Wannaskan Almanac for June 21, 2022 Back in My Day

It is the first day of summer!  Depending on where I am today I am either likely wearing a light jacket (Minnesota) or sitting in front of a fan with the air conditioner on full (Kansas).  Either way I am now four weeks into summer break.  I am probably sleeping in a little bit longer each morning.  The memory of how difficult middle school students can be to work with is likely starting to fade.  I have probably finished all the Easter chocolate I bought at the day after Easter.  A curse on you Walmart and your Cadbury egg half price sales!

My Achilles heel

It was a long time ago, but I remember when I was in school.  I attended elementary school in northwestern Ontario.  Back then we always seemed to go on summer break around the first day of summer.  When the season changed the scenery changed...from books and worksheets printed and scented with a mimeograph to hayfields and tree forts.  The only drawback is that the calendar often forgot to inform the climate that it was now summer.  Many times I would be still wearing my old blue jean jacket right up until Canada day (July 1st to you Yanks).  The river would seldom be warm enough to comfortably swim in until the middle of July.  That didn't stop us from jumping in and claiming through chattering teeth to everyone on the shore that "It isn't so bad!"  

The last scent of Spring

By August you could actually jump into the river and have it feel refreshing.  I helped on the farm a lot and by August the haying was done and we were ready for a little relaxation.  This was the month we always drove out to a sandy beach on Lake of the Woods.  This little slice of Caribbean heaven was a northern anomaly.  You could walk for what seemed to be miles in water that never got deeper than your chest.  The shallow water and the almost pool like temperatures made you forget about the upcoming Autumn and the return to school.  It was just you and an imaginary ocean getaway.  

Lake of the Woods Paradise

September crept up on us, and with it came cooler temperatures and the dreaded first day of school.  We always seemed to start the first day after Labor Day.  While June 21 never seemed eager to release Summer, September 21 was always more than ready to release Autumn.  Usually by the first week of September the swimming trunks were packed away along with our Summer memories.  We would return to school to stare out the window, watching the leaves fall, the snow fall, and daydream about the next long vacation.