Clark Craziness: Summer's in Full Swing!

Summer is in full swing. The heat has finally been here. Two weeks ago it was hot! Well at least it felt hot. Typically an air temperature of 97F shouldn't be much to write about. But when you couple 97F with the fact that people get happy here when the weatherman reports that the humidity should drop down to about 80%, it feels hot. Yes, one tends to sweat a bunch. Granted, we used to sweat in AZ, but it evaporated so quickly that it didn't feel like you were dripping with sweat. Amidst the heat and humidity, I can't really complain, because it really only started in mid June. We're used to summer starting in April. It seems funny to write about how it felt hot two weeks ago! It hasn't really been hot since then. And it was rediculously cool here on the 4th of July weekend! The kids were chilly in the early morning when we went on a hike!

As I reflect on the past year, much has transpired. It was this weekend one year ago that Melissa and I travelled to Huntsville to look for a home. One year later, we've racked up a boat load of experiences. Some good, some not so good. Here's a few (with some supporting pictures)that stand out in my mind:

1. We got to experience all four seasons this past year. It was the last weekend in July that we moved to Huntsville. We were immediately impressed with the "verdant beauty" of the area (quoting Melissa). Here's a photo we took of the backyard the weekend we arrived:

The following week, the children started school. Here's a snapshot of their first walk to the bus stop and the end of our little street:

In September of 2008, we went camping in middle Tennessee with Jeremy & Linda (Melissa's brother and sister-in-law) and their kids. It was a seriously fun campout. Everything was perfect!

Then came the glorious fall with its vibrant show of color and the huge piles of leaves!

Next, winter crept in and we got snow and ice several times, though never enough to last past the morning, it was still fun to taste and play in.

Next, we got to enjoy the fabulous spring, with it's new life and color. This is a shot taken from a trip that Kate, Dan, and I took to the local Botannical Garden.

Finally we again arrived at summer. Here's a shot of Dan playing in one of the fountains located in downtown Huntsville. He had a lot of fun... so did the other kids, but this was my favorite photo of the ones I took.