Edmonton in the Summer

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Everyone who has lived in Edmonton understands the agony and the ecstasy of our summers.

The agony is that summers are often beset and besieged by virtually every meteorological phenomena known to man, except maybe the Big Four—earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The ecstasy is that they take a long time to come and when they do, they are climatic. Our city suddenly burgeons with life.

People are walking their dogs, bicycling to work, barbecuing, gardening, playing ball, and enjoying life out of doors.

In the Beginning

A friend of mine already mourns the waning days of summer at the solstice. For him, it is the beginning of the end. He knows what the future holds and he shivers with dread. I prefer to celebrate Midsummer's Eve with friends, neighbours, and family, feasting in our backyard, nervously watching the sky and praying that the rains hold off,  and the temperature doesn't suddenly plummet .

The Swedes have it right. For them, the solstice is not the beginning, but the middle. In northern climates, we have to start summer as early as possible. I am thinking that it now begins in May, before the roads have been swept clean, before the last frost and before the mosquitoes.

In fact, I would argue that Edmonton's summer begins when young women start wearing shorts, flip flops, and tank tops; when young men begin riding their motorcycles on Whyte Ave; and, when middle-aged couples drive their convertibles with the tops down.

Light in August

This year, I watched the CariWest Parade for the first time. On a whim, a few of my friends and I found our way downtown, bought coffee at the Transcend on Jasper, and sat in the sun, waiting for the dancers and the steel drums bands to swing by. What fun! We laughed all day.

Please give me a call if you need a realtor who celebrates summer in Edmonton and loves Lendrum. I'd be honoured to help you meet your housing needs.

www.GregKnowsEdmonton.ca