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Welcome, July.

Pant, gasp, whew.

You are one HOT month.

This could explain your birthstone.

The red-as-fire ruby.

Maybe that’s why your flower is the water lily.

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To put out the fire.

Others hold the larkspur to be July’s flower.

A tall stalk of blue blooming late Spring to late Summer.

Bumblebees and butterflies prefer it.

As an herb, larkspur was used for diseases of the eye.

And to ward off lightning.

Legend has it larkspur kept witches out of the stables in Transylvania.

Supposedly because of its blue color.

Who knew witches didn’t like blue!

Or maybe it was only in Transylvania.

HOT.

HOT.

HOT.

Though not as hot as Houston.

Not with that humidity.

Guess it’s never too hot to count one’s blessings.

No matter what, it could always be worse.

No matter how hot.

Or dry.

We’re one day closer to rain.

And cooler days.

But for now, HOT.

Bring on the iced tea.

Ice cream.

Kool-Aid.

Or lemonade.

You can get some at The Cat’s Meow.

And lemonade pie.

And cold raspberry tea.

HOT.

CHAUD.

CALIDO.

CALDO.

HEET.

HOT.

Time for bare feet.

Chapped lips.

Sunburn.

Sunscreen.

Run through the sprinkler.

Jump in the river.

Jump in the pool.

Whatever it takes, stay cool.

That’s Mason.

Renee Walker is a poet, author, and real estate broker on the square.