summer

I took this photograph on one of my first dates with Tom. He drove us up to somewhere on Mt. Hood and we made the short hike from the parking lot to this lovely waterfall. It was summer and the weather up there was a welcome escape from the summer heat, the way it can be when you are in the forest on a day that is hot in the city.

Today I was a substitute for some sassy middle schoolers. They, much like myself, are excited for sunny, warm, and carefree summer days. Ones where you can drive up to somewhere on Mt. Hood and make a short hike to someplace beautiful. Or spend hours at a park with a book, a picnic, and quality company. Or sit and stare at the garden being slowly watered in the evening. I am a fan of all the seasons but summer always feels like something tangible to look forward to. Perhaps if I wasn't a teacher I wouldn't feel this way; perhaps I would feel less excited about the hot days if I had to spend many hours working in an office. Hard to say, but it's not hard to say that there's only 33 school days left for the year...