B, C, D

 BAREFOOT

Near the work bench in the basement hanging on the wooden beam was a framed color photo of one of my brother's barefeet. He had taken the photo while sitting with his feet up on the railing of the back porch. Obviously really liked it cause he framed it.

Going barefoot is a good practice and summer is the ideal time. One goes barefoot on the beach, hoping for that good walking sand which is smooth and hardened by the water.  Take a few laps in the lawn, feel the wet of morning dew and later the heat of the earth warmed by summer sun.

Kids are great teachers of this practice for freedom is their calling card. 

CORN-ON-THE-COB 

Full, lush, green, tall corn fields are a set image of the season of summer.  My parents were gardeners and along with tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, onions and herbs the entire upper half of the field was rows upon rows of corn. Every Spring my brothers and I helped my dad plant the corn, the rows were ruler straight as he pounded in stakes on either side of the tilled garden and ran a string  then hoed evenly spaced holes.  It was my job to place the corn seed in each hole doing so in the pattern of a five on a set of dice.  My father walked the rows checking my work and many times I watched him use a stick to move a corn seed better into place. Dad was a bit Type A.

It was a big moment when the corn was ready to pick. I would accompany my dad as he carried the yellow-wired basket and we picked ears of corn then walked down to the burn barrel on the far side of the driveway and husked it.  

Other than breakfast, we had corn-on-the-cob at every meal during summer.

Like turkey on Thanksgiving, summer meals require corn-on-the-cob.

DECKS

There are signs that signal the start of a new season.  As a kid, when Mum and Dad brought out the porch furniture, summer arrived. 

Grab a glass of iced tea, a good book, a cup of coffee and some homemade cookies and enjoy all while sitting on the glider on the porch.  We gathered on the porch and talked, laughed and watched the traffic go by. Holy ground.

Now, you will find me in summer on my deck. There I have my morning coffee, read, listen to bird song, do work and in the evening recline back in the gravity chair and look up through the trees.....glorious.

'You just sit there, looking up at tree limbs and leaves??!!!  Get out!"  

I do and that is the point......