Solstice 40+ years ago...

The longest day of the year, with wonderful long shadows lingering into the evening hours. One is transported back to similar scenes. I've written several times before about the many happy Summers I spent out in Colorado. We'd often stay at my Uncle Harry's place. His spread was mostly prairie and alkali flats, but he had a beautiful front yard of lush grass which he carefully maintained. Every few weeks, the irrigation ditch in the very front of the yard would fill up and be breached, and the whole patch would be inundated and under maybe an inch of water. For a kid, it was just wonderful walking barefoot through it. Something so simple that still brings a smile to my face.
And I'd spend the evening sitting out on lawn chairs with my cousins, chatting away, waiting for the signal from KOMA radio to crank up at nightfall, (the only way to get rock'n'roll in those days on the Western Slope). We'd be anticipating picnics up on Log Hill, fireworks for Independence Day, and trips to mountain towns like Ouray and Telluride. More simple stuff.
There's no excitement or "wow" moments in these memories and reminiscences; just a warm glow with a certain amount of calm and innocence I no longer possess - and never will again. And some of the best times of my life.
See ya tomorrow.