Summer Rambling.

I first noticed it last night. I'm sure it wasn't the first night but as I stepped into the kitchen to refill my coffee mug the dogs had that look in their eyes. "Y'all need to go outside?" Amazing how two dogs can understand English better than many Americans. They headed for the door and I opened it. That's when it hit me. The "wah-unh, wah-unh, wah-unh" wafting from the trees like it does this time every year.

Dang. Summer is dying.

I have been able to keep hope alive even when my wife and kids returned to their school schedules. Football practices started and the marching band could be heard tooking around over at the school. The mornings started getting cooler and Halloween candy appeared in the stores. Still I had delusions of grandeur that summer would make a roaring comeback.

But the cicadas don't lie. When they start singing it does something to the trees. It does something to the sky. It even makes the sunshine turn in early and sleep in a little later. Life gets hectic again and...

I still don't really want to think about it.

I don't really have a right to be upset. For me, summer began in mid February. I had my bare feet on the St. Augustine grass in Orange County, Florida, working off some stress from an unusual start to a magical vacation. While my friends and coworkers were freezing their butts off in unusually cold weather, I was riding Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids.

And it continued. We hiked incredibly beautiful trails in northeast Georgia. We saluted our heroes at the U.S.S. Alabama and the old Confederate capitol. We rested our souls in the sand and sun of the Alabama coast. We talked history and geology atop Stone Mountain. And there was so many other great times. I just hate to see it go.

Don't feel too sorry for me. Football is just around the corner. There should be some good food, good games and maybe even some good hiking through the fall foliage. A slice of pumpkin bread and cup of apple cider and I'll be ok.

And then it will get cold. Football will come to an end and some guy in Atlanta will use the "s-word" and everyone will buy all the milk and bread. I'll get nostalgic for fall and...you get the picture.

Nothing to it but to get ready for next summer. Now, where did I put that Disney brochure?.