When does summer begin?

As our temperature soared to 90 degrees today, I wondered when summer really begins.

Is it when you first turn on the air conditioner?

Is it when you buy the first annual flowers to plant?

Or see that the fireflies and bats have returned?

When you turn the outdoor water spigots back on?

When you dig up the garden and plant the first seeds?

Or how about when the kids want to play in the water but the big pool hasn't opened for the season yet, so you haul out the plastic kiddie pool and hook up the two hoses and they all run around like crazy getting each other wet and jumping in the little pool?

Or is it when you hunt up last year's flip flops and paint your toenails so your toes can hang out?

Or is it marked by the last day of school?

Maybe...maybe. There are so many different signs of summer, it's hard to say for sure which is the definitive one.

But for me, in my house, that wonderful feeling of summer absolutely, definitely, without a doubt begins when I again head for the front screened porch in the evening to catch the cooling breeze that so conveniently hits the corner rocker. It's a great place to read, listen to the night noises, and just unwind before heading up to bed.