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Monday, Jun. 22, 2009

Middle Georgians seek watery fun to keep summer’s first day from being scorcher

Never mind that the thermometer topped 100 a couple of days early, or that the kids have been out of school for nearly a month, or that there have been fresh ripe peaches and tomatoes for sale at the local produce stands for weeks; summer didn’t officially arrive until Sunday.

So in the interest of chronicling the seasons and life in Macon in the year 2009, here follows a completely unscientific survey of some of the ways folk hereabout observed the opening of summer.

It being the third Sunday of June, several United Methodist churches in Macon welcomed new pastors to their pulpits Sunday morning, only a week after saying goodbye to those moving on to other churches in the South Georgia Conference in the denomination’s tradition of rotating its clergy.

The first day of summer also happened to be Father’s Day, so families throughout the midstate gathered for lunch or supper to honor their dads and granddads.

The Wheelers of Jones County had a low country boil filled with shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes and onions. And for desert there was homemade peach ice cream and pound cake.

Rashard Jones and his family also had sausages for Father’s Day — that he grilled as they picnicked in Central City Park.

“I don’t mind cooking on Father’s Day,” Jones said, as he kept turning the sausages over the charcoal. “The children are too young, and she lets them burn,” he added, with a nod toward his wife.

He escaped that criticism with only a look from the missus.

Not much was happening over at Water Works Park on the Ocmulgee River. Must have been too hot, though there were rumors that a group was kayaking down from Monroe County and should arrive later.

But out at Lake Tobesofkee, the beach was well-populated with sunbathers, and the picnic tables beneath the pines were mostly full.

The lake itself was getting the most use from those trying to stay cool.

“It’s never too hot to come out here,” said Larry Dover of Kathleen. “But we stay in the water or moving in the boat most of the time.”

He and friend Kenneth Rich were pulling their sons, Bryan Dover and Trey Rich, on tubes and skis.

Ronny and Tricia Guilmette from Crawford County were relaxing at one of the picnic tables at Claystone Park. Their children, Christopher, John Michael and Krysten, had tried fishing from the beach earlier in the day, but now they were out boating with family friend Calvin Morris.

“We got here about 1:30 and will go home about 5:30,” Ronny said. “Then I can really relax in the AC.”

Out in the sun on the beach, Marsha Powers was working on her tan as her daughter played in the shallows.

“We’re going to Florida in July, so I wanted to get at least a little sun before getting there,” she said. “But this is too hot. I may just go to the tanning bed instead.”

The heat and Father’s Day had slowed the action out at Oak Haven Golf Club on Sunday afternoon.

“I didn’t know if we’d have a lot of fathers out here trying to have fun for themselves today or if they would be doing things with their families,” said Denise Foster, who was manning the pro shop. “It looks like most of them stayed home today.”

Wade Hall was teeing off for a quick nine, however.

“I’m not supposed to be here,” he admitted. “I’m supposed to be at my folks’ for Father’s Day. But I stopped off to play nine on my way over there. It’s hot, but as long as you have plenty of water and sunscreen, you can keep playing.”

Sawai Hiroyuki and a couple of friends were finishing as Hall started.

“It was very hot,” Hiroyuki said, wiping sweat from his head with a wet towel. “But it was a good round. Two birdies.”

Calvin and Wanda Floyd were on their way home from a three-hour motorcycle ride when they stopped for a cold soft drink at Mercer University Drive and Interstate 75.

“We love riding in the summer. As long as you keep moving, you don’t feel so hot,” Calvin said. “So we stay mostly out in the country so we don’t get stuck in traffic. That’s when it feels like you’re riding a furnace through an oven.”

Sounds like an afternoon drive home in mid August.

But for those already dreading the dog days on the first day of summer, take comfort. The first day of fall, Sept. 22 this year, is only three months away.