Oh my, oh my, where did the summer go? The season went by with the speed of lightning,
and I think I missed some very lovely events — possibly by riding them out on the front porch in
my rocker.

Every week as I read Collin Hall’s columns in the Herald about the wonderful and
varied adventures available to enjoy I would then check my calendar and find I was busy that
day or at that time, and so it seemed to go for the entire summer.

What did I do that I was so busy for three months that I couldn’t attend even one made-for-
summer event? Truthfully, I have no idea.

We had friends and family visit, but not for longer than a week. We have been to the ferry
docks more than once, so I do know we’ve been out and about, but the why and when remain
jumbled in my mind as I consider how quickly those three months melted away. I do recall a
beautiful cruise around the bay with friends and their daughters that could not have been a
more lovely evening.

I hope that each of you was able to breathe in some of this beautiful ocean air, sit back in your
rocker (or beach chair), and soak in the summer even as it was quickly moving away.

Even so, I look forward to fall and the variety of the season. Tasting fall in the air, mid-August
mornings became so cool as to require a long-sleeved shirt for early outdoor activities. As
September promises more fun events in and around the county, so I suspect with our busy (but
unremembered) summer schedule slowing down we will at last begin to enjoy our fellow Cape
citizens taking in some of the events from Collin’s well-reported wanderings around our area.

Thinking of the local citizenry, I want to say that I finally, after years of putting it off, had the
neighbors over for a picnic in our yard. We had great weather, with a slight breeze, and our dinner and enjoyable chats were also attended by our local squirrel and bunny.

There are still some lovely beach cottages left in Ocean City, and those in my neighborhood have owners who have been here almost as long as we have. We planned a get-together with five of these neighbors
because, although we are friendly with most of them, we had not known them as more than just
casual acquaintances.

With an evening of food and conversation we got to learn much more about those around us. I
hope everyone enjoyed that time as much as my husband, Neil, and I did. As happens, naturally
the ladies chatted in one group and the men in another, so I found out more about the women, and
I was happy that we were able to connect in many ways.

Three of our party were locals who went to O.C. High School, and they had a lot of interesting
history about the town to share. They, even more than I do, sigh at the more modern changes to
our town over the years, but each of us still loves it here enough to stick around in our little homes
until we are no longer able. I feel mightily blessed with our cottage and also with now knowing our
neighbors much better.

Finally, I find that retirement is allowing me to do those precious things that I had wished to
achieve or accomplish when I first moved to Ocean City – enjoying the lovely seasonal weather,
getting to know our neighbors better, taking the time to pray and commune with God in these
beautiful surroundings, reading more with time to absorb the information – those things that
make life seem dearer and more enjoyable. I love to share laughs, and that can only be done
when you have made sweet connections with others.

I hope to see you at one of the many events that come our way as we move out of the summer
fast lane and into fall’s more scheduled time zone. The children are in school, the high school sporting events are already beginning; next we’ll be looking forward to seeing the plays and concerts. I can hardly wait.

Even as the jeans and sweaters are showing up in the stores I am thinking about quiet walks on
the beach in the evening and early morning biking on the boardwalk. How about it – come and
join me enjoying the fruits of the summer’s hard-earned harvest.

God has blessed us with a beautiful and well-kept paradise here in Cape May County, and I am
sure that He would be greatly pleased if we would praise and thank Him as we enjoy His good work.

ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.