Thank you to Ramona Behnke for our June theme of “Summering.”
You can read everyone’s reflections by clicking here.
If spring is becoming, then summer is being.
In spring, Earth bursts with life. Then, the busyness of bringing forth finishes. Summer days stretch into the equinox, giving way to praise and the joy of being fully who you are.
In the Catholic tradition, summer falls in Ordinary Time. With children, we would speak of Ordinary Time as growing time, a time for growing more deeply in our faith.
But summer, for me, has always been a season of simple joys.
Summering, simply
Summer was…
camping, popsicles,
sprinklers, hide ‘n seek.
Bing cherries, swim team,
sunburn, bare feet.
Summer became…
A/C, Little League, no shade,
a hundred degrees. Swimming
pools, no school, Tahoe, jet skis.
Summer now is…
warm days, watermelon,
dusty trails, fresh air.
Stellar’s jays, deck time,
star nights, Black bears.
Pictures courtesy of Pixaby
Poem ©2025 Patricia J. Franz
Patricia Franz writes picture books and poetry. She believes children, dogs, and sourdough have a lot to teach us about life, joy, and wonder. She has raised two boys, four dogs, and holds a master’s degree in Theology with a focus on children’s spirituality. Patricia, her husband, her Bernese Mountain dog, Bonny, and her sourdough starter split their time between the Arizona desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. 
Patricia: I love your poem… brought back memories and reminded me a things I didn’t put in my post, like watermelon and bing cherries. How could I have missed them? The changes over the years are fertile ground for poems. Thank you for sharing.
Summer is so full of goodness, isn’t it!
Love the simple joys you’ve shared and the movement from summer was, to summer became, to summer now is. That watermelon speaks summer!
“If spring is becoming, then summer is being” makes me think of my OLW, be.
Watermelon will always remind me of my dad –how he loved to eat it and cut it so precisely!
I like how you define summer as a time for “being.” That is just what I want it to be. We need to get some watermelon. To me that is the best taste of summer! Wonderful details in your poem about summers past and summers now.
I hope summer is fulled with moments to “be.”
I love that ending of star light and black bears…it’s lovely and whimsical at the same time. Also, your opening of becoming to being is great. Thanks for this reflection.
Whimsical and…true! Saw my first one of the season this morning coming up my driveway!
Patricia, your poem captures the evolution of summer as the summers of our lives change. I lie the idea of summer being a time of “being”. As teachers, a good part of our lives is focused on being there for our students and not focusing on ourselves. Summer gives us the time we need to nurture our own souls and be what we need to be for ourselves. Bob
We all need refreshing, don’t we!
Patricia, I read your blog before today but then time interrupted my quiet time so I am back to add my comment this morning. “If spring is becoming, then summer is being.” I love this thought that I will need to remember throughout the summer. I feel that I have not paid attention to me and the state of being lately. Loneliness is haunting me. Memories bring me back and then I realize they are my past. I have to move forward to a state of being where I can find myself. Thank you for this: “giving way to praise and the joy of being fully who you are.”
May your summer days be filled with watermelon and relaxation. I pray that your Dad’s funeral will bring family together and peace for all.
Patricia, my comment flew into internet space, so here I am again. Your line: “If spring is becoming, then summer is being” touched me. Upon looking forward, I need to find the state of being all over again so I can “give way to praise and the joy of being.” Being alone is difficult but I must find out who fully I am. Thank you for your words, your poem, and your zest for summer life. May the funeral time be a comfort to you and your family even in the midst of sadness.