I love summer.  Long days, warm and sunny - well at least for the most part, make this time of year here in the islands really enjoyable.  This morning Stan and I were running around Pear Point, starting at 8:00.  During the run the sun felt warm on my back as we ran around one of the most beautifulest roads here on island.  The sensation of having the sun warm me so early in the day was really nice.

Here in the islands the temperatures rarely reach above 80 degrees, so the warm days are not really hot days that I was used to by living in California, Montana and Wyoming - where hot meant 90 degrees or hotter.  In Helena, Montana, where I lived for some time, we would often go run in 100+ temperatures during the summer months.  The sweat would run off our bodies like torrents. 

Lately, I have been running early in the day, often on the road by 6:30.  The early morning temperatures are still chilly and often I need a long sleeve shirt to keep my arms warm, but by the time I run for 40 minutes I wish that I had short shirt sleeves on.  My friend Stan, when he runs in the morning, is still wearing gloves to keep his hand warm.

A sad point of this summer is I am boat less.  I sold my boat, SloPoke, over a year ago.  Not having a boat makes my heart long for a time that we can get on the water.  Motoring up to Stuart Island and running out to the lighthouse on Turn Point would be idea.  Turn Point is the farthest distance in the N.W. one can go in the United States.  I have run that distance before and it is a blast.

Last night we ate our dinner out on the deck, and, actually, I am writing this posting outside as well, which makes a great indicator for summer time.  I love eating out doors during the summer.  Takes me back to my childhood days when we ate outside on our patio much of the summer.  Nice hot summer days and cool summer nights.  Yum.

Last Tuesday Mike, Jan, Sam and I rode over to Lopez on Mike and Jan's boat, and ate a bunch of fried foods as we watched the sun dip down.  What a great evening.  Great people and good food.  Great weather as well.

Here is wishing everyone a fun filled, safe and exciting summer.