A sizzling end to Summer.

I was always told by my Father and Grandfather that the appearance of butterflies towards the end of Summer means Fall is upon us. More recently I've heard there's about 6 weeks left once they show up. This past weekend alone, we were surrounded by butterflies at the pool during what felt like one of our last little parties of the Summer. My Sister and Brother in-law are headed back to school, Lo starts school in about a week and a half, and I've noticed that upon my first venture outside in the morning I no longer feel like I'm standing inside of a muggy oven. Something in the air has certainly changed.

Growing up in central Georgia, it's always been a given than you don't dare venture outdoors (without gallons of fluids) in the middle of Summer. It's too damn hot around these parts to even form a simple thought once you've been baking, in the shade no less, for five minutes or more. I vaguely remember the intense heat during the Summer Olympics in '96 (I was only 14, btw.) I recall Coca-Cola had set up cool mist stations around the city and seriously? The humidity is already 100%, you think misting people with cool water in a glorified car wash is going to help? Yes, let's add cool mist to your hot sweat and see what happens. People were soaked, stinky, and drunk. It was pretty much a normal Summer day in Atlanta. I think now about going outside and I'm on the fence. I have two small children and despite the ridiculous humidity, we are under a drought induced watering ban. Therefore, no obvious wasting of water after 6 a.m. My Grandfather gets away with using copious amounts of water due to the fact that he has nearly an acre of land outback that is strictly for gardening purposes. We as a family, however, can not wash the car in the name of "accidentally hosing/cooling off and hey look, a clean car!" We as Georgians enjoy the heat a different 6 months out of the year March, April, May, September, October and November. Our Spring and Fall seasons are tolerable. Warm, but tolerable. It's during these months that it might actually feel comfortable in this poorly air conditioned basement. It's during these months that the kids and I can get outside, sweat a little, and not be completely exhausted from loss of fluids but more from loss of energy of exercising our tails off.

So even though I find myself freaking ECSTATIC that the butterflies have returned, I'm kind of sad that soon thoughts of going to the pool will be non-existent... that time is flying by right in front of my eyes... that I can't capture all of the joy and excitement from what we've learned in the past few months in a few pictures and/or blog posts. This summer has been unreal, for me at least. How about you? Have any of you had amazing Summers? Any mind blowing moments you'd like to share with the class?