This time of years means different things to different people. For me, these are the days of the purple haze.

While many families are celebrating proms and graduations, others are looking forward to summer reunions, vacations and warm, lazy days by the pool or on the beach. Memorial Day, coming right up on May 31, is the unofficial start of summer, after all.

I had the opportunity this past week to do one of my favorite warm-weather activities — explore our region from the comfort of my car. That is where I got to see all the purple phlox flowers that have popped up seemingly everywhere.

During any drive across the countryside right now, they are easy to spot. In some places, there just about all you can see. They grow wild along roadsides and along creek banks, in farm fields and on people’s lawns.

The tall, rather than the creeping, form of this flower has always been a favorite of mine. When I was a small child, we had a rather large patch of it growing in our backyard, right alongside some daylilies, peonies and a rose bush. Sadly, my dad eradicated them; he didn’t appreciate obstacles to the lawnmower.

Today, I have just a single, small clump of these blossoms in my yard that I try to cultivate and carefully trim around each spring. But nearly everyplace else I look, I see them — and that makes me happy.

As I made my way across Belmont and Monroe counties on a couple of occasions this past week, I noticed lots of phlox. There were a few white blooms mixed in with the lavender phlox. In between those purple patches, I also notice some white daisy-like flowers, along with bright yellow buttercups. On several lawns, tall, spiky irises were in full bloom, too. Those darker purple and pale yellow blossoms always remind me of ladies wearing hoop skirts, with their graceful curving petals that reach both up and down from the center of the flower.

There were plenty of other things besides flowers to see along my way. As I drove through communities such as Bethesda, Somerton, Malaga, Woodsfield, Loomis, Lamira and Warnock, I noticed plenty of people and places I hadn’t passed in quite a while.

Along Ohio 800 and the township roads I traveled, I noticed the farms of many Amish families. Nearly all of those displayed freshly plowed fields and gardens. Some of the fields that weren’t plowed were housing multiple teams of horses, used for transportation and for farm work by the Amish.

In a couple of locations, I encountered some of those teams pulling buggies loaded with Amish residents along the roads. I passed one Amish family walking in the roadway, with the children going barefoot and the adults in the dark, simple clothing that is their tradition — men in straw hats and women in caps to cover their hair.

Some homes I passed — Amish and otherwise — had hand-painted signs hanging out front, advertising fresh eggs or produce for sale.

I also observed that a lot of property owners have been making improvements to their homes, barns, sheds and landscaping. In some areas, I saw brand new construction. In others, there were new metal roof, fresh new siding, additional ornamental fences and many other changes. It seems the pandemic left people with some extra time on their hands that they put to good use.

Wildlife was also abundant across the region. From cute and fuzzy squirrels, rabbits and baby geese to the far less appealing turkey buzzards, I saw plenty of animals feeding themselves and caring for their young.

My overall takeaway from these trips is that the natural beauty of Eastern Ohio is stunning. Everyone who lives here or visits should take the time to notice and appreciate it.

We should also take care of it. The tall grass growing along our roads now is obscuring a dirty secret. Litter lies everywhere, and it will be visible again as soon as the weeds get dry and begin to wither.

So, if you have the chance. get out and enjoy the scenery. Take a drive. Go for a walk. Find a peaceful spot and sit and take it all in.

You can do more as well. Pick up trash around your neighborhood. Join a group performing a roadside cleanup. Get in touch with the Ohio Department of Transportation and learn about how to Adopt-a-Highway. Talks to your neighbors, your children, your friends and anyone who will listen about just how important it is to keep our region healthy and beautiful.

And while you’re at it, enjoy the ride.