Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 4

The tradition of baseball in our family continues.  This is the third generation who has played and loved being a part of the Boys of Summer.  I remember watching Mike play as a young girl.  I spent many an hour on the sidelines when the children played.  Now, it is time for the grandchildren to play.

The focus is intense and the competition is fierce from warm-up till the last of the dust is settling after the game.  

They watch it into their glove and work hard to make their throws good.

This is Harris's second year to play ball and he really loves it.

His energy is harnessed and focused on the game.  

When he hears, "Down and ready!" there is no doubt that he knows what to do.

Charge the ball, scoop it up, and make a good throw to first!  

No matter what position is yours - be it circle man, third base, or outfield, when the ball pings off that bat, everyone is breaking for it and ready to make a play.  

After three outs and that last batter, everyone huddles up for a pep talk and gets ready to swing the bat!

When it is time to grab the bat, Harris knows to keep his eye on the ball and swing through.

Putting power behind it is serious business.  Then, you run as fast as you can!

Crossing home plate is a must no matter what league you are playing in!  And Harris knows that every good ball player has to get a little dirty.  After all, can you call it a good game if you don't come home covered in dirt?  This is serious business for a Boy of Summer.

You play hard and at the end of the game you slap hands with the other team and tell them, "Good game!" There is the ritual to this serious competition and he knows just what to do.

Harris isn't the only one on the team who knows that this is serious business.  His coach seems to realize that, too.  Every pitch has to be the best he can make!

Then, there's the wrap up after the game when the team gets encouragement and instructions to be ready for next time.

Ah!  Boys of Summer!

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 3

"Grand B, that circle is where you go to practice your swing before it is your turn to bat." I learned this from Luci a couple of weeks ago.  You see, she has officially become one of the Girls of Summer.

 Practice her swing she did at that first game, too.  She was serious about it.  Watching the coach and swinging every time he pitched it to the batter in front of her.

She was getting ready and she was planning to be a force.  She was determined to hit the pitch from the coach and did not want to have to hit the ball off the T!

Then, when it came her turn to actually step into the batter's box and put her practice to work, there was a little bit of a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.  Not for long, though!

Running the bases is serious business and she was up to the task!  No slacking.  Just business.

And at the crack of the bat, off she ran!  She was so glad to make it all the way around and score!  

I think her coach was pretty excited as well!  Both of them were grinning from ear to ear. 

And the sassiness quickly returned to our Luci!  She truly is a force to be reckoned with both on the field and off!

Luci wasn't the only number 6 to take the field that afternoon, though.  Her big sister, Lydia, did as well.  She started off playing defense in left field.  She saw a little action in the way of backing up the third baseman at one point.  Then, when the game was about half over, the summons was given and she stepped up to the rubber.

She takes her position seriously, too.  (I hate my cell phone photos are not more clear.  I was trying to video so I could share with Bridgette who had gone to coach Luci's team.)

She pitched a couple of balls.  Then, she put the ball in there and let her defense go to work.  

She struck a batter out.  Then, she walked a couple of gals.  Of course, that called for a meeting on the mound.

The coach's wife made some photos and shared them and I am so thankful, since I had left my camera at home!

When you step over the chalk and onto the field, serious business takes place and she certainly looks like she is concentrating on catching the ball.

Hustling and running the bases is just as important and who would have thought that would be part of her repertoire?!  Looking at this shot, I can just hear the coach yelling, "Back!"

She concentrates and thinks about her form and her release point and if she strikes a batter out, that is call for a celebration.  After her first game, we were watching Luci's game and Lydia eased over beside me on the bleachers.  She quietly said, "Grand B, I got to pitch in my game."  I let her know I had seen it.  "I struck a girl out!" she told me.  I let her know I had seen that, too.  "When I did, I did a little dance in my head!"  she said!  

Ah!  The Girls of Summer!

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 2

Levi jumped off into a new endeavor this spring.  He officially became a Boy of Summer.  You know, one of those who dons a helmet and swings a bat and wears a glove when defense is called for? 

His mom took him to sign up to be a part of the local summer league a few months back and while they were there, his little brother was asked if he would like to play as well.  So,

Numbers 2 and 6 wore the same last name on the team roster!  Easton quickly became a Boy of Summer as well!

The T-ball team became a force to be reckoned with.  There were hits.

And there were runs.  There was cheering from the sidelines.  There was encouragement and excitement.

Then, the next man strode to the plate and it started all over again!

I think the learning curve was a big one but the fun times were always at ready. 

When it came time to put on the glove and take the field, both guys were ready and eager.  The smell of the dirt and the call of the competition could be seen on their faces.

Each had hopes that the ball would come to him so he could scoop it up and fire it over to first to stop the runner.

Hitting the ball and running the bases as well as stopping the ball and throwing it to team-mates was great fun and all a part of the fierce competition.

Yet, it seemed like the most fun part of the game had to be when the team lined up and slapped hands to say, "Good game!" to the opposing team.

Ah!  Boys of Summer!

Boys and Girls of Summer - Part 1

Bats and balls sort of become the symbol of summer for our family.  It has been this way for about 30 years and maybe even long before that when I was a young girl and my cousins and I would have a back yard ballgame.  Sometimes on spring holidays even my aunts and uncles would join in the fun and we would divide into teams and have some friendly competition.  Then, there were the times when I sat in the stands as a young girl and watched Mike play.

 The tradition has sort of been passed down through the generations and grown more popular, I guess.  This year, for example, Lillie played on her middle school softball team, kind of following in the footsteps of her uncle Bryan who did the same twenty or so years ago.

 Of course, the school bat and ball games could not really be called games of summer because they are generally played earlier in the year to be completed before school is dismissed.

 Lillie represented well, primarily playing as a sixth-grade JV player for her school team.  She seemed to enjoy it and, of course, I thought she was one of the best on the field.  After all, I am her grandmother and I am allowed to think like that.

Then, this happened and her days as a slugger for her summer team sort of came to a screeching halt.  She still serves as the bat girl, I think, but that just isn't quite the same as swinging the bat or wearing the glove out there in the thick of competition.

She has been a good spectator for her sisters and Harris and in the dugout for her summer team.

Ah! The Girls of Summer!

Honoring

There was music in my heart this morning when I stepped outside to water the flowers on my front steps.

I saw the fluttering flag at the end of my driveway.  On this Memorial Day I was not the only one decorating our home and farm to honor those we have lost.  I had a whole band of helpers.

The local high school band offers this patriotic service.  Each patriotic holiday, the Nolensville High School Band commemorates our country's national patriotic holidays and serves the community by placing eight-foot tall, three-foot-by-five-foot flags near the driveway on the morning of the holiday and removing it that evening.

Each time I glance out the window and catch a glimpse of the flag fluttering, I'm reminded of how fortunate I am to be in this country, in this community, in this place.

From the highway it makes the entrance to our home more beautiful and I hope it helps others to remember and appreciate like we do.

I think one of the best parts of this opportunity is that I get to simply enjoy this patriotic gesture and know that local young people are also thinking of the honor there is in recognizing the sacrifice of others which provided them opportunities.

We feel honored to be able to support these civic-minded young people and honor those we lost this Memorial Day.  Why not check to see if your local school provides such an opportunity?