There is something pure and refreshing about summer love. It happens at our house every June. The redolent blossoms, vivid colors, and balmy temperatures just warm the cockles of my heart, and I fall in love with summer. At that point, even weeding in the garden is a delight. Little vegetables that poke their heads up out of the soil are like darling little babies, so cute and fun to watch.

That love affair continues unabated until August. When the dog days of summer set in, I fall abruptly out of love. All the beautiful spring flowers are gone. The tomatoes have overgrown their stakes. The watemelon are invading everyone else's space. The zucchini grew unchecked and became jungles. The potatoes have died down. The garden, in short, has become a cheeky adolescent, completely out of control.

Worst of all, without central air, I make very few beads. My fingers itch to start melting glass again, and I can't wait for a break in temperature so I can create something. I start making lists of what I want to make, so I'll be ready.

Is all summer love so fickle and fleeting? Yep. I think so. So ladies, take note. Always begin your romances in the spring, fall, or winter! 

By the same token, look forward to the pictures I send out when I get back onto the torch. A summer of stored imagination is about to explode next month, and I simply cannot be held responsible for what will take place!

In the meantime, stay cool, ladies. Stay cool.