:: the grasshoppers and crickets sing almost constantly
:: the cicadas scritch out their high-pitched song and shed their skins
:: the grasses around our house are more yellow than green
:: the sun comes in to our house at a different angle
:: the trees don't sound like summer in the wind, they sound dry, aged
:: the sun is warm, but the breeze is cool
:: the heavy july humidity is gone
:: sometimes, it is cool enough for a sweater
but don't think for a minute that i'm going to mention that word . . .
you know . . . what comes after summer . . .
because we are still going to celebrate summer . . .
i'm still going to take the kids to the beach and to the pool and we'll still soak up the sun . . .
even if the sun is a tiny bit farther away, and not quite so roasty, toasty hot . . .
it's august, and there are plenty of swim-suit wearing days left . . .
even if we do have to throw on a sweatshirt after our swims . . .
and, there are no complaints about open windows and cool evenings. no complaints at all.