Upon a Summer's Day

Go, go, go and/or relax, relax, relax? Which are you? (Poll at end.)

Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été :
Le grand soleil, complice de ma joie,

It shall be, then, upon a summer's day:
The sun, my joy's accomplice, bright shall shine,

The opening lines to Paul Verlaine’s “It Shall be, then, upon a summer’s day” en francais and in English.

Finding Fun during a Heatwave (for the go, go, goers)

Many places worldwide are experiencing brutal heatwaves. I hope my readers are staying hydrated and safe, and, if possible finding some fun things to do in this hot, hot summertime. Depending on your community and perhaps your age, you may fall into two approaches to spending your time in the summer. You might fill your calendar with things to do, or seek peace and quiet, or better yet, find a blend of those two choices. I’m more of a calm-seeker these days than a go, go, go-er, but I must have some “go” options.

Milwaukee is a fun place to be in the summer, even in the heat. We had relief for a few days, but it’s ba-ack. If you weren’t aware, we’re known as the City of Festivals for a reason. If you wanted to be on the go all weekend long and hit different spots, that is quite do-able here. A friend of mine was going to both Bastille Days and Festa Italiana, and an evening venu.

Sunday I walked up to Bastille Days in Cathedral Park Square to people watch and peruse the food shops and listen to some fine musique. Milwaukee School of Engineering borders one edge of the park and their students have built an Eiffel Tower on the grounds for many years.

My inner francophile enjoyed the afternoon there. I came home and sank into my latest book (which, sadly, I’m almost done with), The Gulf of Lions by Caitlin Shetterly. A mom and her daughters are camping their way across France. Need I say more?

I missed Festa Italiana this weekend and many other activities — concerts in parks, beer gardens in parks (and a traveling one), musicians in parks (and plenty of other locations), bike paths galore, beautiful beaches with no fear of sharks in the water, museums and galleries (if you must find a/c), farmers markets, and the list could go on and on. And, did I mention parks? The greater Milwaukee area is replete with parks and we have a Bavarian immigrant to thank for most of them. According to Milwaukee Magazine, a Massachusetts landscape architect, Horace W. S. Cleveland, was commissioned to design Milwaukee’s first formally planned park, Juneau Park, in 1870. Juneau, an easy walk from my home, also has a beer garden these days. Again, from Milwaukee Magazine: “Later, Christian Wahl, a Bavarian immigrant, advocated for public parks in the 1880s and served as president of the newly formed Milwaukee Park Board in 1889, helping to guide early park development.” If you’ve ever had the chance to visit Germany, you may have noticed the preponderance of beautiful parks and parkways. Milwaukee benefited when Christian Wahl was involved in the early stages of developing our parks.

For the relax, relax, relaxers

I love other, calmer things about summer too. I wake up earlier with the sun rising in the 5 am ballpark. Between 5 and 6 am I love sitting out on my balcony. The dog walkers, runners and crew teams are out, getting a workout in before the heat reaches unbearable or dangerous. The gulls soar overhead and songbirds call to the rising sun. The flowers in my window boxes took a long time to really grow this year, which I blame on the rain, cold, heat, and wind. Too much of each at different points this summer. This shot is from a week or so ago. Sitting and watching the birds visit brings smiles.

And this is from today at around 11:30 am:

Mornings on the balcony provide a sweet spot to start my day. No looking at my phone until I’ve meditated and journaled. Then, a mug of coffee in hand, I observe the world from my tiny urban oasis. Depending on the heat and humidity, I return to the balcony later in the day or early evening to read.

What are some of the activities you look forward to in the summer?

What are some of the ways you relax?

And for my edification, please answer the quick poll below: