The Summertime Hues

• By: MountainFarmgirl
• On: 07/09/2010 04:53:57
• In: Mountain Bounty, Mountain Blessings
• Comments: 28

Believe it or not, up until about a week ago, some unseasonably crisp mountain air had many of us digging our down quilts out of summer storage (it actually dipped into the upper 30s one night). Being a ‘cold’ person most of the time, I barely have time to thaw out my fingers in-between the spring melt and winter’s first snowfall. (What’s that old saying … ‘Cold hands, warm heart’? Well that’s my rationalization for it, anyway!). 
Once or twice a year, though, I DO feel the heat badly enough to become uncomfortable. Today is definitely one of those days, so I know you’ll forgive me if we don’t fire up the kettle this time ‘round to chat over my favorite mug of tea. Today we’ll just pick some mint and sip the iced variety, with plenty of lemon and orange wedges – poured over a frosty mountain of sparkling ice! This year I planted some apple mint, ginger mint and orange and chocolate mints to add to my growing collection of this wonderful herb. (And grow it does!  As you probably know, if you plant mint in your garden, be sure to contain it or it will overrun everything else). Mint tea is so refreshing as an iced soother that you can drink it all day long and feel fresh as a daisy … well almost.  Care for a glass?  Mmmmm; now we’re talking!

As you’ve undoubtedly noticed, these dog days of summer tend to markedly decrease our energy supply. They make us feel lazy and unproductive, but don’t let them fool you, they too have their place.  Aside from the necessary homestead chores and mothering activities, which are a given no matter what the temperature, when the mercury zooms to the triple digits like it is today, its perfectly okay for us to slow down to a snail’s pace, look after ourselves and just take it easy; everything has its season.  I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this because last time we discussed tips on how busy farmgirls (who wear many hats such as wife, mother, business owner, farmhand, etc.) ‘get it all done’. While that’s good stuff to know, it’s by no means the whole picture.  Just as important as accomplishing our lists of tasks, projects and responsibilities (and way harder!) is our willingness to learn how to slow down long enough to ‘smell the roses’ (though it applies equally to our other senses as well). During this very trying heat wave, I’ve tried to change the ‘summertime blues’ into something much more enjoyable, and have decided to notice the ‘summertime hues’ instead. 

The idea came to me as I took a stroll on our river walk yesterday morning. I wanted to pick some flowers from our gardens for the guestrooms at our lodge, and in the process I discovered that the columbines had suddenly come into bloom. This year, though, rather than the deep reds and purples I’ve come to expect, there were the most amazing pastel hues I’ve ever seen: combinations of pale yellow with cornflower blue; pink with indigo, lavender and crimson. While I’ve always loved these flowers, I somehow never took the time to notice how much like beautiful fairies they are, dancing in their multicolored splendor on the ends of gentle stalks. It may have been close to 100 degrees after breakfast, but these delicate creatures were happily ignoring the thermometer and gave me a precious gift, as if saying, ‘There’s more to this blessed day than oppressive heat; let’s celebrate!’ And fortunately for me, I listened!  I took my bouquet of flowers and cooled their stems in the river, while doing the same for myself! There I sat in the middle of the Ellis River, chin deep in water, chillin’ out for who knows how long! Believe me, I don’t do this often, but what a treat; we all owe ourselves such simple indulgences. (What … 'don’t have a river going through the backyard where you live?  No problem!  Last night before I went to bed, feeling wilted once again, I filled a large bowl with ice water, and  soaked my feet and later my wrists.  Works like a charm!).

Meanwhile, back to the river, I quieted myself down and started centering myself.  I first noticed that the ferns were swaying to an imperceptible breeze. Then I noticed just how many kinds of ferns there are along a riverbank or mountain stream. At first they’re just all ‘ferns’, but if you take the time to really look at them, you’ll see that some varieties are bold and leathery with large toothed leaves; others are delicate like the wisps of a feather, and still others look like palm fronds, almost tropical, with little bumps on their undersides. Just noticing these subtle differences had both a cooling and calming effect on me.  And while I was sitting there taking it all in and feeling my ‘hot and bothered’ state melt into the river, I remembered something really interesting from many years ago. My former 5th grade teacher (a marvelous woman/friend I still keep in close touch with) had once given my oldest child an ‘assignment’ when he was just a tiny little boy. We were all taking a walk in the woods, and she asked Chris to notice how many different hues of green he could discover before we returned. What a challenge!!  Our discoveries were nearly infinite as we counted mosses and lichens, new piney growth, duckweed on the pond, and on and on … Try it; you’ll be amazed! Sometimes just focusing on something unrelated to the problem at hand is all it takes to get some much needed relief.

So next time you feel hot and bothered because the dog days of summer have come, try to slow down and not feel guilty about it! Rest assured that cooler days are coming, and in the meantime, notice the gifts that surround us; they’re easy to access, they’re free, and changing our focus for even a tiny while really does help.  Busy women that we are, the hardest thing is often not 'how' to get it all done, but realizing that once in awhile, it's actually healthy just to do ‘nothing’!

“When we choose not to focus on what’s missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present … we experience heaven on earth.”
        -- Sara Ban Breathnach

I’d love to know some of the little things that you’ve learned over the years to help you all relax and keep from overheating and overloading. Isn’t is fun to make new friends and learn from one another? Until next time, stay cool my friends! I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Mountain Farmgirl Cathi Belcher