ahead.