We’ve finally landed in part two of my season.
There are 365 days of the year divided into 12 months. There are four seasons. They’re determined by the earth’s orbit around the sun and other sciencey stuff. Located hidden within those seasons are the specific windows in time in which I find the weather to be more than acceptable.
John Part 1 occurs for a stretch of what is usually April and May and perhaps a bit of June. And we’re landing in John Part 2 right now. These are the small windows of time where I take pleasure in being in the outdoors.
Don’t get me wrong, I go outside other times of year, but generally only as required. I have to go to work and have family missions. I have to take the dogs outside. I have just come to the age where I feel I’ve earned the right to do things on my own terms. I used to sit outside for all hours, battling mosquitos and all manner of pests. I’d do things like making an outdoor fire to either warm up or smoke out the bugs.
Then, at some point something inside me changed. I realized I don’t like stinking like smoke and hacking smoke out of my lungs for a couple days.
There is that early stretch during John Part 1 that precedes the Great Mosquito Onslaught that converged on us this year and Before It’s Way Too Hot for John. It’s acceptable outdoor adventure time, though admittedly my adventures aren’t as ambitious as some of yours. If I’m not working, I’m probably relaxing. It’s just whether it’s inside or out and John Part 1 is an acceptable time to do that relaxing in the out of doors.
I’m chased inside by a very low tolerance for insects. There aren’t – usually – insects inside, so there I’ll be. Plus, I am not the kind of person who enjoys being overheated. That’s not generally going to happen inside. After John Part 1, I’m relegated to indoor pursuits. Now, I’m prepared to emerge from my self-imposed cocoon for John Part 2. The heat should be in our rear view. Mornings are cool. Mosquitos are largely gone. Life outside is good. Sure, there are wasps to contend with, but I leave them alone, as a general practice, and hope they extend the same respect to me.
John Part 2 is a fickle season. It can last for a month or it can be over in a few short weeks. It’s not set on the calendar. Two years ago, it got really cold in early October. It ended very early that year, forcing me back to the Great Indoors.
I have a bad feeling about John Part 2 this year. We had what many considered a very mild winter last year. There wasn’t much snow. There wasn’t the 30-day stretch where the mercury was in the negative numbers. I foresee cold, dark days ahead.
So, this, right now, is my time. I’m going to soak up my season. Wave if you see me. It may be your last chance until John Part 1 rolls back around.