Signs of Summer.

The other night I was driving around and was overwhelmed with how lovely and summer-like it felt. I don't know if you knew this about me, but I love driving with the windows down (kidding, kidding; I'm confident that you already knew that about me...) but in addition to the splendor of the windows down drive, there were some other things that were perfectly summer-like...

1. Cicadas. Half of the state of Missouri has been taken over by cicadas, but thankfully I am not currently residing in that half of the state. I just get to enjoy the sound of them and am instantly taken back to childhood summers as I hear them sing. (P.S. Apparently an ice cream shop where I went to college was selling cicada flavored ice cream! It was big news...)

2. Golden oldies. So I know oldies music has nothing to do with the summer, but for some reason listening to it makes me feel overwhelmed with a sense of ... "summer"? Sadly, the oldies station in town plays primarily 70s and 80s music these days, but on Sunday nights they play the golden oldies, more 50s and 60s (I think...) and it's awesome! The other night I heard some good ones like Duke of Earl and The Birds and The Bees. It was so great...

3. Baseball. I drove by the old baseball stadium that my brothers used to play at when we were little. I miss going to little league baseball games. But it seems like the Kansas City Royals are on our TV more nights than not, so I get my fill of the game.

4. Humidity. Nope, I don't love the humidity, but there is something about the hot, sweaty, I-can-feel-my-hair-getting-curlier-as-we-speak feeling that is purely summer. Oh midwest humidity, what a love-hate relationship we have...

5. Lightning bugs. What is it about lightning bugs that makes them not scary like the rest of their bug friends. Lightning bugs and rollie pollies must have gotten on God's good side because for some reason we aren't inclined to kill them like the rest of the bug nation. I love lightning bugs. Sometimes when I see them I have to resist the urge of grab a mason jar and catch some to keep in my room.

Happy first day of summer!