A summer evening

The air is cool for summer. Not cold enough for a sweater or jeans, but just cool enough to allow for a wonderful break from the past few hot and humid days. The air is still, relaxed. Beyond the houses and trees the clouds are a gorgeous shade of pink. Such a beautiful contrast to the baby blue sky around it.

I’m sitting on the front steps with a glass of my latest homebrew. It’s a Vienna Lager recipe developed by a colleague, Derek Springer. Though it’s not quite fully carbonated yet, it’s very enjoyable on this perfect summer evening. Clean tasting and a dry finish, with a subtle bready flavor from the malt. Delicious.

In the near distance I can hear the screams and playful taunts of children. My daughter is across the street at the neighbor’s house playing outside with her best friend. Their little voices cut through the background noises of a quiet suburban street. “Nana nana boo boo”. Another scream, and a laugh.

A slight breeze starts to blow and makes the evening the slightest bit chilly, and I let a shiver move through me. The fireflies hovering in the yard don’t seem to mind. They continue about their business, whatever it is fireflies actually do, steadily blinking. The soft yellow-green glow of their lights catch my attention and almost hypnotize me.

I pour myself another glass of homebrew from the 64 oz growler and sit back. Moments like these are peaceful, and they make the stress and hard work of life all worth it.