Embrace The Summer

The first step outside of the air conditioned bedroom is usually the biggest sign.

It's 5AM, early enough that sun has yet to come back and infuse the earth with its radioactive rays, yet just a foot outside the door makes me feel as though I'm stepping from a commercial walk-in fridge to a newly found jungle.

Instead of a hot coffee, I'm reaching for the refrigerated cold-brew.

Summer is here, and despite the heat, life is good in State College. 

Bright, blossoming flowers of orange, pink and yellow. The smell of freshly maintained lawns and tilled gardens.  The trees full and lush, offering refuge and food for the birds and squirrels, which are plentiful in their own right.

The parks are filled again with youth and adult sports alike.  As the the kids of the area try their hands at softball, joggers and families are out enjoying the outdoors.

Thunderstorms appear seemingly out of nowhere, with swirling winds and devastating flashes of light; bringing down trees or power lines only to be out of the area within an hour.  A reminder of the fierce, near omnipotent power that is nature.

The gatherings with friends and families over grilled kabobs, burgers, vegetables and whatever else people are grilling these days .  The yard games where the score becomes secondary to camaraderie and the ability to play with a drink in your hand.

This is the State College that so many romanticize.

So let's make the most of it.

It can be easy to take to the comfort of our air conditioned homes, connected to the internet and an infinite stream of content.

Some days, I think that's fine.

But for the most part, I hope to see people out as much as possible.  (Obviously, responsibly. Get vaccinated!)

Fantastic outdoor dining options are available all around the town, offering fresh ingredients from local farms.

There are hundreds of trails to bike or hike.  Parks available for soccer, baseball, softball, and basketball.  There are lakes, rivers, ponds, creeks (cricks) for fishing, boating, and just jumping in to cool off.

For those that enjoy it, there might not be a more picturesque time to go golfing. 

But above all, take the time to enjoy and indulge in the experience of this enchanting season.