Welcome, July! Bring it on!

Hot, hot, hot. What's your favorite way to escape the heat? And what is your most usual go-to? Are they the same? My favorite, by far, is to head for the mountains. But we live in southeast Texas. I don't get to do that as often as I'd like.

So, let's review some of our options, excluding long vacations. I'm thinking more along the lines of from a few days to a weekend to a day or afternoon. 

There's the coast. We live less than an hour away. Beaches can be a mess -- all that sand and saltwater. Every little thing has to be washed or rinsed when you get home. But the ocean is magnificent. I love to watch the shore birds and dolphins.

Mountains -- oh, to live near mountains! They're so much cooler than flat areas. They smell nice, too. They have my heart.

Rivers and lakes -- I love mountain streams and rivers, but I'm not crazy about our options around here. We do have some rock-bottomed lakes and rivers, but most have slushy, slimy, muddy bottoms. Ugh!  And then there are water moccasins... But I am truly grateful for our waters and find them beautiful for viewing and wildlife.

Forests -- again, alpine are wonderful. And I do appreciate our Texas forests. In cool weather, I love hiking through them. But early morning hikes through a southeast Texas forest in summer would require some serious bug protection. And it's just so hot.

Waterparks -- Very nice for the young and young at heart!

Museums -- great places to spend a hot day.

Hanging out with friends -- great in any weather.

Staying indoors with a hobby -- crafts, reading, cooking -- there are so many things we can do.

And we can always enjoy some of our favorite outdoor activities such as tennis, golf, biking, walking, rollerblading, boarding -- you get the idea -- in the less hot weather of early evening. 

These are options that come to mind when I think of my family -- my husband and myself, our kids and grandkids. There are so many variables. I don't know why I thought to make a list. It's not even a really helpful list.

I guess it just reminds me that the long, hot days of summer have their good points. Those long, lazy days...

Happy Summer!





 



Onto manmade diversions!

Swimming pool -- here in the Houston area, they are very common. Access to a pool is a great advantage for kids. Knowing how to swim is a safety skill worth having. And, of course, it's fun.