Heading into summer like ...

bring on the raspberry iced tea, the stone fruits, and the sunshine.

Summer in Yosemite National Park. This photograph was taken in the same spot as the photo in my Heading into autumn post, just nudged over to the right a little.

One of the complaints people have about living on the West Coast is that there are no distinct seasons. Or so they say. Frankly, I don't find that to be true.

Sure, if you visit a California beach during fall or winter, you'll be surrounded by palm trees, and it probably won't be snowing. But travel up to the higher elevations, visit places like Yosemite, Sonora, Julian, or Ojai, and you'll find plenty of fall color.

Visit Lake Tahoe or Mt. Shasta or Mammoth and you'll find more than enough winter snow for skiing or snowman-building.

Even here on the coast, you can sense the changing seasons on the beaches.

I was out running errands a couple of weeks ago when it hit me. There was something about the day, something different about the sunshine, something in the air, that transported me and filled my head with memories of summers past. Suddenly, I found myself wondering where I’d last stored my bathing suit and thinking of late sunsets, watermelon and peaches, lounging in the sunshine, and ice-cold beverages.

Spring is in full swing on the west coast, and delightful summer is well on its way.