Summer Time

". . . And the living is easy." So go the words to the song. The demands of getting to school on time and after school pick-up and activities, of homework, of square meals at normal times are relaxed. We can sleep as we choose, wake when we want, eat when where and as we wish. The sunsets come later, the dawns so early, the days are ever longer for a few more days. The temperatures are rising, today into the 90s, bonafide "summer" temperatures. I remember writing, once upon a time, "it was so hot, the dogshit melted down Beacon Hill." There will be thunderstorms this evening and the scent of ozone in the air. Dog laws have changed most of that for quite a while, and I doubt that shit can melt. Inside the apartment, the fan runs silently with sufficient force to make a significant difference. At the beach no one's been swimming. The water is still cold, not yet inviting. Birds chirp with abandon in city and by the shore. This is the opposite of winter, its harsh and brittle cares out of mind, far away. We know how quickly things can turn. We fear where the summer of our contentedness may lead us with June's easy living. But for now, lush green and soft air surround us, and all is well.