100 things i love about summer

57.  Curtains blowing in the breeze.

I love the lofty feeling I get when my curtains dance in the summer wind.

58.  Hammocks.

Swinging in the shade in the comfort of a sturdy hammock… it can lull even the busiest among us into a state (however short) of quiet relaxation.

59.  Honeybees.

I’m always so glad to spot a honeybee.  I love these buzzy pollinators and am perpetually appreciative of their liquid gold that we all so enjoy.

60.  Adirondack chairs.

Soren knows all about taking it easy, summer style.  The Adirondack chairs are where it’s at.  Especially when they’re just his size.

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100 things i love about summer

56.  August birthday boys.

August is a celebratory month around here as both my boys have August birthdays.  Eli turned 8 on the 7th and TODAY our little Soren turns ONE!  It’s been a summer of so much goodness already and parties with cake and laughter certainly top the list.  Here’s to a whole new cycle around the sun for both my beautiful boys…

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100 things i love about summer

52.  Board games.

Summer nights on vacation are the perfect time to bust out a board game.  It’s the most fun when it’s a whole family affair…

53.  Boats.

I love boats even when I’m not in them.  But especially when I am.

54.  Critters.

Summer brings such cute (in their own way) little creatures out into the open.  We’ve had fun catching frogs and spotting salamanders.

55.  Cloud watching.

Some of my best memories from childhood are of cloud watching on high, sunny days.  Allowing the time to just lay back and watch stories take shape is a true summer delight.  It seems hard at first to slow down enough to just watch.  And wait.  But there’s such treasure to be had once I surrender to the lazy (in a good, good way) pleasure of summer relaxation.

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100 things i love about summer

51.  The zip line.

A zip line runs across the backyard of my parents’ house in Maine.  Prior to this summer, in order to even get at the zip line you needed to climb to the top of a ladder precariously leaning against a tall pine.  Once at the top, you needed to pivot around on a space barely bigger than your feet.  Only then could you attempt to get your balance and grab the handlebars before careening down the line and slamming into another pine tree rebounding.  On our last visit; however, Jeff and my Dad constructed a substantial new platform complete with ladder rungs for access.  It’s still a little too scary for some of us, ahem, but it remains a whooping testament to summertime fun.

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100 things i love about summer

46.  Sitting in the grass.

With a not-yet-walking babe, a lot of time is spent at ground level.  The summer is the nicest time to enjoy the soft cushion of grass beneath us along with the well-loved smell of a freshly-mowed field.

47. So many greens!

I confess, there have been times that it felt like work to make it through all the greens.  But still, I continue to marvel at the abundance of lettuce, chard, beet greens, mustard greens and kale coming to us through our own garden and our weekly farm share.

48.  The sky after a storm.

Thunderstorms are a summertime thrill and there is nothing like a post-storm sky… when everything is still and the clouds part to reveal the first glimpses of high, blue sky.

49.  Sandcastles.

However majestic or humble they may turn out, spending beach-time sculpting a sandcastle is a true ritual of summertime.

50.  Outdoor naps.

A good day in the sun and sand can tucker any guy out… that’s when it’s time to catch some zzz’s al fresco.

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100 things i love about summer

45.  Raspberries.

I couldn’t help but shove berries into my mouth by the fistful when picking these beauties.  I wasn’t the only one.  Soren took to raspberries right away and was soon scooping them out of my berry baskets almost as fast as I could pick them.  Who can blame a baby with a hankering for the taste of sweet summer?

In addition to gorging on fresh berries, we enjoyed them with cereal and desserts (can anything beat chocolate cake with raspberries on top?) and yes, they were made into (yet more) jam.  What a sweet winter it’s going to be…

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100 things i love about summer

44. Hummingbirds.

These sweet, small friends only visit us in the summertime when there is plenty of nectar to be had.  It’s a special warm-weather treat to be out near the honeysuckle or beebalm near dinnertime and hear the hum of tiny beating wings.

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100 things i love about summer

43.  The light on the water.

Our afternoon and evening swims are always accompanied by the loveliest light.  I love to watch it dance upon the rippling water at the lake.

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