I love summer weather because you can run around for months in bare feet and sandals.  For months at a time, you don't have to worry about getting your jacket or making sure everyone is bundled up.  Although, they way they run air conditioning in the restaurants around here, you need sweatshirts anyway sometimes.  The kids and I love going swimming at the beach.  They have converted an old quarry into a really nice beach with a water slide and rafts for jumping or diving into the deep water.

I don't like cleaning up all the sand, but guess I get through that.  I like sitting on the beach with my friend, Edie, and sipping Diet Coke until we get too hot and go into the water again.  It's a small body of water and the water by the middle of summer is pretty warm.  Lake Michigan, by contrast is usually always cold because it's so big!  Now, that the kids are older, Edie and I can go to the deep water and sit on the rafts and jump or dive into the water.   They do have lifeguards, too, so it's not like no one is watching the kids. 

Summer festivals also make summer fun.  Here in Sheboygan, they have a big celebration for 4th of July complete with a parade in the morning, the Cardboard Boat Regatta after the parade and fireworks in the evening.  Down at the lakefront, they usually have bands playing all day between the parade and the fireworks, plus food stands and stuff.   The first weekend in August brings Bratwurst Days.  They cook lots of brats (sausage, not naughty children!), people drink lots of beer, bands play, etc.  On the first Saturday in August, they have a parade in the morning.  After the parade, we get some bratwurst for lunch.  This year and last year, we were treated to a small concert from a portion of the University of Wisconsin (Madison) Marching Band!  They are so goofy and put on quite a performance.  After they are done, we go home.  

To close out the summer recreation program, they have a lantern parade.  The younger kids put on cute little skits to music while it's getting dark.  The older kids make small lanterns along with big lanterns that take 2 kids to carry that go along with a theme.  This year's theme was The Muppets!  So, we got to see Kermit, Miss Piggy, Cookie Monster, and so on.  When it gets dark out, they light the lanterns and walk around the park.  This one park in Sheboygan, is kind of like a stadium, only without any seats.  They bring the lanterns down the steps and circle around the bottom of the bowl.  It is so cool.  My oldest daughter has been in some of the skits and one year carried small lanterns with her friend, Jenny.   They light the lanterns with real candles, but in the 9 years we have lived in Sheboygan, they haven't ever had a problem with it. 

So, now, it's mid-August and school is around the corner.  There is one more festival to tie up the summer.  It's called Lakefest.  They have different bands come and play, serve brats and burgers and generally have a good time.  Then onto colder weather.  Brrr.  Well, we will enjoy the warm days we have left.

© 1997-2006 lakebreeze@lakebreeze.org