Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer…
On the evening of the the first day of summer, I had the treat of a Summer Solstice yoga session that included half an hour of Nidra yoga. What a way to bring in summer, with the late day sun streaming in through the gauzy drapes at my studio, Sunshine Yoga. Afterward, I blissfully contemplated all the things I love about summer. Don’t we all love summer?
My childhood summer memories are of freedom, being outside from morning until supper and then again until dark: walking through the woods, playing at the beach, street games with the neighbourhood kids, and long vacations at Qualicum Beach, where the only decisions were which bathing suit to wear, which book to read, and what time are we going fishing? Long warm, idyllic days. In the summer we tend to slow down, have vacations, and our deadlines seem less pressing.
In Calgary, we get really excited about “patio season” because Calgarians love dining out and imbibing at favourite watering holes… and warm weather brings us out of hibernation. Calgarians often travel into B.C.: the interior, the Okanagan, or the west coast. We love camping, hiking, river rafting and dog walking. I miss the ocean but enjoy the generally warm, dry summers in Calgary. Our family tends to trek to the coast or to one of the Okanagan lakes in the summer. And we loved Radium Hot Springs, Panorama, and Invermere when our children were young. Outdoor pool parties are really popular in Calgary and our daughters spent day after day at the local pools.
Summer is the time to recharge. To store up some Vitamin D that us Canadians sorely lack. And to find time to read the books on our “need to read” lists. Summer movies, barbeques, and sitting around a fire pit are popular activities in Calgary. Our family has always tended toward old fashioned fun: running through sprinklers, water tag, epic games of “Kick the Can” and bocci ball while group camping in Kananaskis.
Maybe it’s because our summers are short and our winters are so long, but I’ve noticed that Calgarians make every summer day count. Enjoy those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!
