As I walked into work today with a chill in the air, I realized I had forgotten to grab a jacket this morning on my way out. Then I stopped and thought, "A jacket!?!". To be honest, the thought had never even crossed my mind. For the last couple weeks it's been almost 80 even before I had to be at work at 8 AM. However, this morning I sadly realized that with this second morning of cool temperatures, apparently summer is over. Yes, cool nights make for easier sleeping but cool mornings serve only to remind me that summer in Rochester is an all-too-brief season. As if in a small town, "don't blink, or you might just miss it".
So for today's Flashback Friday, I'm rewinding just a couple of short months back to my relaxing summer vacation in the 1000 Islands. I know, it's not much of a flashback, but it will help me prolong summer just a little longer, if only in my mind.
So here's a riveting (ha!) observation I would like to share with you that I journaled about recently while on my vacation in the 1000 Islands:
July 15, 2009
This place has a very predictable schedule of bugs and nuisances.
The squirrels come early in the morning in search of any morsel you may have left out, dropped, or inadvertently made accessible the night before and reek havoc on your site. They knock things over, poop on your tables and chairs, dig in your garbage and make their loud crashes, chatters, and bangs known in the wee hours of the morning. It's impossible to ignore them. Or sleep through them.
When you first get up and the dew is still fresh, the gnats are everywhere. Large clouds of gnats hang in the air, tempting you to walk through them only to come out the other side with a parting gift in your eyes, teeth, and hair.
The chipmunks come and steal what they can but they're so darn cute, you can't help but want them to visit.
Throughout the day it’s the seagulls. They’re everywhere! They come in (too closely, for my taste!) and steal anything they can get their grubby beaks on. They’re LOUD, too. I’m always chasing them away at nap time so they don’t wake Alex up. Their territorial squawking is aggravating at best. They’re pretty ballsy, too. Not much scares them and they’ll walk right up under your nose to get at something.
As dusk settles, the gnats make their appearance again. Millions of them, everywhere. Don’t breathe too deeply or you’ll be sorry. They show up in all my pictures looking like fireflies. They're insane to see.
As soon as the sun sets, however, they mysteriously disappear. Then, peace and quiet. The campers get quiet, the bugs get quiet. It’s fantastic.
And the best part? The reason I love coming back here year after year? No mosquitos. I have yet to put on mosquito spray! Nathaniel doesn’t have a single red welt left by their pesky bites. I love it. I’ll take the squirrels and chipmunks, the seagulls, even the gnats in exchange for not a single mosquito!!
And with views like these, who can blame us for loving it there?!?
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