From Blues to Bouquets: The Unexpected Joys of August

I feel like it was yesterday that I was in shock that August had arrived and now we’re already in the middle of it!

August has never been my favorite month. For one thing, there are no holidays to celebrate, and I don’t have any family birthdays either. Also, August marks the beginning of the end of summer. That means back to the grind of schedules, carpooling, and lots of other tasks I don’t enjoy. In the past, August used to send me into the blues. I disliked it that much.

I decided this year to try and find something (anything) to like about August so I did some research and tried to find some positive things to look forward to.

First, I found this sweet poem by emma.the.poet:

The dog days of summer
The Sunday of seasons
The warmth of the trees
The glow of the evenings
August
Will you promise me to slow down
If I swear to savor every drop of you?

The Sunday of seasons. How could I dislike a month likened to Sundays? What I took away from this poem was that August is meant for slowing down. As Sunday is meant to be a day of rest,

August seems to be meant to be a whole month of rest!
August is the bridge between summer and fall. We can get mad and try to ignore the bridge, we can run across until we are shocked to find that Fall has arrived, or we can move slowly across, stopping for rest and beauty along the way.

I’ve always tried to ignore the bridge. I loved having my kids home for summers and I did not want school with its schedules and its fast pace to start up again. To me, August was just proof that life was about to get busy and I spent way too much time lamenting its arrival instead of enjoying what August has to offer.

I mentioned above that there are no holidays in August and nothing to celebrate. It turns out that I was so wrong. How about National Bow Tie Day? I mean, come on, how could we not celebrate that? There’s also World Elephant Day on the 12th of August and my favorite, Left-Handers’ Day on the 14th. Add to that:

August 14 – World Lizard Day
August 16 – Tell a Joke Day and National Bratwurst Day
August 17 – National Thrift Shop Day
August 18 – National Fajita Day
August 19 – National Potato Day

A quick search of August holidays will also turn up Spumoni Day, National Tooth Fairy Day, and National Waffle Day. With all these fabulous holidays, why have I been whining about a dull month for so long?

I also turned up a whole slew of lists of things to do in August. Most of the things on the lists just made sense, like cleaning out closets and donating things that are too small or out of date. Or, detailing the car before school starts. Here are some more ideas:

Go to a Farmers’ Market and buy some fresh produce before it’s too late.
Take a family portrait that sums up summer. Use a timer and pose in a sunny spot. Make it your screen saver. It will remind you of summer long after the weather has changed.
Eat outside. Whether you barbecue or buy food from the deli, take it outside and eat on a blanket.
Make bouquets from your end-of-summer flowers.
Deep clean your house. Yeah, I’m not doing that. Still, a clean home does sound peaceful so here’s what I did. I hired a lovely lady and worked alongside her. I work better with someone to motivate me and she was great. She cleaned things I hadn’t even thought of. A clean home allowed me to skip the guilt and feel free to spend August doing the things I love to do like reading, baking, and crafting.

August is looking better than ever this year. I’m happier and less stressed. I’m actually celebrating it rather than dreading it.

If August isn’t your favorite month either, I hope these hints help you to see it in a more positive light.

And if you need me, I’ll be over here celebrating weird holidays and pausing throughout the month to squeeze the last bits of joy out of summer before the hubbub of Fall arrives.

Deuteronomy 16:13-15 seems to be talking about August when it says:

“Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.”