Summer brings good times - and some frustrating ones, too

We're about to hit the Labor Day holiday, and that means summer is coming to a close - even though the calendar, and probably the weather, will indicate it lasts until Sept. 23 this year.

After the frigid winter and wet spring we endured around here this year, plus the early start to the school year, the summer almost seemed like an afterthought.

They never do seem to last very long, which is why we cherish those few months of nature in full bloom, recreational activities, gardening, festivals and outdoor concerts, and al fresco dining.

And, as much as we like warmer weather, the summers are not all seashells and balloons. There are good things and bad things that we notice.

In that spirit of balance, here is my list of the summer highs and lows that unfolded before our eyes.

Summer high No. 1:

Summer is the only season in which placing various sculptures in a park setting will draw a lot of attention. And it did this year at the Sculpture in the Park display at Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles.

We previously mentioned how creative this year's display was, including a sculpture of a man and young boy fishing off a riverside balcony in the park.

Summer low No. 1:

Any outdoor art display or structure runs the risk of being attacked by mindless idiots who would prefer to vandalize these things and dampen community enthusiasm in the process.

It happened to the "Rain Main" statue in Geneva a few years ago, and it may have happened to the fishermen in Mount St. Mary Park, as suddenly, the fishing rods in their hands were gone.

Hopefully, it was done by design for some reason, rather than because vandals did their dirty work.

Summer high No. 2:

We noticed some parents talking to and playing with their kids in the playground area of a local park. There was no sign of a mobile device anywhere.

It was a mother and father creating moments that help young kids realize that playing outside is a part of growing up they will recall with much fondness.

As such, it was almost worthy of a Norman Rockwell portrait.

Summer low No. 2:

When attending a fun outdoor concert this summer, we noticed one family that simply ignored the music and pretty much everything else going on around them.

Each member of the family was staring at a phone, and didn't come up for a breath but maybe once or twice the entire time.

It's a pretty common habit these days, but some are afflicted far more than others.

Summer high No. 3:

The polar vortex episode last winter did a number on trees and bushes in the area, and it was good to see city crews out cutting them down and replanting.

In many cases, the replanting created fresh new looks along berms and in some parks.

Summer low No. 3:

Despite efforts to try to keep landscaping and roadsides looking nice in this area, there are still those who think it is OK to just toss litter out of their cars.

And it's far more noticeable during our warmer months. Sure, some of it can blow out of recycling trucks making their rounds on a windy day.

But it's not uncommon to spot fast-food bags with half-eaten meals still inside, or empty beer cans, liquor bottles, or cigarette packs along the streets. Those are old-fashioned flings from the car when it is moving.

It makes me wonder if there is an entire generation or two that doesn't know it's a terrible idea to throw garbage out of the car window. After all, when is the last time you saw a public service announcement on TV about not littering? That was a regular reminder 50 years ago.

Summer high No. 4:

It's always more fun to take summer drives, maybe with the windows open or the tops down on convertibles.

There is no fear of icy roads or snow banks slowing us down.

It's a traditional part of summer fun, from the time you had your first car in high school until the day someone takes the keys away and says you are too old to drive.

Summer low No. 4:

Road construction in the summer is almost always a significant pain. This summer, more than some of the recent past, tested our patience.

The work along the Fabyan Parkway bridge played into a lot of the congestion in the downtown areas of the Tri-Cities.

All of our towns are bad in that regard at rush hour, but Batavia still toils with only two lanes of traffic through the downtown region. That equates to a slow ride.

As if that bridge project wasn't bad enough, there are plenty of other construction spots along Kirk and Randall roads that add to the frustration.

Summer high No. 5:

Summer trips should almost always be fun, and that was the case when I was able to get out to New Mexico to visit with my 94-year-old mother and the rest of my family that has settled out there.

Summer low No. 5:

I'm not the world's best traveler, and something goofy always happens on my trips. This one was a doozy when I briefly lost my cellphone at the Albuquerque airport.

When you lose this valuable tool, it definitely vaults you into high anxiety. With about 45 minutes to kill before my flight, I went to a gate near my departure area that had more seating. I dozed off for a few minutes, and then remembered I had to go to my gate to get my seat assigned. After that simple task, I wanted to check how much time I had before boarding.

No phone. Not in any pocket.

I raced back to the other gate as panic set in. The phone was not where I had previously been sitting. A lady dressed in Amish clothing pointed to a row of seats behind us and said she had found the phone on the floor and put it on an armrest.

I likely had set the phone on my suitcase before dozing off, and just took off without realizing that. Thus, the phone ends up on the floor.

The moral of the story: If you are a buffoon who misplaces a phone, you need a stranger to be an honest person to show you where it is.

Summer high No. 6:

A new law went into effect stating you can't text or even hold your phone to talk while driving. Even though it seems like a tough one to enforce, the more people who become aware of saving their texting for later, the safer our roads will be.

Summer low No. 6:

With all of the attention distracted driving gets, as we try to stop people from texting or handling phones when driving, we may have forgotten about another danger.

I saw a young boy riding his bike along the street. It was bad enough that he wasn't wearing a helmet, but he also had a phone to his ear.

That habit will likely translate to a problem at some point.

dheun@sbcglobal.net