Confession Time: I Survive Baltimore Summers One Snowball at a Time

The ActiveRain challenge asked us to write about summer in our corner of the world.

If you ask most Baltimoreans what they love about summer, you'll probably hear about crab feasts, Orioles baseball, backyard barbecues, the beach, and long sunny evenings.

Then there's me.

I have a confession. Summer is my least favorite season.

Give me a Baltimore winter any day. I rarely wear gloves, seldom wear a heavy coat, and I'm perfectly happy driving with the heat turned off. I don't enjoy zero-degree weather, but I'll choose cold over heat every single time.

Summer, on the other hand, and I have reached an understanding. It tries to melt me, and I do everything possible to stay inside with the air conditioning running. My little neck air conditioner has become one of my favorite possessions. It goes almost everywhere I do.

Anyone who knows me knows I simply do not function well in the heat.

My wonderful husband, Lee, was exactly the opposite. He loved sunshine and warm weather. Every now and then he'd grin and say, "I'm moving to Florida."

I'd smile back and answer, "Okay, Babe... but you're really going to miss me."

That usually ended the discussion.

My idea of a perfect summer vacation wasn't Florida. It was flying north to Maine or New England, where the temperatures were cooler and the scenery was spectacular. One of my favorite memories was flying with several pilot friends to a tiny airport where, at the end of the runway, there was a lobster barge. We'd enjoy an all-you-can-eat lobster feast, climb back into the airplane, and fly home the same day. Now that was my kind of summer adventure.

Even on workdays, summer manages to surprise me. Last Sunday I arrived at the radio station just minutes before going live for my weekly real estate show. I opened the studio door and felt what seemed like a blast furnace. Someone had accidentally left a small space heater running with both studio doors closed. Thankfully, I had my little neck air conditioner to cool me off during commercial breaks. It couldn't run while I was on the air because it was too noisy, but it certainly earned its keep that day.

Now, before you think I spend three months complaining, Baltimore does have a way of winning me over.

Our trees become full and magnificent. The lawns are rich, green, and beautiful. Driving through our neighborhoods feels like traveling through a giant park. Summer also brings vine-ripened Maryland tomatoes, sweet corn, fresh crabs, peaches, and all the wonderful local produce that reminds us why we look forward to harvest season.

And then there are Baltimore snowballs. Not snowballs made of snow. I'm talking about our famous finely shaved ice covered with delicious, flavored syrup, and sometimes a layer of soft-serve ice cream tucked right in the middle before another layer of icy goodness goes on top. 

If you've never had a real Baltimore snowball, you've missed one of summer's greatest treats. Will I ever love summer? Probably not. Will I appreciate its beauty, its bounty, and every delicious Baltimore snowball while waiting patiently for autumn? Absolutely.

Until then, if you're looking for me, I'll be the one happily standing in the air conditioning, wearing my little neck cooler, admiring Baltimore's beautiful green landscape... from the coolest spot I can find.