June 21, 2000
Summer’s solstice heralded the arrival of summer. It was the one day of the year when the sun was farthest north of the equator, which brought to the south, down here in Alabama at least, blazing humid days and sweltering nights. The only relief we received from the stifling heat was the intermittent rains.
The beautiful buds of spring had blossomed into the beauty known as summer. Life had exploded and matured. Trees once clothed with blooms were now adorned with new, pliable leaves. The grass turned vibrant green, and the buds had opened into brightly colored flowers. It was if Mother Earth herself, after her infancy and adolescence of spring, had matured into a lovely young woman called Summer.
I managed to relax, listen to my heart, and settle into a routine. To stay busy, I oversaw the construction of the winery’s buildings. We had the soil ready to receive vines come autumn’s first frost. When I wasn’t conducting winery business, I either went to the parlor with Blackie and Uncle Clem or ran whatever errands he needed me to. On occasion, I ferried Grammy to order groceries.
Socially, I’d been on a few dates with Dora from Frankie and Doc’s clinic…
Charles R. Butts Jr. 