Memorial Day is an opportunity to honor those who have so selflessly fought and died to protect our freedom. It also kicks off the summer season when folks are filling their propane tanks and stocking their freezers with burgers and hot dogs in anticipation of the good times to come. With this long awaited season come a few annoyances that need addressing. Filling up our vehicles for those long leisurely drives out east is going to cost us more at the pump due to the required summer blend of fuel, the sole purpose, cutting down on toxic emissions.
And then there are the warnings about the emerging of those pesky cicadas, which will appear on the scene after a 17-year hiatus. Morning doves perched on a tree branch outside my bedroom window are melodious, unlike the cicadas with their endless screeching sounds and the mess they leave behind upon their demise. A green and weed free lawn is a challenge during these months where I find my husband scanning the shelves at the local garden supply center looking for what “really might work.”
Putting aside these petty annoyances of bugs, crabby lawns and the like, we need to be grateful that the effects of storm Sandy, which devastated our landscape and homes, is hopefully on the mend. As the rebirth of still another season where lush trees and colorful flowers adorn our surroundings we should strive to feel joyful and thankful for our blessings and grateful to the men and women who afforded them to us.
Diane Sciacchitano
North Massapequa
