The Warming Trends of Summer

The Spring/Summer season has finally sprung and it cannot be too soon

By Marylin Smith Carsley

A purplish flower bud emerges with sincere determination through a hardened ground to face the sunshine. Birds begin twittering after an extensive flight home from southern temperatures. Greenery sprouts everywhere and Westmount residents exuberantly emerge from their homes, and buildings; strolling, and walking aimlessly… breathing in the air. The Spring/Summer season has finally sprung and it cannot be too soon.

After a long drawn out winter we await this seasonal change with anticipation from an extensive frigid hibernation. This seasonal exhilaration is always so intense in our city and it is evident in our remarkable and immediate adaptability to warmer temperatures. A moment is not wasted as soon as the slightest sensation of spring transpires. Clothing is transformed from those burdensome coats and boots to shorts and t-shirts, and cafes unwind their awnings, carry out chairs and tables and coffee is enjoyed outdoors even with a slight chill in the air.

Finally outdoor living is upon us once more. After an arduous winter we instantly become consumed with the creation of our very temporary outdoor living. Painters are visible restoring homes to pre-winter state, window washers are busily scrubbing the remnants of the winter grime, and grass and flowers struggle to breathe once more with the ongoing assistance of fastidious landscapers. But what fascinates every year is how easily we acclimatize to spring. There is absolutely no delay as that yearning for the outdoors is universal.

This seasonal exhilaration is always so intense in our city and it is evident in our remarkable and immediate adaptability to warmer temperatures.

Westmount basks brightly in summer. The initial steps to prepare commence in Spring and blossom in Summer. Once winter melts away, outdoor activity replaces indoor living. The universal goal is to spend as much time outside for as long as possible and the idea is to do it soon! Parks, barbeques, bicycling and just relaxing in our lawn chairs are heavenly desires and simple pleasures.

I have lived in Westmount for 33 years and my eagerness concerning the change of seasons never wavers. When the last days of March and April complete the winter cycle, I am picturing all the details of my backyard and how to artfully arrange it. There are furniture considerations, the barbeque setup, floral designs, summer toys for the grandchildren and the entire backyard experience. I imagine the colours of my garden, the seeding necessary for the grass, the endless visits to the market for the loveliest flowers and plants and the perfect pots to house these floral visions…and then the dream of enjoying dinner surrounded by trees and gardens! No more indoor cooking for a few months and I truly relish those outdoor meals. It is the one and only time when my husband assumes complete control of the cooking and I gladly hand over the tools with gratitude. Nothing tastes better than this mode of preparing and dining.

In order to fully appreciate this heavenly time of year, take a leisurely walk in Westmount. My first order of business is always to venture on a floral tour. The gardens in the upper and lower regions are spectacular with exotic arrangements that are meticulously cultivated. Hydrangeas blossom, alongside lilies, begonias, petunias, geraniums, and blooms of glorious lilacs. My walking route allows me the pleasure of floral viewing and also generates hints which I apply to my smaller version of a garden. Even when I have finished my planting, I continue to educate myself for future summer blooms from the experiences of others.

Westmount is a plethora of parks that are so unique and forever bursting with joyous laughter. The true beginning of the park visit begins early and much before Spring has settled in. Children are running aimlessly and that muddy frozen ground does not intimidate them. As long as there is a swing or a slide, these recreation areas are in full working mode. A child resident can visit, Devon Park, Murray Hill Park and what about Westmount Park? The library is on its grounds and with the added benefit of the renovations of the Westmount Recreation Building, you can wander through the park and pass along the grounds of the Rec Centre. Westmount Park along with all the other parks are ideal for families and there are many sports for the children generated from the numerous Westmount programs.

In order to fully appreciate this heavenly time of year, take a leisurely walk in Westmount.

The intriguing part of this time of year is how desperate we truly are to feel warmth and rejoice in open-air activities. That sleepy mid afternoon feeling vanishes and being indoors is now a struggle. Hibernating is no longer a desire and people are out walking until darkness blankets the day. My husband and I enjoy nothing more than a walk after dinner or tea outside with the moonlight above. Simple pleasures are the best!

As we head into these summer days, the preparation becomes more intense and in the short time that defines this season, there really is not a moment to waste. So dust off those outdoor chairs, fill up those floral pots and begin to bask in the warmth and floral extravagance of a memorable Westmount summer.

Featured image: Andrew Burlone

Marylin Smith Carsley is a Westmount writer whose work has appeared in several publications