The Never Ending Story of Summer in the South

The grass grows.  The gnats flow.  And summer's heat grinds on and on here in the South land.

We have had a plethora of rain, coming mostly in thunderous storms.  Almost traffic-stopping torrents, that make you wonder if the world will wash away, but don't last long enough to accomplish that frightening task.

It helps the farmer's needs, but also increases the whining buzz,  as the air is filled with nature's kamikaze pilots - the mosquito, bearer not just of annoyance, but also the bringer of diseases, some tropical and new.

There are those who prefer the heat, those who complain and are uncomfortable if the temperature falls below 80.  I am not one of those.  My conception of an ideal day is about 58 and heavily clouded.  I have no explanation for this, other than I may have been a vampire in a former life.

Growing up in Michigan, we did have a season of high temperatures and humidity, where mosquitoes dominated the skies, and the lack of air conditioning was very noticeable.  It went on and on, lasting up to maybe five weeks, unlike here, where the season ranges from six to nine months.

I cope with the extended heat like many cope with Michigan's long winters; I stay inside as much as possible.  It's not too big a burden.  I have an indoor job, and a wide range of indoor hobbies and interests.

It would be a mistake, however, to draw from that a conclusion that I am not an outdoors person. I do like to get out and walk,  It is good exercise, and helps fuel my writing ideas.  With my impending change of work schedule (moving to a semi-retired status in the accounting profession), I'm looking forward to more early morning walks, hopefully before the gnats wake up and realize their favorite human is out and about,

Direct sunlight is a problem.   Sunburn is not the problem.  Sweat isn't a problem either; I don't seem to sweat much.  I just go straight to sunstroke. My temperature destabilizes, and the world spins.  At least I don't glow, or burst into flames.

So, why live in the heat?  Why not just move to a climate more suited to me?

Well, despite the dislike of many in Michigan for the extended cold, many still live there.  And for many of the same reasons that I continue to live in Southern Georgia.

Because this is where my family is.  This is where my job and friends are.  This is where I have grown to love the caring and blessings of the church we have chosen to attend.  This is where I have shined in community theater, and participate in other organizations where I believe I and others are helping to make a difference.

People can be wanderers.  I'm certainly not where I grew up.  Many of us take winding roads to end up in places quite different from where we started.  But eventually, most of us settle, and take up roots.  And as much as we have the instinct to wander, we also have the desire to take root. And South Georgia is where I and my family have laid down our roots.

Very few places have ideal weather year round.  I mean, we all can't live in Hawaii. People are special everywhere.  Natural beauty can be found everywhere.  The soul takes root, where the soul takes root.

So I slather on the Bug Be Gone.  I wear a protective hat.  I am even contemplating getting a beekeeper's helmet.  And, of course, I complain and kvetch, knowing that, really, I wouldn't move for the world, not from the wonderful life my family and I have built up.

A shorter summer wouldn't hurt, though.