It is the month that, to me, means summer. I wonder if typical summer weather will be very far behind? What we have been experiencing thus far seems less like summer than most years I have in memory.

Summer for us is usually a time of traveling to our vacation spot. After every great weekend at the lake, I find my mind is drawn to revisit the events that just occurred at our paradise. The most recent experience was tainted a fair amount by Cyndie’s and my current circumstances, but there is still enough magic from just having been there that my mind doesn’t hesitate to return. On the night of our big community dinner at the lodge, Cyndie and I left a little early and headed back to our cabin. I left my camera with Julian and asked him to capture some of the atmosphere for me.

Photo by Julian W. Hays

There is a grass field by the children’s play area where a game of lacrosse had materialized. We marveled over how the field started out as a place where the kids played wiffle ball. Over time, the game of choice has morphed to volleyball, and then soccer. I was impressed to see that every kid seemed to have a lacrosse stick and knew how to use it. Once again, the times are changing.

With the low light of dusk, the auto settings of my camera captured a fair amount of blur from the kids in motion. I like the effect that creates. I also like the one person lying on the grass, looking skyward as the action is happening beyond him. I sense the lingering reverberations of the kid’s excited shouts and the collection of adult voices in conversation that were happening at the time, behind the camera’s field of view.

Photo by Julian W. Hays

This image of our view of the lake from the lodge really appeals to my eye. There is a lot to it, but it is all pretty subtle. The colors in the sky and reflection of the lake are great. I have no difficulty mentally placing myself on the steps of the lodge with the smells and sounds of the wood smoke and loon calls bringing the scene alive for me.