Summer Snow

“Check it out! It’s snowing!”

“You’re lying, it can’t be. Today’s the first day of summer. The Summer solstice. Check the calendar. It’s not April Fool’s day.”

“Really, look outside.”

And sure enough, when Wendy looked out the back door, the rain that started at 8 AM had turned to some slushy snow.

“You’ve got to be kidding me! The first day of Summer!”

“Make hay while the sun shines, kiddo. Where’s the sunscreen? The beach ball?”

We ran around like fools, the kids sat on the couch, mesmerized by the snow in summer.

“C’mon you whimps! Outside we go!”

I grabbed the umbrella. Wendy grabbed a bowl and some spoons.

We sat on the picnic table in winter coats, under the umbrella. We gathered some snow and made snowcones. Snow and maple syrup.


Now, years later, we still talk about that first day of summer when the snow fell. Grandchildren don’t believe us. We tell of snowcones made of real snow, of sitting under an umbrella as the wet snow fell around us. A tale of winter coats on June 21 and throwing snowballs. A fairy tale, they say. We just look at each other and laugh.

W/C 198