Tony and I took a brief kayak trip tonight on Torch Lake to break in our new paddles. The good news is that they are much lighter than the old ones and seem more effective. The bad news is that summer is winding down.
All season long I’ve been lamenting summer’s too-quick passing. In July I was upset that June was gone, and oh no, we didn’t do nearly as much stuff as I had wanted. Summer is almost over. But then I’d tell myself: silly girl, it’s only July – there’s a whole season ahead of you. I generally succeeded in convincing myself, allowing that while I was not spending the time underwater that I’d wanted, I was still summering it up. And those conversations with myself had been going well, until the signs started piling up.
Former students and nieces and nephews are returning to school. The sun is no longer setting after 9 pm, nor is it rising before the heinously early 6 am. Our weather has cooled down, albeit to a more comfortable mid-70’s range. Our grapes are beginning to ripen, and a leaf here and another leaf there are beginning to brighten into their autumn reds and golds. But no worries. I can’t fight the changing seasons, and why would I? There are still swimming and kayaking days ahead, and then there will be hiking and skating days.
For now, scenes from Torch Lake…post-sunset from two nights ago and tonight’s sunset. Enjoy the remains of summer!
Adventures in Michigan's Up North 
You have the most amazing sunsets! In the midst of a summer with more heat than usual, I am looking forward to the cooling that should come this next week, and fall is one of my favorite seasons. But I want fall to extend much longer, spring to arrive much sooner, and winter to be very brief. You know what they say about what you want, and what you get!
I look for those sunsets 😉 We just had an amazing weekend – blog coming soon, I expect – but last night’s sunset was the best I’ve seen in a while…and we were just driving home, so no pictures.
While we’re wishing on the seasons, I’d wish for those transitions around winter to be shorter, and instead extend more around summer. I quite enjoy winter, but I don’t much love November or April.
Ahhh, the slow retreat of summer. Is it cool down there today, too? It’s about 70 degrees here. Do you have grapes growing at your house? Those sound so delicious. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten grapes growing on vines. Do they still have a thousand seeds per grape?
I don’t know how cool it was – I suspect it was nice, but I was in your neighborhood and missed you!
We do have grapes growing at our house – right behind our 11-windowed and 4-doored breezeway. They taste a thousand times better than any you’ll buy in a store, but yes, they do still have a thousand seeds per grape. I’m determined to do something with them this year. The past two we’ve simply eaten some and let the rest fall off the vines or go to the birds – at the immense entertainment of our cats. I’m thinking grape juice that I can freeze and use in smoothies?