May snow, Summer thoughts!

It's snowing again here in Colorado. By May I get a bit tired of it, so decided to write a post about summer, my favorite time of year.

There are many things anyone can do in the summertime to make a real difference.

Planting a garden and sharing the produce or flowers is one possibility. You could even can some fruits and vegetables to share later on as well if you know how. Helping someone weed their garden would be a most appreciated act of kindness. Teaching youngsters, and others who would like to know how to garden would be quite special to the recipient.

There are many sports played in the summer. Teams need players, referees, umpires,coaches, and people to supply water,towels, and awards. Donations of money or helpful things such as sports drinks or uniforms is always needed. Just ask what the team you would like to help needs most.

Pools and beaches all need lifeguards. Community Centers, Vacation Bible Schools, and others who have summer programs could really use your help. Students need tutoring in all different subjects, and music lessons to someone who couldn't otherwise afford it would be so rewarding.

How about having a yard sale and then donating what's leftover to a charity? What about hosting a block party or neighborhood bbq or potluck? That could be a lot of fun for all! Helping build a parade float or a neighbor to build a deck, or even helping to build a trail in your local area could be a part of your physical fitness program this year.

If you have young children, maybe you could find other mothers and fathers locally who would be willing to all take turns watching the kids to give each other a break while the kids are out of school.

Taking children on field trips to places such as local parks, playgrounds, or somewhere else on a special outing is a wonderful idea. Being a nature lover, I would probably take them hiking on an easier trail or to a place they could watch birds and wildlife. Playing old-fashioned games like croquet and horseshoes is another winning idea. These ideas make a difference because they show children that there is so much more to life than just television, movies, and video games. Plus, it can help them be fit. If you use the ideas about gardening above also, it may encourage them to eat more fruits and vegetables too.

Encourage teenagers to volunteer, get more exercise, and have lots of fun outdoors in the summer too. This is often a difficult time in their life for them. Add being out of school to that and some teens get bored or in trouble. In talking with teens, those who had enjoyable summer jobs, interesting vacations, or something like marching band practices to attend seemed to keep out of trouble and do better later on in life.