Summer Beginnings

Even before I opened my eyes, I knew that today was not going to be another ordinary day. The brightness of the room cast a red-orange glow behind my eyelids and from the other room, the sound of pawsteps on the floor told me that my dog was restless already and anxious to get outside. And...there was an odd...BUZZING in the air.

After several attempts to pull enough blankets and pillows over my head to block out the light and noise failed, I rolled over with a groan and put my feet on the floor. "I'm up, I'm up." I groaned to no one in particular. It was then that I saw it, the reason for all of the fuss and odd noises.

Outside the window, the sun shone through with a blinding light. I blinked several times as my mind wrapped itself around this odd sight, pulling my sweatshirt over my head before realizing that I wasn't going to need it this morning. I opened the backdoor and let the dogs out into the yard; my giant 130lb monster-of-a-dog and the tiny pug who's renting a room this summer while her human takes an adventure racing into freedom. It was at that moment that I identified the odd BUZZING that had shaken me from my dreams; my neighbor's lawnmower.

Summer, it seems, has finally made an appearance in Sumner. After a long winter of dreary grey skies and frosty mornings, could it be that the world has finally thawed and we're on our way to a warmer, brighter world?

For me, the first day of summer is like New Year's Day. It's the time when the cobwebs get brushed away and I have the chance to begin again. I feel rejuvinated and ready for reinvention as new adventures beckon. The first camping trip of the summer has been planned for months now; all of the gear stands at the ready, (and, if I'm being honest, a good portion of it is already stashed in the trunk of the car). The grill has a fresh tank of propane. The above ground pool has been waiting for an excuse to be filled. The kids walking to school every morning are starting to get louder and rowdier as they realize that their freedom is drawing closer, day by day.

Yes, summer is here, and with it a whole list of exciting adventures and activities that have been forbidden (or at least, extremely challenging) for the past 9 months or so. I'd like to think that I speak on behalf of much of East Pierce when I say, it's about time.

What's on YOUR summer agenda? What adventure or event have YOU been waiting anxiously to get out and enjoy? Do you know something happening in Sumner/Bonney Lake that I should get out and experience for myself? Please let me know in the comments!