Reinventing July

On the Mohawk calendar, I am told, the name of one midwinter month translates succinctly as "Cold." A name like July just doesn't do justice to the feel of the season. All this delicious frenzy packed into a too-short space: festivals, barbecues, weddings, sports, block dances, beach weeks, boat rides, field days, parades, skinny-dipping, dock-lounging, nature-walking, berry-picking, rock-diving and bass fishing. And such music--Richie Havens at the Wild Center Opening, Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo' and Kelly Joe Phelps at Ottawa Bluesfest, Johnny & the Triumphs rockin' in the middle of Potsdam's Market Street. We should call the month Kickit, or Wahoonival or something. And we should apply for an extension. As long as we don't run our calendar from moon to moon anymore, what's stopping us from giving July 51 days. Just take ten from January and ten from February. They seem way too long already.