A Perfect Summer Day

Have you ever had a day that was just a perfect summer day from top to bottom? Well, this was it! My husband and I decided it was time to go to a swimming hole we know in Moshannon State Forest. So we started our day with a hearty breakfast at Burger King, and off we went, headed for the wild woods and waters of central PA.

The story of the day was this butterfly, which as it turns out, is an American lady, Vanessa virginiensis. It sat on my stuff on my chair. It walked all around. Then it flitted over to my husband, where it sat on his shirt, and then walked slowly up to his hand.

The butterfly stayed with us the entire time we were hanging out by the swimming area, which is to say at least two hours. I got in the water first, and headed out on my floatie. My husband came in after me. "My butterfly is still there," he confided in me. "Oh, it's YOUR butterfly now," I said. Then I looked at his face: "I'll bet you wanted to fist-bump it, didn't you?" I asked. "I already did," he replied smugly.

Now, this is a strange thing. My husband and I met our newest baby-niece, Rio, in July at the family reunion. My husband has never been much for babies, but he (gently) fist-bumped our newest Colyer, and pronounced her simply delightful. He said she fist-bumped him back. (He told me later that she is going to help save the world. Yes, he got all of THAT info from a fist-bump!) Now he wants to fist-bump EVERY baby he meets. And now that fist-bumping passion has apparently extended to . . . butterflies. Yes, giggle if you want to. I did!

We found the water clean and cool, but not too cold, and it was the best swim of summer so far. How would I know, though, because I was mostly hanging out on my floatie, riding around the pond, just being my own little boat! "Like a small boat, on the ocean . . . " I sang, as I tooled around the lake. T. Tiger watched from shore.

The quiet was occasionally interrupted by the hooting and hollering of a kingfisher, and it came close enough that I was able to get some decent shots. You may see one in the extras. Doesn't it look like the bird has a small white heart by its right eye? That's love, right there!

Around mid-afternoon, we had finished our swim and moved into a shady picnic area on the hill overlooking the pond, where it was delightfully breezy and comfy. We enjoyed cold drinks and snacks, and watched for turtle noses on the pond. (Yes, there are turtles in there that we swim with!)

I took pictures of the green reflections on the water: the green shimmer that is August. Summer, oh summer; that feeling of moving into August, the last phase. Have you done every single summer thing you wanted to do? If not, do it NOW!

We put on music. We listened to a Bon Jovi set. I danced. We were deeply happy. "I don't ever want to leave here," I said to my husband. The minutes stretched out into hours. We dallied. It was a summer day straight out of a dream-book, or a happy childhood memory. It lasted as long as we wanted it to, and then some.

A couple with a dog walked past us on a trail up into the woods. We said hi to them on their way back down, and said what a lovely day it was. "It's a PERFECT day!" the guy practically shouted at us. And he was right. It WAS a perfect summer day.

Now, I have to admit that it is a special treat for me to be married to the man who fist-bumps babies and butterflies, and I am still laughing over that. :-) We have two pictures. My main picture just had to be a shot of this butterfly heading for what was quite possibly its first and only fist-bump ever in this lifetime! Somewhere today, a butterfly is telling a tale that none of its friends will believe, LOL!

Let's have two songs, and for this day, let them be from the Bon Jovi set we listened to at top volume in the shady picnic area on our hill overlooking the finest swimming hole I know of, anywhere.

First, here is Bon Jovi, with It's My Life. Second, here is Bon Jovi with What Do You Got? Get up and dance if you must. I DID!!! Cause what have you got if you ain't got love . . .