Never mind that the summer solstice, the official calendar beginning of summer, is still almost a month away: for Americans, Memorial Day Weekend is the real beginning of the season. White bucks, seersucker, white muslin, and straw hats all come out of storage, along with the charcoal grills, wicker picnic baskets, and ice cream churns. Of them all, the latter may be the most welcome sign of summer. Read More