Today, Memorial Day, is the unofficial first day of summer. We walked over to Fort Phoenix at about five o’clock this afternoon under a cloudless sky, with cool air and a brisk breeze from the northwest. There were a two or three dozen people fishing along the hurricane barrier. Three children in swim suits played along the small sandy beach between the hurricane barrier and the rocks at the base of Fort Phoenix. As usual in the New Bedford area, we saw skin colors from pale white (me) to quite dark, and everything in between; we heard at least three different languages. There were families with children, and groups of elders. It wasn’t crowded by any means, but there were more people walking around Fort Phoenix than I remember seeing before.
When we walk over to Fort Phoenix in the winter time, sometimes we’ll only see one or two other people — so even though the cool air and brisk breeze felt like late spring, it felt like summer with all those people walking around outdoors. I won’t say that spring is over yet, but it’s getting close.
In Indiana, summer begins with three things: the Indy 500, blooming peonies, and rain. Pretty much in that order, every year. Oh, and then humidity, horse flies, and heat…the Three H’s.
Jean @ 2 — In New Bedford, summer starts with the faint stench of mold emerging from basements and old stone buildings. Nothing like a damp seaside climate, and hot summer heat, to promote mold growth….