The oppressive heat of summer has settled in and the squash plants are beginning to wilt. Record high humidity makes for muggy weather but an occasional slight breeze brings welcome relief. The rose of Sharon and hydrangeas are still blooming and the sweet scent of honeysuckle drifts from the fencerow. The evening hours bring a serenade from a chorus of cicadas whose cast off shells we are finding here and there.

Their songs are punctuated with the flickering lights of fireflies.

We had a short day at work Monday, the result of an early deadline as we celebrated the Fourth of July a day late. When I left the office I went by the house where Jim was working and then took a ride to Bella Vista with my aunt’s caregiver. That evening we took our chairs out to a spot near the garden to get an unobstructed view of the annual city fireworks show.

When I got off work Tuesday I had a short visit with nephew Dustan who dropped by while he was in town.

Thursday was sister Nancy’s birthday. A gentle rain fell most of the day, ideal for watering the garden. I received a call from our library manager and made a few calls regarding library commission business.

Sister Mary Alice visited on Friday, sharing lots of photos from her recent trip to Washington and Oregon. She visited our cousins in the Portland area and attended an anniversary party for the youngest. I was happywith the tiny lighthouse scene burned in wood she brought me and postcards from Mt. Saint Helen’s and Yellowstone. That evening we dined on catfish dinners from our town’s newest restaurant.

I visited the farmers’ market Saturday morning and purchased local blueberries, plums and new potatoes. I dropped by to visit Aunt Leta and take a gift and cards for her 99th birthday. Jim mowed the yard while I took Mama over in early afternoon to visit with her sisters, brother, niece and nephews. My sisters and brother Richard showed up and we enjoyed the country music, refreshments, visiting and watching Leta open her gifts. We took several photos and Richard came over after the party ended and stayed to eat supper and watch a movie with us.

I helped Jim hang a door in a house where he was working, then we visited the kids and grandkids who recently returned from a trip to Mall of America.

Tomorrow, July 15, is National Ice Cream Day. You might churn a freezer full of your favorite flavor to celebrate the occasion. My choice would be laced with summer’s fresh peaches. An electric machine is easier to use but kids love to take turns churning with the handcranked variety. A bowl of frosty ice cream is the ideal treat for these sultry days.

-Susan Holland

Susan Holland, who works for The News Herald, is a lifelong Benton County resident.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 07/14/2010