Remember being a child during summer time. Gosh, I love the summer. I grew up in Southern California, and, though the weather in Los Angeles is pretty good all the time, it is extra special in the summer. Long sunny days, breezy afternoons, where everything was sort of a-glow all the time. Mm. Wonderful.

There are also certain sounds that remind me of summer’s in LA. Though, you may not have grown up in LA, chances are some of these sounds might also be familiar to you.

The Sound of the “Ice Cream Man”

If there was one sound of summer that I adored as a child more than others, it was that of the ice cream truck. Gosh. I remember being outside playing with my sisters, or with other neighborhood children, when we would hear that most familiar sound coming from a street or two over.

We would stop everything we were doing, and stand very still to ensure what we heard was true. And, as soon as we were sure that the ice cream truck was coming our way, we would run as fast as we could to the house to get money from our parents.

Once we had the money, we would race back outside, and wait. And, as soon as that wonderful truck started to make its way down our street, we would run after it, hollering and waving our hands so it would stop. So much fun.

In case you’ve forgotten that wonderful sound, here it is.

The Sound of Fireworks

Another sound of summer I adored as a child was that of fireworks on the fourth of July. We would always go to my aunts house, where all of my cousins and I would play away the afternoon, as we eagerly awaited the evening firework festivities. The crack, boom, and bang of the fireworks was enticing, and very exciting.

We always had quite the firework show. All of my dad’s brothers and sisters would take up a collection, and head down to the fireworks stand to purchase several bags of fireworks. We always had a ton.

Typically, we would start out by lighting some of the smaller ones, leading up to, after at least a good hour or so, the “grand finale.” The grand finale included using most of the larger fireworks, and lighting many of them at the same time. Quite the show. I love the sound, sight, and smell of fireworks. Excellent.

The Sound of the Water Hose

Though we went to the beach often when I was a child, during the summer my sisters and I would also play with the water hose. We had a myriad of different attachments for the hose, some sprayed water up and down, and some all over. Often, we would simply just attach the sprinkler to the hose and use that. Running back and forth across the lawn, jumping over the sprinkler, time and again.

We also had at least two or three different slip and slides growing up. Fun, and sometimes dangerous, if your not being careful. I remember running so fast, and jumping as hard as I could, to the point that I would slide off the slip and slide into the grass. Covered in grass, called for more trips on the slide, and rinsing off with the hose.

Ah, the sound of the water spraying out of the water hose was a reminder that summer was here, school was out, and it was time to play, and just be.

The Sound of Cookouts and BBQ’s

Another sound I love of the summer is that of family cookouts, especially BBQ’s. Now, any barbeque grill is fine, yet the good old fashioned charcoal grill is what I’m referring to in this post. I love the way charcoal heats, coals going from black, to glowing embers, turing red, and eventually white. Love that.

I also loved the food that went with those BBQ’d meals, which included watermelon, corn on the cob, potato salad, beans, and usually burgers and hot dogs. The sounds of family preparing food, cooking food, and ultimately eating all of that food, while conversing about this and that. Cookouts and BBQ’s, truly summer.

The sounds of summer bring back all kinds of memories. Memories of a simple time, where playing, creativity, and all of the worlds possibilities were available. From ice cream trucks to family cookouts and BBQ’s, the sounds of summer remind me of being a young child, and the openness that comes from a summer full of possibilities, and delightful sounds.

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