Who doesn’t remember lying on your back in the Summer sun cloud gazing?
Such memories, guessing the cloud shapes with Clay on the back of wet cedar log. Or on a raft in the middle of the bay, with the smell of salt and the drone of pals playing in the freezing water. There is just something, almost vertigo like, about lying there, flat on your back and thinking you could fall up to Heaven.
It’s a good memory, especially when shared with your closest friends, or that special friend you hoped would be more than a friend. Every sense is awakened – the sights, sounds, smells, touch of the breeze on your face or the grass between your fingers.
It has become a bit of a ritual for me, that first backyard mow of the Summer (after NoMowMay of course!), the roar of the lawnmower and crunch of tall grass under the blade. And then there are the hidden treasures lost in the snow last winter – a well gnawed stick, a mitten, even several tennis balls which were quite interesting to Frieda. This year was no different, but like always the culmination of this annual ritual was lying back on the fresh mown grass and staring up to heaven – just breathing in and out, arms spread on the grass, that slight feeling of vertigo, ahh the memories flood back over the years. Steve, Beanie, Clay and I bullheading, lying back on the sand listening to Judy laugh at some joke from my sister (Judy had a much-missed magical laugh), the smell of a salty-wet Rusty lying quietly at my side. This was the long lost bliss in a simple moment.
A short bark from Frieda brings me back across the years to where she has dropped a tennis ball on my stomach. Time to play, Dad!
I look up, as I slowly creak my way to my feet, at the leaves gently laughing over my head, reminding me of the joy that comes from looking up to childhood.
Happy June People!
Mark
(btw I saw 4 queen bumble bees this past month! Next year I hope to see double that!)