Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 104: Summer

Just the smell of summer can make me fall in love.

Anonymous

Perhaps it’s that old song that begins “Summertime, summertime, sum, sum, summertime . . . ” or the smell of lake water, inner tubes, and homemade ice cream — summer makes most people fall in love. And this summer, even in the midst of a pandemic, is no different.

Wanna float a stream in the Smokies? Well, line up, rent a tube and board the bus. Nothin’ says summer quite like the smell of wet bathing suits and sunscreen — and memories of floating with family and friends!

I love how summer just wraps its arms around you like a warm blanket.

Kellie Elmore

For us, it wouldn’t be summer without a week in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. One short week, to be exact. When we worked full time, we used beach week to sleep in and enjoy the night a bit longer. Now, in retirement, we have a new-found joy: we move slowly, cup of coffee in hand, out to the beach to watch pre-dawn grayness give way to the pinkness of dawn. Early rising is not just something we say we’re gonna do someday. It’s now a real joy.

Just before sunrise, Pawleys Island SC
Watching the mystery unfold, we stand on the beach letting the waters overtake our feet.
Golden sunrise, Pawleys Island SC
A summer sunrise — South End, Pawleys Island, SC


Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.

Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

And who can resist summer flowers, even if you do have to water them each evening when the heat can be blistering? Just watching them drink in the goodness as they glisten at sundown makes all the planting, feeding, mulching, deadheading, and watering worthwhile. After all, it’s summer and everything we bought in the spring is now in full bloom.

 And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Many thanks to Amy for hosting this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #104: Summer. It was fun reliving some of the joys of Summer 2020. For more posts with this theme, head to her beautiful site — The World Is a Book.

Enjoy your summer!

Rusha & Bert

25 thoughts on “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 104: Summer

  1. The Wandering RVer

    We are currently in St. Mary’s, GA for a bit of R&R. It sure is a lovely area to explore!

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thanks. There were so many quotes to choose from. Evidently people love summer!!! Thanks for commenting!

  2. pattimoed

    Fabulous images, Rusha. I love the dewdrops on the flowers and your first image…and your second..😊

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thanks so much for kind words and for taking a look. Summer is good until it gets too hot!!!

      1. pattimoed

        Yes, true. I never gets really hot here in New England. We’ll see how the summer evolves.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thank you. I love summer most of the time in Tennessee. But right now is when it gets testy. Days over 90 degrees are sometimes hard to bear!!! Thanks for your nice comment.

  3. Tina Schell

    Gorgeous images Rusha! Our neighbors to the north! Next time we need to meet in the middle!

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thank you so much. It’s hard to beat nature in the summer for color and activity. Hope you are finding some fun things to do even in these tough times. A look at natural things helps me a lot!! Appreciate the comment.

  4. JohnRH

    Excellent. Very well done. Love the tubing photos. I could use a cool down, as it’s in the 90s this week in Colorado. Beautiful beach photo at Pawleys Island. Superb.

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thank you so much. I’ve never been tuning, but it must be fun. That industry is booming in Townsend, right at the edge of the Smokies!!

  5. kzmcb

    Oh you’ve got me dreaming of summer, or a very long drive to where it’s hot. And only one of those can happen soon, so stay tuned.

  6. Amy

    Rent a tube floating down to a river, how fun! Beautiful summer flowers. The sunrising is absolutely beautiful! Thank you, Rusha for sharing. 🙂

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Me, too! It looks like fun, especially if you’ve got a cooler with a bit of food & drink safely attached!!! There are so many people doing this in the Smokies!!!!

    1. Oh, the Places We See

      Thanks so much! Summer is when I take the most pictures, so this one was all about what to share. The other seasons may be a bit tougher. Thanks for joining us!!!!!

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