I have a lot to live up, you know? After so many of you read my post about complaining about the weather, I’m just going to have to tackle my rocky relationship with summer head on this year.

As the days get longer and warmer, and spring is most definitely here to stay, I’m mentally preparing myself for what is to come. North Carolina summers are nothing to sneeze at. In the past, I’ve made effort to not complain about the weather, but still I dread the wave of oven air when I open my car door, and trying to stay comfortable at all outdoor events, and warm nights in my bed. This year however, I’m determined to go beyond enduring, and find things to enjoy in this sultry season everyone else seems to love.

Thunderstorms. Does anything compare with watching forbidding clouds roll over the sky till they overtake you, squelching the heat with big, cool drops? I’m fortunate to have a metal roof to amplify the sound of rainfall, and lying in bed listening to rain pound on it is one of the best feelings in the world.

Basil. Basil deserves poetry written about it, and songs sung in its honor. And summer is swimming with the leafy green plant. My roommate makes an amazing cold quinoa salad filled with tomatoes and basil and feta cheese and balsamic vinegar, and we consume it in great quantities while nobody is watching. Most definitely I’m looking forward to that.

Antique Car Shows. Every month during the summer there is an evening in which Mocksville’s antique car collection comes out in full force. The cars line Main Street, and people stroll up and down admiring them, eating local ice cream, and listening to the music blasting. I love the feeling of community when my town puts on these events, and I’m enjoying the fact that I recognize a few more local faces than I once did. Of course, the cars themselves are pretty fabulous too.

Office Work. I know, this seems like an odd one, but few things make me as grateful for my office job as the summer months. Seeing my brothers nearly get heat stroke from working so hard outside makes me feel like I’ve pretty much got it made. I’ll take the knotty shoulders in exchange for cool comfort the whole year round.

Long Evenings. When the sky stays light till late in the evening, it’s perfect for taking long strolls about the town, and exploring all the crooked streets we haven’t ventured upon yet. Sometimes there is live music downtown, and I can sit on the courthouse steps and watch the world go by as I’m serenaded by whoever is putting on the show.

Tell me, besides ice cream of course, what is your favorite thing about summer?

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