Summer Breezes

By Dave Olson, Realtor®, SRES^TM RE/MAX EXCEL

August is our hot and humid month in Wisconsin. Nothing feels as nice as a summer breeze on hot sticky days.  In our house, we like to make our own “summer breezes” when the Good Lord turns up the heat outside. I think he gives us hot muggy days specifically to teach us to slow down for a while and take in summer’s grand closing act. I’d like to invite YOU to make your own “summer breezes” to make the most of your summer’s “closing act”.

August is a great time to brew “sun tea” on the patio and enjoy it chilled over ice. When we were kids, we poured sugar in until it was so saturated the granules no longer dissolved but settled on the bottom! We took “sweet tea” to the extreme when Mom wasn’t looking. My wife likes her tea “Arnold Palmer” style mixed with lemonade and a hint of sugar. Nothing is more refreshing to us than a cool iced tea and a good novel on the porch on a hot summer afternoon.  When it isn’t too hot, play a fun round of golf, or hit a bucket of balls. Get up early on these nice long days, grab a coffee at a local coffee shop and go for an early morning walk or hike with a friend before the heat of the day ushers in. Air-conditioned movie theaters or your family room are great settings for a blockbuster movie and a nice cool down on a hot evening.

Here in Wausau, August brings the Wisconsin Valley Fair held at Marathon Park. Head out for the stands of tasty fair food, take in an act or two and see the exhibits. Young daredevils can enjoy the rides too!

Head to the lake or river where it’s always cooler for a paddle with canoes or kayaks, or a motorboat or pontoon ride. Younger people love tubing, water skiing or beach time with sandcastles, swimming and a picnic afterward with cool watermelon for dessert. 

Vegetables ripen and many are ready for early harvests. Fresh veggies from our own gardens are so much better than from the supermarket, or if you’re not a gardener, farmers’ markets are laden with fresh and tasty treasures. A cool summer salad with fresh leaf lettuce as the base and your favorite veggies as accents makes an ideal summer meal. Who doesn’t look forward to the earliest (and sweetest) sweet corn hitting the stands!

Sports are in full swing as the Packers are back training for another season with family night and a few pre-season outings, while the Brewers head down the stretch toward the playoffs. I’m a big radio sports fan. In August I enjoy listening while I’m doing yard work or projects around the house, or between appointments while I work. 

August really is the wonderful “closing act” of our annual summer play. Take time this year to fully enjoy and appreciate summer in Wisconsin. You’ll be glad you did.