loving in spite of myself

[I] am as subject to heat as butter. -- William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor

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So, as I've repeatedly confessed, I have a hard time loving summer unless the weather's something like this. And as the temperatures creep up and the humidity wraps its rags around my face... my patience wanes.

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Still. I hate to waste a whole season by kicking against it... and so, in the spirit of Hula Seventy's brilliant lists... here are some things I'm determined to celebrate this summer, no matter what.

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1. sidewalks

2. the smell of sparklers

3. ice cold watermelon

4. the rare cool breeze

5. bats at twilight

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6. relearning to walk and eat an ice cream cone at the same time

7. morning rain

8. picnic tables

9. the smell of warm concrete

10. fresh strawberries

11. swingsets

12. firefly legs across my palm

13. sudden thunderstorms

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14. peach pie. ... especially this peach pie: my reigning favorite. (In fact, you probably should stop reading and go make this right now.)

15. air shows

16. and air conditioning

17. jump ropes

18. cicadas creaking in the evening

19. aloe vera & the smell of sunscreen

20. long drives in the country, between the

21. familiar walls of corn

22. honeysuckle

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23. stargazing, picking out the constellations I know

24. summer dresses

25. snow cones and

26. funnel cakes

27. marching bands, of course!

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... What else? What's on your list?