Five Favorite Things About Summer by Merri Maywether

 

The beginning of something sets an impression. It gives a hint of what we’ll encounter in the future and is the benchmark for our expectations. The end is just as memorable. It lingers and turns into warm thoughts. Think about it:  The last and first tastes of ice cream are the best. Sunset and Sunrise are the times when the sky shows off her colors. The first tastes of dinner elicit murmurs of appreciation, and people are more agreeable after eating dessert. 

We are one month away from the end of summer. Rather than be caught by surprise, I make lists of the things I like. Then I make note of them, cherish them, and use them for the feelings in my stories. So this month, I’m sharing my five favorite things about summer. 

Five Favorite Things About Summer

1. 
   Long days-We live near the 49th parallel. As of this writing, the sun sets a little after 8:30 p.m.
   In ten weeks, it will set around five p.m. Maybe it was the “be home by the time the streetlights go on” rule we had when we were younger. And, I know I’m older and in charge of my comings and goings. But, I still find it easier to be social when there is more sun. 

2. Playing with the garden-Things go dormant around November. It’s beautiful in a different way. So while I can, I’ll take care of the flowers, marvel at the last sprouts, and hope the last of the blooms will hear my pleas and make an appearance. 

3. 
   Toasted marshmallows by the fire-in theory can be done all year round. There’s something
   about eating a burned marshmallow in a loose t-shirt that makes it taste better. 

4. Drinks taste better with ice-Water is refreshing in the summer. With ice, it is that much better and easier to consume the required six to eight glasses a day. 

5. There is more time to read-Twenty-four hours is the same regardless of the temperature or the amount of light. I don’t know why, but it is easier to ignore the television and sit on the porch, in a lawn chair, or swing in a hammock and focus on a sweet love story. 

So now it’s your turn. We have a little more than four weeks, and it will be officially autumn, a.k.a. pumpkin-spice season. What are your favorite things about summer that you’ll cherish in the days to come?

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Faith ran away to Paradise Hills to hide from her past. Back home, she has a mother that wants to run her life and the ruins of a marriage that never happened.

A week before they were supposed to get married, Clark Grayson called off his wedding to Faith. By the time he figured out he made a mistake, it was too late to right the wrong.

She was gone.

Clark and Faith are brought back together as bridesmaid and groomsman for a wedding, but neither knows it until they are set up for a blind date.

Sparks fly, and love will be tested. Friends and Family in Paradise Hills will watch with bated breath for the outcome. What will it take for Clark to regain Faith's trust?

Paradise Hills Summer is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone novel. 

Paradise Hills Summer is available for 99¢ |Visit the Amazon Store|

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Merri Maywether lives with her husband in rural Montana. You can find her in the town's only coffee house listening to three generations of Montanans share their stories. Otherwise, she's in the classroom or the school library, inspiring the next generation's writers.