that day.

I love Tennessee. It's been my home for nearly four years {four, wow!} and I love it for a lot of reasons, but one of the biggest is because it's the only place I've ever lived that has four real seasons.

You see, growing up in the deep south where we live in four seasons of "mild, hot, hotter and a few cold mornings", these four seasons and the elements that go along with them were just something we read about in science books. But here in Tennessee, we watch all of this happen in our front yard. Now, make no mistake, I can sit here and ramble about the goodness of all the seasons but there is no doubt about it, I would commit the next year of my life writing up a bill to send to Congress if some how, some way we could cut down the seasons to just three, get rid of that ugly "W" word and just keep all the sunshine and pretty colors. These winters and I have a rough history, but I must say, I am getting used to them, I'm learning to deal with them in my own way and I might even stretch to say they're worth putting up with to experience these splendid June days!

After living here for a bit and getting over the sheer shock and joy of these four three seasons of goodness, there is nothing like the one day....just that ONE day....when you feel it, when you know it, THAT day is here...the start of the new season. It's the smell of the air, the breeze, the people on the sidewalks, the music in the air and the greatest indicator: the activity on our front porch.

And for me, it was yesterday. Summer is here, y'all.
It's true.

Collin and I have had a whirlwind six weeks with moving and trying to get settled and two and a half weeks away from home. We spent time in Alabama and Atlanta with his family, then on to my family's house for Pallie's big wedding weekend. So we were really ready to just be home in Nashville. After this last week filled with unpacking boxes, moving furniture, work meetings, catching up with friends and a bout with the flu, Saturday was a welcomed treat. We had no plans and no commitments.

It was perfect, it was THAT day and it went like this:

• 80 degrees, a sweet breeze and not a cloud in the sky
• no tv, just good music floating through our house and every blind open
• my friend Lindsay and I sent a few txt's and she was on her way over with a bag of clothes, a bathing suit and no real plan for the day
• I made BLT's with fresh tomatoes on good white bread & we all ate on the front porch...drinking grape kool aid, of course.
  
• Collin needed to play golf {for his sanity & mine} and so he did. He bounced out the door looking cute and happy.
• Lindsay and I went to the backyard in bathing suits with an ipod full of good tunes. And in just a few short hours solved all the problems in the world.
• a few hours later, we took off for an afternoon stroll through the neighborhood in our suits and dresses, flip flops and ratty ponytail hair.
• we stopped at two cute boutiques...we browse and ooo & ahh
• then stumble upon two block parties with bands, families, local hippie vendors and lots of happy people
• the sidewalks are packed with strollers and dogs and families and folks on bikes
• we stop at las paletas just down the street for an afternoon popsicle treat; raspberry yogurt for her, nectarine for me. heaven on a stick.
• we walk to the wine shoppe at the end of the street for an afternoon cocktail. Buying a sweet white wine and sharing laughs with the guys that work there.
• front porch time. wine, magazines, people watching, talk about art and life and a good snooze on our new cool porch furniture.
• Collin gets home & we venture to a cookout at two dear friends' house. They had friends in town, which is normal. They cook out often, so that was normal. But we pull up to about 30 dudes sitting outside, so the ratio to Lindsay and I being there was quite hilarious. We love these guys so we had a great time and were in our element.
• fresh shrimp and burgers on the grill. Beer 30 Light and bag chairs in the front yard.
• The sun went down and the guitar came out. We wrote a song or three, but I can't remember the words. But we all sang, stomped, smiled and made our requests.
  

We got home at midnight. We were full, sunburned, tired and it was a perfect day. Perfect indeed. The perfect summer day...the start to a new season here at home in Tennessee.
.......

It's Sunday morning and I'm sitting on my front porch recollecting yesterday. As I'm ending my thoughts I'm most thankful that in the moment I can remember at least a dozen instances that I smiled and thought to myself or said out loud, "Life is Good Today".

...and that it is.