Finally, we’re getting our share of the blue skies and sunny days here in the Chippewa Valley (knocking on wood, throwing salt, the whole nine) which means summer is finally upon us. The sight of all the green grass makes me physically giddy, though the allergies that come with that sometimes make it hard to see anything through all the sneezing. Nevertheless, summer is the time of year when my seasonal depression shrivels up and dies and there is an abundance of things to do around the Valley. I am especially excited for this summer. Why, you may ask? Because this is my first summer as a true-blooded Eau Clarian. I am originally from Minneapolis and came here to study at UW-Eau Claire, which means during my last few summers I either went back to Minneapolis or was doing online school and working full-time here. But this summer is going to be excitingly different for me because not only do I have weekends off work now (hallelujah!), but I now feel as though I’m a part of this community, thanks to my work here at Volume One. So bring on the food trucks, the beaches, and the AC. Let’s all ring in this summer with our special “Best of Summer” issue, which has all the info you need to find the fun.