Savoring the Sunshine

I was raised in Pensacola, Florida, a community located smack dab on the Gulf Coast. Growing up, there was always access to plenty of sunshine and water. We had warm-to-hot weather for about three quarters of the year, so "summer" extended beyond the constraints of three months.

This year, the D.C. Area (where I now reside) experienced record-breaking snow. But for the fact that I had to go to work, I would've hid in an underground heat-filled passage during the cold months, appearing again only upon the receipt of a green twig hand delivered by a little birdie. Needless to say, this year's brutal winter (my first here) left me miserable. However, just as I couldn't take it anymore, the sunshine appeared. Slowly but surely, the snow melted and buds that were once beneath the surface, began to burst into blossoms.

Now the first days of summer are here, and I am savoring the sunshine in all her splendor. To celebrate the advent of the solstice, I hit the road for Annapolis, Maryland. Its old-town charm and water-front location bear some semblance to home. And while there's no place like home, until I can get there, I'll let Annapolis serve as a friendly reminder of the summery place I long for . . . .

- C. Marie