It seems like the summer is passing by at warp speed. August 1st is here and typically it is dog day weather. As a child, I always wondered why people used that term. As I grew older, I realized that dog days refers to hot, sultry, weather. If you want to read more about this I suggest you read Wonder of the Day #285, "When Are the Dog Days of Summer?, at Wonderopolis.
Lately, I have been thinking back on childhood days. They were filled with imaginative play outdoors in the sunshine. Some days were filled with entrepreneurial pursuits as lemonade makers. Other days revolved around teaching with chalk boards, lessons, and stairs and steps as classroom benches. Stone Teacher was a popular game in the neighborhood. Younger children were always encouraged to become the students as several of us longed to be the teachers. One of the biggest treats on hot August days was a walk to the corner store to purchase penny candy or if we were really lucky popsicles. That treat cooled us down which was often needed because there were no nearby pools or beaches in my neighborhood.
To honor the memory of my childhood dog days, I'm off to the Point Lookout Beach on the southern shore of Long Island. Would you like to join me on my sun-kissed summer venture?
Lately, I have been thinking back on childhood days. They were filled with imaginative play outdoors in the sunshine. Some days were filled with entrepreneurial pursuits as lemonade makers. Other days revolved around teaching with chalk boards, lessons, and stairs and steps as classroom benches. Stone Teacher was a popular game in the neighborhood. Younger children were always encouraged to become the students as several of us longed to be the teachers. One of the biggest treats on hot August days was a walk to the corner store to purchase penny candy or if we were really lucky popsicles. That treat cooled us down which was often needed because there were no nearby pools or beaches in my neighborhood.
To honor the memory of my childhood dog days, I'm off to the Point Lookout Beach on the southern shore of Long Island. Would you like to join me on my sun-kissed summer venture?
The entrance to the beach has a summery appeal with its sand and rocks.
Some families prepare for their trek across the hot sand
with suntan lotion and water sips.
Solitary beach goers sit far away from the ocean to enjoy
reading their current book.
Others head straight for the shore.
A set of toddlers twins frolic
in their pink and blue inflatable pools.
I start missing my six-week old granddaughter.
Lifeguards take the canoe out for a practice emergency run.
It presents a great visual against the shoreline.
I digitized the above original photographs with the app, Waterlogue, to give the look of watercolor paintings. These will be added to my upcoming gallery of artistic expressions, Sunkissed Summer. Why not take part in the gallery by sending me your sunkissed moment as a photo or an image poem?
I hope you enjoy the dog days of August as much as I do. Don't forget to check out Wonderopolis' Wonder of the Day #285, "When Are the Dog Days of Summer?"
Note:
As a Wonder Lead Ambassador, I just posted an integrated ELA/art/nature lesson for grades 2-4 at Wonderopolis' Wonder Ground. You can find it by clicking the link here.
This post is being added to Ruth Ayres' CelebrateThis Week post-weekend since I spent last week enjoying the company of my six-week old granddaughter who lights up my life with joy.
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