Monday, July 13, 2015

Summer Doldrums…

There’s something about this time of year that just gets to me.  I’m already a slow-moving person, but when it gets hot and humid, I definitely slow to a bare crawl.  This year it has had a detrimental effect on my picture taking and, consequently, my blog. I think summer always slows down my picture taking unless we’re traveling, but this year it has been worse than usual for some reason.

It's been like this for me for as long as I can remember.  I just really don’t like summer.

  I suppose there are those of you out there who could never understand the way I feel, but searching around on the interweb, I found that there are more people out there like me, albeit not that many. But it's a real condition called Summer SAD (Seasonal AffectiveDisorder) .  While I don’t think I suffer from it in a full-blown way, I do find it much harder to sleep.  The sun rises and so do I, like it or not.  Yes, we need room darkening shades.  I know, I know.   There are always too many blankets or sheets and not enough air.  I toss and turn and turn and toss.  I just can't get comfortable.

Summer is rather overwhelming to me in a social way as well.  Well, I've always been socially awkward so the parties and get togethers that seem to happen more frequently in the summer cause me a fair bit of anxiety.

The truth is that I completely and thoroughly hate the heat and humidity.  To me, the best day of the year is that first day I have to put on a sweatshirt in the morning and wear it all day.  It’s feels weird to me that when people describe paradise, they always seem to be talking about someplace in the tropics, sun-drenched, sand covered and sweat producing, while I always dream of places north.  I most definitely feel like a fish out of water this time of year or maybe a polar bear out of the Arctic.

  Oh, well, what can I do?  I have no control over it.


I decided that what I needed to do today is make the most of what is good about summertime, besides baseball, that is. Summertime is colorful and I do love color.  So I went out and took a tour of our yard and came back with these.




I did manage to accomplish something this summer and it is colorful.  Thanks to The Crochet Crowd for the free pattern.  This was easier than it looks and so much fun to create.  I love the pattern.  I think another one may be in my future even though I'm not sure what I'll do with it.


One thing that is very special about today, in particular, is that it is my very colorful daughter Carrie’s birthday.  My due date with her was June 21, but she waited until July 13 to be born, which was a Friday with a full moon, of course.  And yes, it was the hottest summer ever.  Of course, it’s always the hottest summer ever when one is greatly pregnant.  But I hit the jackpot with Number One.  She’s a wonderful, big hearted, quirky, intelligent and beautiful person.  Happy birthday, Number One!

Here's a photo of Carrie and her brother Evan (Number Two) taken in 1990.  Number Two isn't so bad either, by the way.


And here's how she looks these days.  Yes, that's a spider web in her hair.  I told you she was quirky.


13 comments:

Gail Dixon said...

Finally, someone who hates the heat and humidity as much as me! If I were rich, I'd have a place to escape this dreadful time of year. It wears me out!

Happy birthday to your beautiful Carrie. :)

Brian King said...

Gorgeous flowers! I'm very "hot blooded" so I detest heat and humidity, too. Happy Birthday to your daughter!

Rose said...

Happy Birthday, Carrie! There is lot goes on in the month of July for our family! My oldest was born in the month, my mom was born in this month, Tootie's mom and dad were married in this month, Roger and I were married in this month! OH, and son-in-law was born in this month!

As for Summer...my SIL prefers winter to summer...doesn't like the heat. But it doesn't slow her down. I think I just am never satisfied...I hate wearing long johns in winter...but I also hate this heat that knocks you down when you go outside. I do LOVE a good long autumn season, though. It is my favorite and I could live in it a long time without complaining. I think. LOL

The Furry Gnome said...

Ditto here. Spring and fall are great, and most of winter is good too. It's just that week of -30 in February that gets me. But heat and humidity are the worst!

RobertN said...

Wonderful post!

Linda said...

Hi Barbara!
Love your crochet! Very snappy!
Happy birthday to your beautiful, quirky daughter!
Cheers!
Linda :o)

Pamela Gordon said...

I'm sorry you're in the summer doldrums Barb. I love summer and that's when I take most pictures for my blog as we are out and about so much more than in winter. The problem is I don't have time to visit around the other blogs as much as I'd like to. I enjoyed the beautiful photos of the flowers today and also your sweet kids. Happy Birthday to your daughter. The knitted posy bag is adorable! Have a good week! Pam

MadSnapper said...

Happy Birthday to your beautiful number one, who shares the same name as my maternal grandmother. I hate heat and I hate cold and I hate rain. i love sunshine, year round and i love where I live for 6 months of the year. from May through Sept and sometimes Oct i am ok but don't love it. heat/humidity makes me stay in the house. AC is my friend. i am happiest when it is 50 to 75 degrees.. with no humidity. it was 90 at 10 am today and the humidity is a wet blanket. and i don't sleep well either. 6 months of the year i sleep really well. the reason i am happy in FL is we never have days and days of drizzle and clouds.. sunshine makes me happy, hot or cold.

Debbie said...

awwwww barbara, i am with you girl!! i love the changing seasons but i detest summer, the heat and the humidity. i love winter, and i always shared my joy for it here. never once did i complain about the snow or the cold!!

it's so difficult also because all the good stuff, festivals, craft shows, car shows, etc. are all in the dead heat of the summer. i want to go and enjoy the festivities but the heat gets me everytime.

i am still trying to pretend that i love summer, but last weekend, i never left the house, never took a shower, never even brushed my teeth....it was just too hot for me!!

happy birthday to your beautiful daughter!!!

Barb said...

Happy Birthday to Carrie! I have some spiders for her web. I, too, am grouchy if I have to endure heat and humidity. Thankfully, at high altitude, I still wear layers every day and have blankets on the bed year-round. I also don't like crowds. I prefer the quiet of the forests.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Completely agree with your dislike to summer heat and humidity. It's part (but not all) of the reasons we decided to leave the VA eastern shore and head to New England. And I also await putting on the first sweatshirt of the season!

Nicki said...

Don't hate summer, but am familiar with that ailment - plus those symptoms - oy! I can also commensurate with the whole summer pregnancy thing - kiddo #2 held on till the ninth hour at the end of one of the hottest summers I can remember - I think mothers with summer babies deserve bonus mother's day gifts.

Love your daughter's confident "quirky" style.

EG CameraGirl said...

Truth be told, summer is my least favourite season. It's colourful, I'll give it that, but I truly do not like the heat. People may think I'm crazy...but I do like winter much better. And who doesn't love fall and spring?