"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability." --
Sam Keen
As the summer heat comes upon us, and we are in the triple digits now, we have to look for ways to have fun in the furnace that is the Valley of the Sun. I grew up here in the desert and have some fond memories from childhood despite the overwhelming heat.
I can remember laying on the grass in the shade of a tree watching the white fluffy clouds float by with my friend. We would lie there looking for shapes in the clouds. Mostly we were looking for horses and dogs because that’s what we loved, but we saw other things too.
When it got to 115̊ºF we would try to fry an egg on the sidewalk. We heard it could be done…it can’t. And of course, as young kids we never wanted to wear shoes, so we would run to each other’s houses barefoot, burning our feet on the hot sidewalks and asphalt, and cooling them in the grass.
During the hottest part of the day, we would huddle inside and play board games or cards in the cool house.
Sometimes, we were able to go to the local pool and swim with our friends. That was always a favorite. Any time swimming was involved we were excited about the activity. So, we looked forward to weekend pool parties at the neighbor’s house. When we got our own pool, of course, pool fun was much easier and taken advantage of much more frequently.
As we got older, we were able to go bowling and to the movies as a way of staying busy, having fun, and staying cool. I also looked forward to family camping trips and Girl Scout camping trips during the summer. I loved camping because we got to go up to the mountains into the tall pines. It was cooler and usually breezy. I loved to listen to the wind blowing through the ponderosa pine trees. It was a beautiful, peaceful sound.
Monsoon season was exciting with the dust storms and thunderstorms which gave a break from the heat. I loved watching the wall of dust as it moved toward the house from the east. It was the most amazing sight to this huge wall of dust rolling toward you. As it got closer the wind would start to pick up. And then it was upon you and the sky would turn orange from the dust filtering the light from the sun. Finally, the thunderstorm would follow with big drops of rain, flashes of lightning, and booming thunder. And almost as fast as it came, it was gone. It was unfortunate when the thunderstorm didn’t follow and all you got was wind and dust. Or just enough rain to get everything dirty. But when you had a thunderstorm, it would cool everything down for a little while, giving a much needed break from the heat.
These are some of my fond memories growing up here in the Valley of the Sun. What are some of yours? What can you do to bring some of those memories to life again this summer? There are many things available to us as adults. Maybe check out some art galleries or museums, try one of the dine-in movie theatres, or organize an escape game party or board game party.
The pool is still a great way to have fun. If you have a family but don’t have a pool, take the kids to the local public pool or splash pad, or a water park. And a movie or game night is always a good option for the family. If you are single, organize a group of friends for a game night. There are so many great games out there today that are new and exciting.
So, resurrect the kid in you this summer. Find an activity that you can do to beat the heat and have some fun this summer! And teach your children how to have fun away from the electronics despite the heat. And make the time to relax in any way that is meaningful to you.
Reminder: Keep your kids safe near water this summer.
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