SASHAYING INTO SUMMER
THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF
CADILLAC NEWS - JUNE 15, 2024
It's almost summer. That's difficult to believe when frost warnings are regularly being issued and you have yet to put away your flannel shirts. Do not despair. Warmer days are at our doorstep.
Summer begins next week. “The first official day of summer is Thursday, June 20, 2024. It is also known as the summer solstice and it officially arrives at exactly 4:51 p.m. EDT.” Be ready to make use of the season because it's short. “Summer officially ends on Sunday, Sep. 22, 2024.” (https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2024/06/11/when-is-the-first-day-of-summer-2024/74054364007/)
As you sashay into summer, it's nice to have some summer thoughts in mind. For instance, right now you have to act if you want to take advantage of a tasty Michigan tradition – the arrival of Michigan strawberries. Fresh strawberries are wonderful on morning cereal and over a dish of ice cream.
The window for these is short, but the Food Network has instructions on how to best preserve the berries and make them last longer. Included in the advice is this: “Strawberries will stay their freshest when dry and cold, and any added moisture will soften the strawberries and encourage mold growth. So instead of washing all of your berries right when you get home from the store, wash them as you plan to eat or prepare them.” More tips and five recipes at: https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/packages/help-around-the-kitchen/best-way-store-strawberries.
Another sure sign of summer is the Major League Baseball season. If you want to take your brood to a Detroit Tigers game there is good news. According to USA Today, the Tigers are the seventh most affordable experience. “The Tigers have one of the lowest average ticket prices in the Majors at $26.84, with an overall cost for a family of four to attend a game at $224.74.” That compares to the highest price in the land, the Boston Red Sox at $396.
If you go to a ballgame you might sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch. It's an American summer tradition. There's an interesting bit of trivia related to this iconic ditty. “You would think this legendary anthem for America’s pastime came from a diehard baseball fan, but the truth is that neither Norworth nor Von Tilzer (the song's writers) had ever even been to a baseball game when they penned the tune.” (https://historyfacts.com/us-history/fact/the-take-me-out-to-the-ball-game-songwriters-had-never-seen-a-baseball-game/)
This summer, other sports will be in the spotlight at the Olympics from July 26 to August 11. However, did you know that in 1912 the Olympics awarded medals for disciplines other than sports? “In the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, the perfect brushstroke was just as likely to win a medal as the quickest sprint. That year, the Olympic Committee introduced a series of Olympic events in the fields of painting, literature, music, architecture, and sculpture.”
The trend went on from there. “By the 1928 Amsterdam Games, architecture was subcategorized into design and town planning, while literature was divided into lyrical, dramatic, and epic works.” This all ended in 1952. “All 151 artistic Olympic medals that had been awarded between 1912 and 1948 were stricken from the official record books.” (https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/fact/the-olympics-used-to-have-medals-for-painting-and-literature/)
With northern Michigan brimming with lakes, perhaps the most popular summer sport in these environs is swimming. The American Lifeguard Association has some advice that may be useful to parents. “The color of your child’s swimsuit could impact their safety at a swimming pool or the beach.”
Here's why. “A child’s swimsuit color can significantly impact their visibility in the water. Bright and contrasting colors stand out more clearly against the water, making it easier for lifeguards and parents to spot a child quickly.”
The lifeguards offer a suggestion. “People should avoid swimsuits in light blue, gray, or green as they can blend with the water and pool surroundings. We recommend bright and contrasting colors such as neon yellow, orange, pink, and bright red. These colors are highly visible both underwater and on the surface.” (https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/07/health/swimsuit-color-pool-safety-wellness/index.html)
Family reunions are popular during the summer. Because so many different age groups attend these gatherings, it's fun to have something to discuss that involves everyone. Luckily, Mental Floss has something that does just that.
“What probably can transport you into your own past is whatever music topped the charts on the grand finale of your high school career. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular songs from every graduation season between 1960 and 2023.” Not only is there a list, but there's also a video for each top tune. See and hear the whole shebang at: https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/most-popular-song-graduated-high-school.
Some of these may surprise you. In 1974, for example, the chart topper was “The Streak” by Ray Stevens. It was a mix of singing, narration, and comedy. The video even had a cartoon character. A key lyric was: “They call him the streak, he was proud as he could be, of his anatomy.” Oldsters may have to explain this to whippersnappers.
“The Streak” was the number one song for four weeks. Finishing second that year was “Loco-Motion” by Flint's Grand Funk Railroad (three weeks at number one). Everyone together now! “Come on, come on, do the Loco-Motion with me.”
Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews.