Sprinklers, Screen Doors and Rolling Down a Grassy Hill

As I was leaving the house this morning -

to go to Wal-Mart
then to a local Antique Store/Flea Market
and then to the Southern Family Market where they had a special on Chicken Breasts

I had to turn the sprinklers on my Hydrangeas. I can't stand to see them wilt in the sun. They look like they are choking.

So I took the time to do that...and as I backed out of the driveway and looked at the sprinkler, on my grass and Hydrangeas, I felt a good feeling inside and I thought about that. I love that look - so I want to say that if someone offered me a Sprinkler System for my yard I would say YES, immediately. But I love the aesthetically pleasing look of a sprinkler, attached to a garden hose. It would save us bundles on water bills to have the system - and it would be better for our yard - but my heart is drawn to the look of the other - and to the effort of walking through the yard, doing the work, moving the hose and the sprinkler. It's nostalgic, it's retro, it's vintage. All of those things are soothing and touch my spirit.

For today I have the individual sprinkler - out there - doing the work.

It reminds me of screen doors and window screens. Of course we wouldn't opt for no air conditioning - and the allergy season is awful if the windows are up, letting in pollen. But I miss the raised windows and the screens letting the outside in. I love screen doors and the sound of the hinges and the slam of it.

I used to lay in my twin bed, as a child and teenager, with the windows up - no airconditioning - and listen to the night sounds. That is indeed a symphony. The best. It's great. I miss it.

On the side of our house was a screen porch. That was the main door we used in my younger years, to go in and out of the house. There were 4 concrete steps going up to the door. I flew in and out of that door so many times, I can't count them - and the sound of the slam. And the hinges. I think I would fly over those steps, not even touching them, I would go so fast at times.

And here is something I did on this most recent Friday evening. Steve and Ann had to be gone for about 1-1/2 hours, so Charlie, Sarah, and I were out at the Barber house with Ellie, Luke, and Andrew. We took them all outside because it was still light out - and after the dinner hour. They(Ellie and Luke) had had a good nap but Andrew was needing to be strolled to lull him to sleep.
Ann and Steve have GREAT grass. It's only been there a year - and they maintain it - and it's a carpet. It's beautiful and soft. They also have a great hill in their front yard which slopes down to the house - but it's not too steep - I looked at it and realized, "That is a great hill for rolling oneself down it...as I did at certain homes as a child...our yard was flat". As I strolled Andrew I tried to instruct Ellie and Luke on how to do it. Luke was apprehensive. He felt too vulnerable. Ellie was giving it her best shot - but she wasn't really throwing her full weight into it. I had to do it. I passed the stroller to Charlie and gave a demo. My entire 5'9" frame, arthritis and all and not really skinny body anymore. It was so much fun and the grass felt so good. Only Charlie laughed at me, hysterically and said I looked like a corpse rolling down the hill. That wasn't a very nice thing to say! Sarah had been inside finishing her book and came out. I showed her how to do it and she did it, too. She loved it! She was great at it and went really fast. We had so much fun and Ellie got the hang of it - we did that until Ann and Steve returned. Luke was content to run down the hill and have Charlie catch him and swing him in the air. Andrew slept in the constantly moving stroller.

Those are my nostalgic comments about what I like and what I remember. There are so many summer memories and moments. It's the best...summer.