Living in the Finger Lakes region comes with many perks, not the least of which is the access we are able to enjoy to the many lakes in our region.

Throughout the summer many can be found out on the lakes taking advantage of the long, warm days swimming.

But whenever you are out on or in the water, it is good to keep some safety tips in mind.

When it comes to swimming safety is of the utmost importance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 4,000 unintentional drownings occur every year.

Drowning is also one of the leading causes of unintentional death in children between the ages of 1 and 9, while children ages 1–4 have the highest drowning rates.

Most drownings among children aged 1–4 happen in swimming pools.

Many of these fatalities occur even with supervision.

According to the American Red Cross, when it comes to swimming, in any body of water, there are some important things to keep in mind.

These include: Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water. Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone. Maintain constant supervision. Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well and consider taking lessons at the YMCA or similar organizations. If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time. Avoid distractions when supervising children around water. If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit and know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

Also consider enrolling in a home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Other safety measures to keep in mind include making sure to have the proper equipment such as well fitting pool covers so that children and pets cannot slip under them as well as surrounding the pool with proper fencing or barriers.

It is also recommended to keep the pool area clear and to keep children away from filters and other mechanicals.

Other considerations include limiting the use of alcohol as the CDC reports that alcohol is involved in 70 percent of all teen and adult deaths associated with water recreation.

When enjoying the summer weather swimming or taking advantage of other activities it is also important to keep some other health tips in mind such as protecting your skin.

Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10 and 4 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.

Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty.

And avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.

SOnGS Of SuMMEr

E

It wasn’t the often-wannabe or “never was” season that iced tea commercials bring to mind. It was the essence of what we hope summer will be and, at least for me, usually never is. It was, strangely enough, a lot like Christmas. There is the mythological Christmas that is full of family, joyous celebration, feasting and gift giving, wrapped up in the weeks and weeks of preparation. Then there is the real holiday. You can fill in the blanks. It’s not that Christmas is lacking in its own unique joy, it’s just that it is far, often very far, from the fantasy which we have in our minds.

And summer? Living

very once in a while, summer comes on a soft and sultry night. Moths beat their wings against the screens fascinated by the light from the small lamp on the porch. A whispered sound of music floats across the lake and you can hear snatches of conversation coming from the kitchen. The children have fallen asleep after a long day of play. It’s only a moment, but, for me, it’s quintessentially summer.Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro

where we do, with months of dreary, cold, unrelenting cold weather, gray days and long nights, summer and its pleasures are a dream, another illusion. The days lengthen, the weather warms, the earth gives life again and we are on the march to summer and high expectations. The summer that we long for is an adult version of that long, lazy series of endless days that we conjure from our childhood. There’s a hushed song of summer that sings with the sounds of spring peepers, crickets, katydids and squirrels high in the oak trees. There are remembrances of hours fishing for blue gills, building small castles in sandboxes and bigger forts in the woods and we are seduced into that seasonal magic once again.

These less-than-endless adult summer days are artfully reorganized into the planning and execution of what we hope will replicate the affective feel of childhood’s ease.

Then there is reality. Add in rainy days, too-hot days and too-hot nights, bugs, poison ivy, more bugs, rashes, bored children and short tempers as we try to cram in as much summer fun as possible. More bugs – tiny, annoying insects that attack as you fill planter boxes or weed the gardens, wasps that hide in the ground, that boldly steal food from your plates, vying with the flies that appear out of nowhere when you bring food outside. You are now planning and cooking three meals for people who don’t eat bread, drink milk, consume meat or vegetables that have been blighted by artificial anything. Peanut allergies are everywhere. When we were children p b & J sandwiches, potato salad, corn and not dogs were gourmet fare.

Today- who knows?

Adult summer has its own playlist, songs of summer that change the rhythm of our days. One begins with “I wonder if it’s time to have the septic pumped out?” Another repeats the refrain, “Where is my swim suit?” with a chorus of “no you can’t go out in the boat alone.” I can hear the youthful outraged chorus of “ You use paper plates?” and

Women front and center

From softball fields of Oklahoma City to tennis courts at Wimbledon, from golf links on California’s Monterey Peninsula to soccer pitches in Australia and New Zealand, one theme is common.

Women are on the grandest stages in sports, and they should command our full attention.

No team, in any sport, may have equaled the domination of Oklahoma softball. On the way to a third consecutive NCAA title, the Sooners won a record 53 games in a row.

What makes it even more remarkable is that it comes at a time when the sport of softball is experiencing exponential growth. There’s more good teams and more talent than ever, yet OU remained in its own category, close to untouchable.

People noticed. ESPN’s broadcast of the Women’s College World Series set new ratings marks, up 7 percent from 2022, building upon the similar huge ratings we got when LSU beat Iowa in the NCAA women’s basketball title game, which was far more compelling, exciting and controversial than the men’s version.

What was started by the Sooners continues in July.

For the first time, golf’s U.S. Women’s Open took place at Pebble Beach, a landmark in every way.

It was a big enough occasion to bring back dozens of former champions. Big enough to have Michelle Wie West decide to end her unique, star-crossed career. Big enough to have Annika Sorenstam come out of retirement to play. Combine all this with the emergence of Rose Zhang, a unique talent who dominated college golf at Stan - just try to find a song that will make the interminable washing up of the non-paper version of plates and such less burdensome. How often do we hear that old favorite, “Do you have a first aid kit?” or the less frightening, “I have a sliver.” Then, of course, we have the old favorite, “He’s looking at me.”

That sweet summer moment passes, daily life returns, but there is always the savoring of special moments which remind you that, like Christmas, summer is about the journey. For both we can conjure gifts for ourselves preparing to savor the small moments rather than the big events. We still clean out the cottage, wash the deck chairs, have the septic tank pumped, plant the annuals, restock the fridge, make the beds, vacuum, dust and prepare, welcome family and friends, knowing, again, that it’s the journey. It’s the journey. Like Christmas, summer is ours to create.

Ann Ferro is a mother, a grandmother and a retired social studies teacher. While still figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up, she lives in Marcellus with lots of books, a spouse and a large orange cat.

Random Thoughts

Phil blackwell

ford and, in a matter of two months, (1) won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, (2) claimed the NCAA individual title and (3), turning pro, won her first LPGA start in a playoff.

In an era where men’s golf is consumed by the battle over who will control the sport and the vast money at stake, the fact is that sheer excellence remains the most captivating part, as Zhang has demonstrated. We are also in the middle