Summer Sundays in Texas
Happy Sunday, friends! My grandson and Tux want to wish all in the USA a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Welcome to Summer Sundays in Texas.
I know what the calendar says, but in Texas, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial/official start to summer.
I am tweaking the name of this weekly lifestyle post more for me than anyone else…it will still be very similar to what it has already been….just with a summer focus.
I realized recently that my attitude towards summer has become very negative as the weather has become more oppressive the past few years.
After our discussion on Friday about contentment and the dangers of discouragement, I decided I needed an attitude check when it comes to summer.
So, Summer Sundays in Texas will be a positive focus of summer in my world…hopefully, for me, a return to what I previously loved about this time of year.
Please join me today for the first post of Summer Sundays in Texas.
SUMMER SUNDAYS IN TEXAS: AT HOME
Let’s take a closer look at what I am talking about….thank you for the help of another grandson!
Preparation for the expected warmer weather is key to not allowing it to defeat me. In fact, the heat index just this weekend has been at 112!! That is really early for us.
In our regular fashion posts, I have told you selections I have purchased in anticipation of the heat…I was more prepared last year for Alaska than I was for Texas.
Last year, we finally gave in and let the sun fry our backyard…it remained fried until recently.
I do not use the word “fry” lightly.
Now, Mr. B & I are on our way to a lovely place to sit in the mornings or evenings and enjoy. I am prepared this year to keep it this way.
We were sure the birds were talking bad about us to the neighbors, because we just gave up on feeding them….but word is out…we are back in the game.
I am enjoying every visitation to my hummingbird feeders as well.
SUMMER SUNDAYS IN TEXAS: ROAD TRIPS
Summer always leads us on more road trips and recently, we made sure to enjoy the German cuisine we love so much.
You may or may not know that Texas was settled by many from Germany and several communities still celebrate this heritage.
I love to get my favorite Reuben sandwiches with German potato salad.
And Mr. B makes sure to enjoy dark German beer.
We often stop at The Auslander in Fredericksberg, Texas…they have an area inside where Tux can dine with us and they brought him a cool bowl of water!
Summer has always made me smile with fond memories of country music, swimming, ice cream, festivals, boating on lakes, fireworks, barbecue….
And I refuse to allow the heat to melt memories away…so road trips are a part of those memories…and, especially fun when driving to see family.
SUMMER SUNDAYS IN TEXAS: LOOKING INTO NEW FUN
Good friends recently shared with me something they did for family fun in San Antonio…so I am looking into the Food Chick Tours.
San Antonio has become known as a culinary dream city and this group organizes food tours.
My friend, Karen, and her family did a Star-Wars themed food tour on May 4th…and they loved it.
They even dressed in Star Wars clothing!
Of course, Mr. B wants to do the Texas Mexican Food Tour…I am trying for something we do not eat all of the time. Will report back!
SUMMER SUNDAYS IN TEXAS:
I hope to do more like the food tours to keep it fun and exciting.
We are not traveling until later in the year and at the beginning of the next; however, I love to be at home in Texas and plan to make new memories here.
So come join me…if I ever lapse into summer discontentment, feel free to call me out.
My new attitude though is to enjoy each new summer day!
Please leave any thoughts you may have. I plan to see you tomorrow…and, as always….
STAY STRONG & KEEP SMILING!
By Pamela Lutrell
Pamela, I also love many things about summer, but the humidity added to high temps are difficult. We do not get as hot as your area, and I use an around the neck fan. I found it really helps. They are rechargeable and really help me to feel better. A bit of breeze makes a big difference.
And as the U.S. marks Memorial Day, please allow me to add my thanks to those who have served, to those still serving, and to their families who are missing their family members.
Memorial Day is such an important commemoration. We cannot say thank you enough to those who serve. The neck fan sounds wonderful!
I’m a big proponent that attitude can make such a big difference in any situation, and you definitely have developed a better one as you approach this summer. Thinking back to childhood days when we had no air conditioning in our house, one favorite thing to do was to sit on the cool front steps that were shaded by big azalea bushes and read. I tend to be very cold-natured and usually wear more clothes than others when air conditioners are running as they are right now here in South Georgia but make an effort to get outside earlier in the morning before the temps and heat indices get over the 90-100 range. Our humidity is the stifling part of the heat of summer down here. Again, I agree with you that attitude is the key to enjoying hot summertime and I plan to do just that too!
Let’s do it together, Celia!
I would like to talk about a legacy more meaningful than my own. Lt. Daniel G. Dawson (posthumously promoted to Capt.) went missing in South Viet Nam on 11\06\1964. His is the name I wear on my MIA bracelet. He was an Army pilot flying an unarmed two-seater plane doing reconnaissance when he was shot down. Neither he nor his plane were ever recovered. He was 27 years old. He had a wife and four children. His photo shows him to be a youthful, handsome man. It is Capt. Dawson and all of the other American men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation down through the decades that I think of this time of year.
Thank you for sharing him with us, Linlee. It is so important to share these stories and remember the sacrifices of life as well as the sacrifices from their families. I encourage any reader here to also commemorate those who gave it all for our country. Thank you so much.
I’m like you and not a fan of high heat and humidity. But that is summer time here. Fortunately its only three months long. I don’t like wearing sleeveless attire as jiggly my upper arms are ugly. I have to slather myself with sun block as have recently been battling skin cancers. (Don’t want another Mohs surgery ). Given all this negativity I do love my long early am or pm walks on the nearby beaches close to our beach cottage. It’s relaxing to just dig my toes into the sand and listen to the waves. Peaceful. I also get to see my grandchildren more often! That makes it all worthwhile.
Yes! Seeing grandchildren more is a huge plus…I am envious of your beach cottage…sounds wonderful. We can do this! Will do my best to bring the positives here every Sunday!
The Bible verse is a good one! This is something I need to focus on. As far as summer I think it goes too fast. I live in Wisconsin and 112 degree temperature is something that doesn’t happen here. I like summer but I have a different perspective because of the cool weather I get tired of wearing sweatshirts all the time.
Have a good weekend.
Our climate is dark and wet in winter (and often fall and spring) because of the effect of the Great Lakes, which moderates our temperatures but brings dampness and very overcast days. I always welcome summer because of the sunshine, and I love to read by the pool and swim. That said, it has its downsides … sticky humidity, allergies, insects. I have a -very- difficult time in the heat; I often feel almost ill during long patches of excessive temperatures. I don’t like summer fashion, and I hate having to wash my hair every time I take a walk (due to the heat and perspiring). Scorching heat like you have is hard. It keeps you indoors just the way the winter temperatures and ice do here. You are right to resolve not to let it get you down. Enjoy what you can outdoors, then retreat into the wonderful invention called air conditioning.
You too, Paula! The Bible verse is a good one for me to remember! Thanks for being here…every season has its own challenges.
I am going to do my best to focus on the best parts inside and out! Thanks for sharing, Linda!
A positive and optimistic attitude has been associated with longer life, so it’s important, and even, essential. I applaud your spirit. What jumped out at me, though, was your mention of being prepared. Heat, humidity, and health problems are real and are facts of life in many places across the country. We can’t live today as we did 30 years ago, so enjoyment of each summer day needs to be based on knowledge and action. Last year fires in Canada caused huge issues in New England, and we are working to prevent more. There are actions we can take to make this and future summers more enjoyable. But today, as Linlee observed, is about remembrance and gratitude to fallen soldiers and the sacrifice that so many have shown in service to our country.
My heart swells with pride for all those who have sacrificed for us. I carry that appreciation with me always but especially today.
As for the heat and humidity: girl I live just outside Houston and I’ll wager it’s worse here than San Antonio. But we’re in this together and like you I prefer to appreciate each and every day as best I can. And am grateful for every morning that I wake.
Yes…let’s remember those who endured more that heat for us!
I lived and worked in Houston for a few years and every year got humidity headaches! I know how oppressive it can be. Thank you for remembering Memorial Day with us, Rhoda.
Gosh, I wish I could share some Oregon summer weather with everyone. We are so blessed here. Sometimes we will catch a stretch or two of 100 degree days in late July or August, but that’s okay, too – time to head downstairs and enjoy the always cool basement! Summer here is filled with outdoor fairs, concerts, picnics, and festivals, plus beautiful little trips over to the coast or days at the rivers.
I admit that it sounds glorious and sometimes difficult to here…but this is what I have been dealt for summer and I love Texas…so I am going to see how I can enjoy it more this year…despite the heat.
Pam, I have a similar issue with winter. A few years ago, I had a talk with myself and realized God wants us to enjoy every day of this beautiful life he gave us. So…..I began to try to embrace the beauty of winter ….. wearing cute warm clothes, reading poems and books about the magic of winter, drinking more hot chocolate and other cozy activities. It helps!
Thank you for sharing, Marcia! I agree that God wants us to enjoy each every day as the gift he has given us and He has placed us exactly where He wants us. Maybe I need to find some summer poetry!
In reading all of the comments, I realized that we each have to struggle with climate change. It is here. I live a 5,300 ft. altitude and we have had high 90-100 degrees for 4 months in the last couple of summers. We had long drought periods. Yes, this is the high mountain desert and our humidity is often single digits, but hot is still hot and hard to deal with at my age, 79 and chronic illness. I’m very grateful for air conditioning and we take dog Trix out for her walks around 6 pm when the clouds roll in and it gets a little cooler. I’m grateful for having an irrigation system which keeps our yard watered. We have artificial turf in the backyard for Trix. Two of my sons did 20 years of military service and one grandson just completed 20 years in the Marines as did his dad. I’m so proud of all of them and the Corp for the service they give everyday and their families as it can be so scary sometimes while they are deployed.
Here in the California desert we get extreme summer temperatures. No humidity, it’s a dry heat, but it feels as if someone left the oven door open. In the six years I have been here I have learned to deal with it by getting my walk in before 7 in the morning; going to the pool to meet up with girlfriends in the afternoon and if I want to golf it will mean getting out early and maybe quitting before 18 holes. A friend has suggested we start walking the mall once a week and then enjoy lunch. When my sister lived in Keller, Texas she would buy an inflatable pool for herself every summer and enjoy a cold soak in the afternoon!
Thank you so much for your families’ service! We appreciate it so much!
Love these ideas…since I have no pool perhaps an inflatable one is the ticket !
Thanks for the reinforcement & encouragement to embrace summer for what it is. The Midwest heat & humidity tend to sap my energy, but I decided to quit whining about it & to focus on the positives. I have so much for which to be grateful & one of the best parts of summer is the abundance of local fresh produce, so I will be making Saturday morning trips to my nearby farmer’s market. Yesterday, I accepted an unexpected invitation to a baseball game a few hours away from my home. Yes, it was a bit muggy & my legs are a bit sore from all the walking up the stairs & ramps, but I enjoyed an evening with family. Kudos to my granddaughter for looking out for me & stopping to rest with me a couple of times. I am eager to see what else might be on the horizon in the coming months.
What a really good idea to reframe the challenges of a hot summer. After all, we don’t get nice tomatoes from cold, cloudy weather. It’s no fun to swim in a pool or a lake when it’s chilly. And winter road trips via car are often much more challenging in terms of the driving and weather. So…good for you, Pam to reframe this. Personally, I love fall and especially winter–always have. However, each season has its special gifts to give to us. And, who is that nice kitty on your table? Yours?
We can do this, Becky! Thanks for inspiring the rest of us!
Madelyn is my son’s cat…he moved away and she did not.
Today the heat was so bad in my shaded backyard that my iPhone locked up and gave me an error message due to the heat, and it’s still MAY. Thank you for the perfect scripture to help adjust my attitude toward summer! Growing up in north Texas in an unairconditioned house summer has been my least favorite season since childhood, but once I had my daughter and especially my grandkids, I started trying to see summer through their eyes. They get so excited about swimming lessons, their birthdays, snow cones, and holiday fireworks, and I’m trying to adopt more of that spirit. Last night I braved the heat to attend an outdoor concert at our local Levitt Pavilion, and I enjoyed it so much I am going back tonight. While I am really worried about the long-term implications of global warming, I need to focus more on how I can have an easier time with the day-to-day challenges of summer. Like Pam, I have started buying summer clothes more intentionally and wearing more linen and cotton options in spite of the wrinkles. When my power went off at 6:00 am today in a storm and I couldn’t sleep without AC and a fan, I tried to focus on the blessing of having an air- conditioned house I can retreat to this summer. I am shifting my evening walk to a morning walk, and trying to buy more foods I can serve cold, like avacados topped with corn relish and boiled shrimp. Sometimes the smallest changes can really impact our attitude, and I’m thankful to have the company of so many in this group as we all try to survive another summer of predicted record-breaking heat here in Texas.