by Julie Kundhi

Created on: July 12, 2008

Summertime on Our Deck

Every day I try to spend time on our deck. I live in Nebraska and the winters are harsh. As soon as it gets warm, I am outside. Our deck was an add on when we built our house. It was a present from my husband for agreeing to move from the East Coast to The Heartland. I always wanted a screened in deck and now I don't know if I'll every be able to live without one.

Summer mornings are the best. Most days the air is nice; not chilly, but not humid either. Usually there is a pleasant breeze. Mornings also have a soundtrack. Sometimes it's a neighbor mowing his lawn. Other times it's the air conditioner next door. When they run at the same time, it's like a summertime duet.

Mornings wouldn't be complete with out their special aromas. I love the smell of fresh cut grass. If new had a smell, that would be it. When our neighbors do their laundry, I can smell the detergent coming from their dryer vent. As it mingles with the smell of the grass, I think they must be using Summer Morning Scent detergent. Is there such a thing?

The fresh smells are a strong contrast to my iced coffee. Isn't it strange how you add ice to coffee and it turns it into a completely different drink? There's a grasshopper sitting next to me. It is small and green and looks like it is drinking the sweat off of my glass. We don't get too many bugs on our deck because of the screens. He's harmless, though, and I enjoy his company.

Evenings outside are also nice, especially when the sun sets. We have a row of evergreen trees behind our house. One of them is split from the last storm. Another has died because it was planted too close to its brothers and sisters. They're slated to be chopped down soon. I will miss them. They are part of the foreground to some of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. The Nebraska evening sky is always filled with brilliant oranges, reds and purples.

Unless there is a storm rolling in, that is. Then I sit and watch the clouds tumble across the sky; big and black and ominous. They bring a different aroma rain. Springtime in Nebraska is notorious for its severe weather. My deck lets me enjoy the winds and rain and hail by providing comfortable shelter. At least until the sirens go off and I have to retreat to our basement.

Right now I'm watching my daughter, still in her pajamas, sit on a blanket playing with a ball. She loves spending time outside with me. I'm not sure she appreciates the sounds and smells and sights as much as I do. Mostly, I think she just likes saying, "Hello!" to the dog next door and playing with her baby pine cones. Maybe when she's older, though, she'll hear the hum of a lawnmower or smell fresh rain and remember spending time outside on the deck in the summer with her mom.

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