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PRINTTake a Time Out
July is here. Summer is in full swing. While most people find time to take a vacation during the summer, this season can be just as busy as the others. Barbecues, parties, fireworks, and the regular chores and work schedule of the every day can fill up your calendars quickly. I’d like to remind everyone that a “time out” is a good way to recharge and revive your senses.
Summer is a great time to stop and smell the roses. The scents of summer are wonderful. Think about the smell of fresh cut grass, or rain after a hot summer day. Lightning bugs and flowers offer an opportunity for you to engage your sense of sight as are the great many places you may go visit this July. Stop and listen to the many sounds of nature this summer—the waves on the coast, a babbling brook, or frogs croaking the night away.
Take time this summer to renew your senses. Shut off the phones, computers, and Ipods and take in Mother Nature’s entertainment. Pack a picnic lunch, take a hike, go for a swim in a lake, or lounge in a tube on a calm river. You may be pleasantly surprised at how relaxing and enjoyable this time can be.
Happy July. Happy Summer. Happy Independence Day. And thanks to all the brave people who fought and continue to fight for our freedom, a freedom that allows us to take time outs.
Sandi Duncan is the Managing Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. Click here to read Sandi's full biography.Free Weekly eNewsletter
Farmers' Almanac Long Range Weather
February 12th - February 15th
- Northeast U.S.
Light snow, then fair skies.
- Midwest/Great Lakes U.S.
Flurries, especially Great Lakes.
- Southeast U.S.
Wet weather, then fair skies, milder.
- North Central U.S.
Flurries Northern, Central Plains east. Frigid! Approaching 30 below in parts of Montana, North Dakota.
- South Central U.S.
Scattered snow showers, very cold.
- Northwest U.S.
Gusty winds accompany scattered showers.
- Southwest U.S.
Showery, windy.
• View entire Long Range Weather Forecast »
• Farmers' Almanac 2011-12 Winter Outlook »
• View the Almanac Daily Planner »
If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.