Saturday, June 21, 6:51 AM officially marks the beginning of summer solstice.  If you visit my blog regularly, it comes as no surprise that as I’ve matured I find summer doesn’t hold as much joy for me as it did when I was in school.  This is attributable to one main fact…I hate really don’t like the heat.   But, a few years back I made up my mind to make the best of every season, to live in the now and be grateful for whatever the hour, day, month, season has to offer.  As opposed to wishing for Autumn sometime around July 15th.

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So, I thought it would be helpful to reinforce my positive attitude towards summer; an exercise to remind me of the joys of each season.  Try to show myself, and you, that I mean what I say.  I am embracing the season of summer!

This will be a little personal, since not everyone feels the same about summer’s features/benefits, but hopefully there will be a few images that make you happy for this upcoming season.  In fact, I hope you’ll share with me what you love most about summer, maybe some of your summer-joy will rub off on me.

 

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Summer vegetables, especially if you’re able to grow them in your own backyard.  If life were perfect I’d have a vegetable plot like the above, but in reality I don’t have enough sun to grow more than herbs.  If I had more sun, this planter below would be my speed.  I like the simplicity of it.  Function over form?!

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Outdoor living.  After most of us have been trapped indoors for several months due to weather, we all long to be outdoors, right?  It’s the juxtaposition of the seasons that make us appreciate the change in weather.  Whether you’re enjoying the shade of a tree with a cool beverage, or sitting on a porch swing watching the world [or neighbors] go by, summer creates the ideal climate (most of the time) to slow down and smell the barbecue.

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Outdoor Dining.  Ahhh, one of the best things about summer for me is dining al fresco.  We are fortunate to have a minimal number of bugs, i.e. mosquitoes, so we can enjoy the cooler evenings outside on the patio.  What is it about eating outdoors that feels so special?  I don’t know, but I love it.

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Pools and Picnics.  I don’t get the opportunity to do either of these activities often enough, but they are a strong symbol of summer’s potential for me.  We’ll be hitting the pool in our community when our granddaughter visits in August, and we may pack a picnic or two during that same time.  Even if it’s in the backyard, that’s the beauty of a 3 1/2 year old…they aren’t fussy about the particulars.

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Summer indoors.  I’ve read many a blog post that confirms this:  Most of us like to lighten things up a bit during the warmer months.  I confess, there’s a part of me that wishes I had a second home by a lake or bay.  I would consider using a few wicker pieces and a blue and white color palate.  Stripes would play a roll and I’d probably set some of natures summer bounty around, as accessories.  

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Summer plants. One of my favorite things about summer are the plants in gardens, parks and neighborhoods.  Even without blossoms, trees and shrubs usually look happy and healthy.  Who doesn’t love hydrangea?

{My good friend, Cayley, her courtyard garden}

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Indoor plants. I tend to buy more indoor plants during the warmer months.  It seems easier to rotate them around as needed and I can give them some outdoor time on a nice day.  They add so much to a room.

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Something to sip.  Whether you’re sipping sweet tea, or at day’s end, something stronger, a bar set-up seems summery to me.  I guess I could find a good reason to admire a well laid bar during any season, but these examples are especially summer-like.

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Read a book, or two! Summer has always seemed an ideal time to put my feet up and read.  I listen to Audible books while working around the house, but I still love a book in my hands, that tactile experience takes me back, and I’m sentimental about that experience.

So tell me, what are  your favorite things about Summer?  I wish you a summer filled with all you wish for.