It’s summer! Get psyched. Also, you all know this already. I’m behind the times, as the calendar officially switched to summertime last weekend. Luckily we have time to continue the celebration.

I love summer. I always have grand aspirations to do all the summery things. Canoeing (that’s a weird word to spell), beach time (I didn’t get the memo about Colorado being landlocked apparently), endless reading while sitting in the sun (I just got a library card for the first time in YEARS; my book habits are now much more economical), long days, warm nights, a symphony concert in the park. I don’t always check off everything on my summer list, but its mere existence makes me happy to see June, July, and August. Then by September my autumn list gets dusted off and the heat can just get on back to the other hemisphere. But for those three months or so, it’s just the grandest time.

I photographed a fishing class at the Aurora Reservoir a few weeks ago. The dusk, near-summer light was total perfection. This one family — a dad and his two young girls — were learning to fish for the first time. Lines got tangled, dad had to keep picking the eew-gross-slimey-moss off their hooks, and they quickly discovered that the fish took their own sweet time to take a bite at the bait. Patience became the name of the game. Which can be hard for a seven year old. (Heck, it can be hard for a 27 year old.)

 What makes the top of your summer list?