The Dog Days of Summer

Mid August arrives and banishes the sticky, hot days of July. Windows remain open day and night and light jackets are required for morning walks with the dog. These are the summer days that remind me of of my youth when no one had air conditioners other than oscillating fans.

We own a small house twenty minutes east of Toronto. When I moved here over twenty years ago there was a farm a few blocks away and the old farmer sold his fare at the side of the road. Today town homes stand on his land and we must drive a few miles for roadside fruit and vegetables.

I enjoy our deck during the summer and think of it as an extra room that we lose in the winter. I've always wanted a chiminea and, while walking the dog one evening, we discovered a rusty old chiminea at the end of a neighbour's curb. Being a hand man, and seeing how much I wanted it, Tom hurried home and returned with the dolly. Up close, in the garage, the chiminea looked battered and forlorn. It had been well used and I scooped out about six inches of soot.

Over the next few weeks, Tom took his time sanding the rust and painting the surface. Finally it was ready to be wheeled into the backyard and onto the deck. Legally, if we want to burn wood in it, we'll have to place it on a concrete slab, but for now I'm happy just to look at it and smile.