Memories of August Nights
August is a month of hot, humid and uncomfortable weather. For an outdoors guy like me, staying inside in the air conditioning is hard to do. I spend a lot of time in the house writing stories like this one.
On August mornings, as the sunrise comes, I go outdoors. It is much more comfortable than it will be in a few hours. Cup of coffee in my hand, I sit and watch the morning arrive. The birds serenade me with song. I watch them come into our many bird feeders. Soon, the squirrels and the rabbits join the party.
As the sun starts to set, I go outdoors again. The birds and animals are getting ready to go to bed. Nights are cooler. I look at all the stars in the sky and think about how the good Lord has blessed me.
I have loved being outdoors ever since I was a kid on my grandparents’ farm. In August, I was always up early with Grandpa to get chores done before it got too hot. We still had plenty to do during the heat of the day. It was miserable.
The old farmhouse was shaded by trees. Grandma would have all the windows open, hoping for a gentle breeze, as she cooked or cleaned. There was no air conditioning back then. It had not been invented yet. Even if it had, there was no electricity.
When night came, we went to the front porch. It was cooler there. Grandpa would sit in his rocking chair smoking his pipe. Grandma would read her Bible by the light of a kerosene lantern. I would run around catching lightning bugs and putting them in an old Mason jar with holes punched in the lid. I have great memories of August nights on the farm.
As a teenager, I gigged for frogs on local farm ponds with my buddies on August nights. There was always something out there in the dark that would get our hearts beating faster. A cow walking toward you in the dark or mooing would do that. So would walking into a spider web or a limb in the dark. So would the thoughts of snakes slithering around in the dark. Fried frog legs were always worth it, however/
Later in life, after serving our country, I married and we had kids. When our boys were little, I would take them with me in a pontoon boat at night on my favorite crappie lake. I have great memories of times with my sons crappie fishing on August nights.
I would hang kerosene lanterns on the railing of the boat. The light from the lanterns attracted flying bugs. Some would fall into the water. The bugs attracted the crappie to feed on them.
The bugs also attracted a bat or two, diving at our heads. The boys did not like the bats. I am sure other night fishermen sometimes heard their screams. There was one time they probably heard screams across the lake when a bat landed on my head. The boys laughed. As grown men now, they still laugh about that August night.
It is still a great time to catch a limit of crappie. Get outdoors and make your own memories of August nights.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
May your August nights be illuminated by starry skies and magical memories. ~ Author Unknown
