Eternal August

August. It feels like the last gasp of summer. The calm before the storm. Cicadas and katydids are in full song. Days are still long but not quite as long as July. There’s a different slant to the light.

Summer vacations are grabbed before school is back in session. The morning commute is lighter. There is a pervasive sense of ease.

We know that change is imminent.  But, oh, how we want to hold on to the feel of summer freedom! We want to keep dipping our toes in the water and walking barefoot on dewy grass. Because we can. Because we have the time. Because our schedules are looser and life is quieter. Even if just for a few more weeks.

At The Purple Ink Cafe, August is our time to kick back and relax. We’re still here, but not at the same intensity. Time slows down. We allow for shifts in our individual routines. All of a sudden, it’s okay to put your elbows on the table, have tomato sandwiches for dinner and let the melted butter from hot corn drip down your chin. The air carries a whiff of the freedom we remember from when we were youngsters.

Ironically, the approach of September can also carry a flutter of sweet anticipation. Our back to school mindset persists, even if it’s been a long time. Perhaps, we’re hard wired that way. We are fickle folk, indeed!

So, August can be a little bittersweet, a trifle wistful. We want it to stay but we know it will have to go.

Or, will it? What if August could be an eternal state of mind?

How about it? Let’s bottle up some summer to pull out when needed, like the berries or tomatoes that you put up, the jars of pesto in the freezer or the pretty woven picnic basket packed away for the season.

​Serve up a dollop of summer when the November sky glowers!

A few questions first:

• What is the essence of summer that you want to hold on to? It’s probably not the heat and humidity. If you had to put it into a short sentence, how would you describe it?
• Can you distill it down to one or two words? Is it long days? What is it about the long day that is special? Is it warmth or lighter clothes? Is it really those Bermuda shorts or is it being unencumbered?
• Where else/ when else do you find those qualities?

What quality would manifest the essence of an August day for you? We thought about this while preparing our last newsletter. Here’s a little infogram to help you along with relaxation thinking.

#eternalaugust