Spring has arrived here and with it has come the first whiff of summer.
In my world, if any part of your warm sunny days are to be filled with rides at either local boardwalk you will end up buying at least a pocketful of tickets. There are a variety of ways to buy these things - one of which comes in book format.
Today we partook in an annual tradition. We headed to the more family-friendly of boardwalks and purchased a book of tickets (good all season and then some.) With our purchase came a second book for free. Grandma and I pulled our money and bought the $50 books. That means a $100 worth of tickets will giddily be used up by two little red-heads - or, in the terms that really matter, 240 tickets.
It seems like a lot. I know.
Yet before we could leave the boardwalk, the young imps had to christen the start of the season with whirl around a favorite ride or two. Logan went solo on the truck loop. Megan went "round-and-round-up-and-down" on the merry-go-round.
Gone were 8 tickets.
The three of us then enjoyed a spin on these over sized dragons. My PBS Kid fans call it the "Dragon Tales" ride. You sit in the belly pulling yourself and your dragon round and round, faster and faster until you're all laughing too hard at your own dizziness to spin any longer. As soon as the ride ended Megan declared "DO AGAIN!" Logan agreed. Grandma took them.
Between the two rounds we turned over 30 tickets.
We left. $50 (plus lunch and a few rounds of Skee Ball) lighter. 38 tickets spent. Good time had by all.
It was as we walked to one of the indoor pizza joints on the boardwalk that I smelled it. At first it came with a normal breath and then I had to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Deep inhale. Yes. It was. There was a strong smell of summer in the air even though the ocean breeze was keeping the air cool and damp.
I don't know if it's something specific about this coast - or to these beaches - but it's there. A very distinct mixture of sand, salt water, taffy, coconutty-sun tan lotion and perhaps a pinch of cotton candy. It mingles together in a scent that always acts as balm to my soul.
My smile must have had passer-bys wondering about my sanity.
"Can you smell it?" I asked my mother.
She inhaled and then nodded. "It smells like summer."
9 comments:
This is so different from an early spring day in the mountains. And lovely to think about the differences, with sea breezes and excitement all around!
Here from Michele, hello!
Yes, summer is just around the corner but oh how I wish the spring could last a little longer with the just right temperature and the just right breezes and the just right sun. Sigh. Summer shorter. Spring longer.
Here from michele.
What a wonderful post...I can see you all by the sea and on those rides and it sounds idylic...Truly! I can understand buying all those tickets in a heartbeat. You may wish you had bought two books more, given the great pleasure and fun you all have there...
It reminded me of my youth and all the rides we used to go on at Coney Island...the one thatr made me laugh so hard I would always wet my pants was the Bumper Cars...I don't even know if they have anything that 'simple' anymore...but my siblings and I LOVED those lottle funny cars...and, like I said, the laughter that went with it.
Spring and Summer....My favorite seasons!
oh I love the smell of summer! ooo and the sea breeze! it was almost 90 here!!! spring has sprung and summer is right around the corner...maybe making an early arrival if this keeps up!
Spring has very deifinelt arrived, daffodils in full bloom and garden pond full of tadpoles.
Here from Micheles this evening.
Sorry - 'definitely'
Nice post, thank goodness spring has sprung!
A very evocative post, though your seasons are a little ahead of us in currently grey Britain. A few days ago, though, I got that spring crackle in the air, like the summer one you refer to. Its a great feeling as everything is renewing at this time of year.
And hello, Michele sent me!
rashbre
Hello, Michele sent me.
Love this pic at the top of the blog page!
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