One of the true joys of summer for me is the fresh tomato. While I certainly welcome all the other fresh vegetables and fruits that summer provides, for me the tomato is King. I can even prove my point with this demonstration: First you must take a fresh, fully ripened tomato off the vine. Slice it and place it between two pieces of white bread with mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Take your masterpiece and savor it slowly, with a glass of fresh brewed iced tea (no Green Tea allowed!), to make this a true experience. An important rule: never refrigerate your tomato prior to consumption, lest you lose the true flavor. Right now I'm counting the days until I get to enjoy my own summer’s tomato bounty!

The others joys of summer for me include a plethora of physical activities like gardening, hiking, water sports, kayaking and biking -- activities that help to provide mental and physical relief from the stresses of everyday life. But I also very much enjoy the sights and sounds that accompany the summer landscape. This list is long, but some of my favorites include: the hum and chatter of a hummingbird as it diligently attempts to ward off other hummingbirds from its feeder; the rolling slow and deep rumble of air crashing against air during a summer thunderstorm; the lightning bugs, whose gift to the visual senses are the small floating specks of light that dance in the night; and finally, the undulating drone of the cicadas and the katydids that envelopes the late evening and nighttime world.

Enjoy the season and until next time,

Jim