I guess it must really be summer. I drank my first glass of homemade lemonade bought from young entrepreneurs.  They sold classic and pink varieties for one dollar a glass.  The price seemed a little steep to me but we were buying charm as well.  The group of youngsters had quite a good marketing strategy.  Some of them made and sold the lemonade and a couple of others yelled ads at a busy street corner encouraging us to walk half a block down the quiet street to where they were set up.  The dad who made the stand really deserves kudos for his classic style.  Worthy of Peanuts comic strip, I’d say.  I quenched my thirst on this first really hot day of the summer and loved the excitement of the youngsters pocketing our money with a satisfied smile.

Another welcome and beloved sign of summer for me is the appearance of fireflies or lightning bugs in my garden.  In the early evening I wonder if my eyes are playing tricks on me but no, they are blinking and winking at each other and I get to enjoy the heartening little flashes that tell me it really is a hot night. It is such a treat to see these little darlings in a city garden and down my rather overgrown lane.  It reassures me and raises my spirits to see these tiny creatures lightening up the dark shadows of my rose bushes.

All during the long dark months of winter I never think of lemonade stands and fireflies.  Summer always brings them as heart melting surprises.

Please note …unusually for me, this piece features a shot of people I don’t know.  I requested and recieved permission from the mother of two of the children, ( she was supervising the event) to take and include the picture in my blog.