Summer

Summer in England is the most disorienting time for an American living in between two worlds.  All of my friends' children are celebrating the end of the school year right about the time my kids are preparing for a week off of school at the end of May before going back for 6 1/2 more weeks. And when the school year finally ends here, they will be gearing up for back-to-school shopping.   My friends are bemoaning the end of summer when we are rejoicing that our holidays have arrived at last.  Like I said,  it's very mentally disorienting.

Growing up in the American south, summer was less of a season and more like a complete state of mind.  Summer equaled no school, complete freedom, long, hot, boring, and endless days.  Summer in Alabama is playing in the water hose, sweat-drenched clothes, watching movies inside in the air conditioning.    

This is our third summer in England, and from our limited experience we have learned summer is early morning sunrises and late night sunsets.  It is fields of wildflowers and ripening barley blowing in the wind like an ocean of grain.  It's lots of rabbits, and it is fresh strawberries and cream.  It is Wimbledon.  It is sometimes needing to pull out your coat again and sometimes 80 degrees with no air conditioning, leaving the air in your house still and your body sticky with dried sweat.  It's green as far as the eyes can see.

This has definitely been the most adjusted we've been to a "summer term" of school, but even so, it's a good feeling to be only a week and a half away from our summer holidays.

"Summer was our best season..."

Scout

- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -