The Summer of 2016
The calendar says summer isn't quite over, but you can feel it in the air. Our commitment free days are dwindling just as the sun is setting a little earlier than the night before. I had lists of things I wanted to do; getting the kids on a summer schedule, keeping up with homework so they wouldn't suffer the dreaded "summer learning loss," and having them proficient at swimming before summers end. I dreamt of a long road trip west, soaking up thin mountain air at 12,000ft. Those lists have long since blown out the window of our SUV as we forged new paths, straying from my lists at each bend in the road. This summer the dark storm clouds rolled across our farm frequently enough that grass still grows faster than we can mow and the new trees have only required us to water them once. The booms of thunder can be used as the soundtrack to our days, accompanied by the sound of wind rushing through the cornfield. We were reminded that nature's music is mor