It’s my favorite time of year and it is because of the
light. When I was growing up, summer was my favorite time of the year. It was hot and sunny and I got to swim every
day and turned a nice brown color. Now I
live in a place where summers are mostly sunny, but rarely hot and often I
don’t even bother to own a pair of shorts because the weather does not require
them.
Also now too, I’m an adult and don’t get to swim every day
even if it was warm enough to compel me to.
I still like summer, even the “bring a sweatshirt” variety that is
Portland, Oregon, but now my allegiance has switched to late spring.
even if it was warm enough to compel me to.
I still like summer, even the “bring a sweatshirt” variety that is
Portland, Oregon, but now my allegiance has switched to late spring.
Sometime in late April or May it begins to get light very
early. When I am a steady exerciser, I
am a morning exerciser. I also seem to
gravitate to paid employment that begins early.
This means that I get up very early to exercise which, for the past six
years, has meant being out the door by 5:00am.
early. When I am a steady exerciser, I
am a morning exerciser. I also seem to
gravitate to paid employment that begins early.
This means that I get up very early to exercise which, for the past six
years, has meant being out the door by 5:00am.
Let me tell you that for most of the year, 5:00am is
DARK. I wear a reflective vest, I peer
through the dark of night and I’m going to have to eventually wear some sort of
light on my head to better see the many things that can trip me up. Most of the year, it is hard to get up at
5:00am. It is dark, and cold, and rainy
and I just want to sleep for a little bit longer.
DARK. I wear a reflective vest, I peer
through the dark of night and I’m going to have to eventually wear some sort of
light on my head to better see the many things that can trip me up. Most of the year, it is hard to get up at
5:00am. It is dark, and cold, and rainy
and I just want to sleep for a little bit longer.
However, sometime in late April, the light shifts and I just
start waking up. First at five o’clock,
then earlier and earlier until my eyes pop open at 4:30 with no trouble at
all. I also need less sleep. During the dark months I fall asleep by 9:30,
and battle every morning to drag myself out of bed. When it gets light early, I’m up until 10:00
easily and my eyes automatically open at 4:30. I
also have more energy.
start waking up. First at five o’clock,
then earlier and earlier until my eyes pop open at 4:30 with no trouble at
all. I also need less sleep. During the dark months I fall asleep by 9:30,
and battle every morning to drag myself out of bed. When it gets light early, I’m up until 10:00
easily and my eyes automatically open at 4:30. I
also have more energy.
I attribute this surge to my left over agrarian
genes—telling me to get up, get out and till the fields—get the corn planted,
the chickens fed, the gardens weeded and watered. It makes me wonder if I’d be happier shifting
my sleep pattern to follow the sunrise, sleeping in later in the winter,
getting up earlier in the late spring and early summer. This will probably not be a thing I will ever
get to experiment with until my retirement as the jobs I seek have firm start
times.
genes—telling me to get up, get out and till the fields—get the corn planted,
the chickens fed, the gardens weeded and watered. It makes me wonder if I’d be happier shifting
my sleep pattern to follow the sunrise, sleeping in later in the winter,
getting up earlier in the late spring and early summer. This will probably not be a thing I will ever
get to experiment with until my retirement as the jobs I seek have firm start
times.
It’s a brief period, this magic time of light. By mid-July the morning runs begin their
slide into complete darkness and I am left to enjoy the (comparatively) warm
and (comparatively) dry mornings for the rest of the summer. Then the rains come and it is another long wait for my favorite
time of year.
slide into complete darkness and I am left to enjoy the (comparatively) warm
and (comparatively) dry mornings for the rest of the summer. Then the rains come and it is another long wait for my favorite
time of year.