holding on

I love the change of season; spring thaw and the arrival of the first crocuses, daffodils and tulips, followed by forsythia and lilacs. The end of the academic year, the opening of the city pool, and boom summer's here. The back-to school anticipation, the crisper air and change of colors to sparkling red and orange hues. The first snow.

But seriously, summer is really the only season I hold on to. I mean who, in Minnesota, holds on to winter (aside for compulsive skiers and ice fishing enthusiasts) after it's been around for about, oh, half a year or so. With loads of snow and sub-zero temperatures. Spring is really just a flash around here, fall can be beautiful (till it turns dark and gray and chilly). But summer, oh summer. Even when it's a steaming hot (with the tornado siren going off with heat advisories; and yes, we've had several tornado warnings this summer too), muggy buggy summer like this one has been (with our house besieged by colds from about mid July to mid August). And to be honest, summer usually lasts from way before school's out. This year we had HOT summer weather in May (but of course we had our month of sick then too).

This week, we're seriously holding on. Labor day is on Monday and then it's back to school on Tuesday. The city pool closed for the season on Sunday. It was the last day Grism's corn was available. On Saturday, Walker Art Center will have its final outdoors Free First Saturday for families before heading inside for the rest of the year.

This holding on is not a sad bad thing. It's slightly nostalgic, but it's more about savoring each and every moment of these final precious days of summer. Be they with friends in the park, or at the zoo as a family. At the pool with friends and/or as a family. Out on the porch (when it's not too hot). In the garden (when it's not too buggy). Stopping by Hogan bros downtown after dinner for ice cream and to hang out with friends. Spending time preparing delicious dinners with fresh ingredients from our garden and the farmer's market. Creating memories to savor when winter gets long...

With friends in the stone ring at the Arboretum

Lilly taking a break in the stone ring

Hanging out in the porch

Fun at the zoo (there were real giraffes too...)

Happy Leighton and Lilly at the zoo

The lily in bloom

Making a splash at the pool

Playing in the park by the farmer's market

 Spicy shrimp over red quinoa with black beans and fresh garden salad

Lilly likes shrimp

summer highlights

We're approaching Labor Day, which to me introduces fall. The pool closes for the season on Sunday. School's starting up soon. It's a time of holding on, and looking back.

Here are my summer favorite memories so far:

- Lilly's birthday and birthday part
- day trip to Lake Pepin with dinner at Harbor View
- picnic at the beach at Lake Byllesby
- our mini vacation in Duluth
- a fun family day at the Walker art museum
- Leighton's birthday (including a yoga date for the two of us, lunch out as a family, an afternoon visit to Cannon Valley Winery, finished off with a dinner date out for Leighton and I, and then a drink on the patio outside of the restaurant before getting Lilly who was at a playdate at the house of some dear friends)
- the times we've been at the pool (including for three hours this afternoon, pushing nap time till 3)
- a day at the farm with my friend with our kids
-visiting a friend of mine at the hospital the first day after she gave birth to a precious baby girl
- following another friend of mine stay in hospital for a month till giving birth to twins end of July
- spending a weekend afternoon (that Lilly wouldn't nap) at the pub patio sharing a pitcher of beer with Leighton while we played with Lilly
- spending another weekend afternoon at the pub patio with a girlfriend for cocktails, NO kids
- a girls' night out at a restaurant in the cities (got to wear heals and got NOT to wear a nursing bra)
- more playdates with friends who were off work (and because I had more time too, what with being with Lilly all day everyday and less scheduled classes to attend), doing fun different things like river walks and ice cream making
- going to the farmer's market and the new weekend market along the river
- taking a summer music and movement class for Lilly at the YMCA
- spending an afternoon as a family at an outdoor barn fest concert in Red Wing
- summer time cooking, including harvesting from the garden (interspersed with weeding) and making my own pesto with basil from our bountiful basil garden
- BBQs in our backyard and at friends' houses
- some nice walks with friends, in the Arb on Sunday mornings or in the evening around the neighborhood
- leisurely strolls with Lilly

Lilly at the Barn Fest concert in Red Wing

Lilly in the garden over at some friends' house for a BBQ

Lilly in our backyard pool

 Lilly at the city pool

Lilly in our backyard at a family BBQ

Leighton at same said BBQ

Me, the chef of homemade pizzas with homemade pesto

Lilly and papa on a stroll around the house

Leighton on his birthday, having lunch out

Me hanging out in our porch