Lazy days

Ah, glories in the lazy days of summer. I claim to be a fall or winter person, loving the cold crispness, but when these summer days arrive, I do not argue. And here in DC, the world (outside of the Capitol offices that is) seems to slow down. The mornings begin fresh enough, though by the time the sun has settled in the sky the air is thick with heat and humidity. Movement, even before it has begun, begins to slow. Starting around 4 p.m., patio seating sprawls out onto the streets and city-dwellers seek to be in the outside air and even the beating sun. The days drag on into the nights – and the sticky heat hangs in the air until the evening.

And the fireflies. The fireflies seem to light up in the gardens on Capitol Hill and dance across the sidewalk. At times, walking without having one or two smack your legs is impossible.

Maybe it’s the summer in a city. The heat seems to radiate off the buildings and any bit of fresh air comes as a blessing. Ties are instantly undone and women wear summer dresses for what seems like weeks straight. Visitors to these cities, in clusters and always wearing khakis or white T-shirts, smell of sunscreen. Children, free from the bonds of schoolwork, find their secret places among the alleys, bustling intersections and storefronts.

Yes, summer has instituted its place once again.