The warm sun, the sweet sounds of the ice cream man, the smell of salt water (or chlorine), and the sight of swings blowing in the summer breeze, no matter your age or upbringing, all of these things elicit memories. For me, the summer breeze brings me back to days spent at the swimming pool, picnic lunches at the playground, and red cheeks (aka raccoon masks) by days end. Evenings were capped off with a swim meet or at the baseball/softball fields playing in or watching a game, and heading to the caboose concession stand for something super sweet, like a super rope of licorice or a ring pop.
[blockquote name=””]Sweet Summer Days.[/blockquote]
While I am not sure I appreciated it at the time, I enjoyed the routine of the morning chores, the packing of the swim bag and the daily trips to the pool. I always knew what the next day held, who would be at the pool to spend the day with and when we would return home so we could prepare for our evening meet or game. On the really special nights, we skipped the concession stand and headed to the ice cream shop for a tasty chocolate and vanilla twist. I think I can still taste the cool ice cream and hear the giggles that rang through the air as another summer evening came to a close.