Summer Joy List

Here we are, closer to September than to the summer months. In some parts of the nation, children are already back at school; our public schools start this coming Monday. In much of the nation, you can look forward to some refreshing autumnal air in the next few weeks. Alas, down here in South Florida, we have several more months of sweltering summer-like conditions.

Well, let me see if I can adjust my attitude. There are many summer delights I haven't had enough of. Let me make a list of all the things I want to enjoy in the coming weeks:

--I need more watermelon. I've only had watermelon once this summer. When I was a kid, I used to declare that I would eat 8 pieces of bacon every morning. Clearly, that's a bad idea. But my kid self would have also eaten watermelon every day, if it had been available. My adult self should take that cue.

--We should still have a few weeks of wild salmon, last summer's great pleasure. I'd like to grill salmon at least once more.

--I've gotten out of the habit of going to the beach as the day settles into sunset. We've still got some time to enjoy that. In the winter months, I travel home from work in the dark. But in the summer, I can go home from work and still have time to get over to the beach.

--I'd like some more farmer's market meals. I love corn on the cob, cucumbers, good tomatoes, and cantaloupe--a cheap, nutritious, delicious dinner!

--More swimming! I'm lucky to have a friend with a pool, so I've done some swimming this summer. But I haven't gone into the ocean. When I was a child, you couldn't get me out of the water. When did I become this adult who lives 3 miles from the ocean, walks beside it, but never swims?

What's on your list of summer treats? There's still time!