estival.

[es-tuh-vuh l, e-stahy-vuh l]

adjective

1. pertaining or appropriate to summer.

Last night, I got off work at the saloon at 9:30pm. I said goodnight to my friends who would be there for a couple more hours, put my jacket on, and stepped outside. The sun was just setting and for the first time in what felt like years (ten months realistically), I didn’t need my jacket. Ten months!!! I’ve become very attached to my jacket. This winter, I wore two or three of them at a time, but my lightweight Arc’Teryx has been a staple and has become part of me. Sometimes I lounge around in my living room with it on. But last night, I took it off as quickly as I could and smiled the whole way to my car. The days have been warm lately, but not the nights.

I pulled in to my little cabin cluster parking lot and four boys around the age of ten were playing wiffle ball in the front yard. This was the epitome of an estival evening. I opened my windows as high as they would go. I kept my door open. I texted my friend, “It’s warm enough for boys to be playing wiffle ball!! I might go join them.” I sat in my rocking chair and listened to their Sandlot-like lingo as if it were the sweetest sound on earth. And it was; it sounded like summer.

Pal and I have changed up our normal hiking trails to get some shade in. This was our shade tree yesterday, his drool hitting my shoulder as I read my book.

Is there anything better than finding an amazing book in time for summer? A really, really good book doesn’t stay new looking for long. I love when the cover is a little bent from being transported from satchel to backpack to work locker. A few dirt stains show up. Definitely some of Pal’s drool which ends up glistening like a disgusting glitter. Blood from a tiny bug that I try to shoo away from the sentence I am reading. A good book goes with me everywhere and it makes everywhere a little bit better. Long line at the Post Office? Awesome. Can’t sleep at 1am? Perfect. I find myself nodding along and feeling understood and am completely thrilled and energized by it. In fact, this author (Brendan Leonard) writes in such a way that I understand myself even more. It becomes a very important part of my life, and I find myself bringing it up in everyday conversation. “Beth, are you going to order dinner before your shift?” “Oh, no I had a late lunch while I was reading this incredible book which I will now tell you all about…”

A short estival hike becomes an entire morning and afternoon of reading and laughing and looking up to watch Pal eat a stick or dig a hole.

Season changes…I tell you what. They’re invigorating and I didn’t know my soul needed them as desperately as it does. Last year I said with each season, it’s like moving to a new place without having to rent a U-Haul or make new friends. I LOVE SUMMER and after this extreme winter, I have earned every little beam of sunshine and wildflower and jacket-free night.