The universe spoke to me this weekend on this very topic:
Sunday morning in Connecticut I saw a box turtle sunning itself on a rock overlooking the Connecticut river. Just as I was taking a photo, I heard this loud crashing in the bushes and a BEAR appeared. I backed away, grabbed the turtle, moved it a few yards away, and hightailed it outta there. It was a message to me about how I should conduct my summer: stop crashing around in the underbrush and spend more time sunning yourself on a rock.
I’d like to bake more fruit pies! Strawberry pie, raspberry pie, peach pie...all the summer pies (with ice cream on top!) before the onslaught of apple-focused desserts in the Fall. Oh, and read more books, of course. And learn how to better DNF a book (when appropriate).
Finish work early and enjoy the long evening sunshine.
Actually work in the garden I planted this spring instead of letting it languish and go to ruin (as I fear it is doing right now).
Perhaps take a break from scrolling social media so much and my ever present phone, and finish more novels- maybe even outside in that evening sun!
Finish a needlepoint project I have been working on all year long.
Find a way to slow down time and enjoy the days and weeks and experiences. Be in the moment for once instead of thinking about what needs to be done. Maybe throw out my “to do” list.
Love your list and your invitation to do the same, I used to make list for everything, it really helps visualising my goals !
Here's my summer to do's :
- Make as much jam jars as I can (planning on doing apricots & peach), also, some tomato coulis & pesto jars by the end of summer (I get so happy to have some with pasta during winter!)
- Hosting a nice picnic birthday celebration for my 2 year old in august ! I'm thinking of a place with trees next to a river, just have to find it
- Seeing as much people as I can, saying yes to invitations, hosting dinner parties on my terrace
- Putting some nice lights garland on the said terrace
- Eating as healthy as I can (& enjoy the occasional crumbles, ice creams, tarts and grilled sausages)
- Walking my dog every morning, as early as I can, while listening to some good music
- Creating a summer playlist to listen to
- Bying myself another nice straw hat and a wicker basket to go to the market with !
- Working on my languages classes (starting on september!)
Right now I am doing my most important summer goal — I have arrived in California from France, where I live — to attend my nieces' graduations ! Eighth grade for one and high school for the other. Feeling so blessed and happy to be present with my brother and sister-in-law for this time this week. Then home to Oklahoma on Sunday to spend Father's Day (and a few more) with my dad (and mom).
Ok so my whole list is pretty much just that Goethe quote about making sure to never leave what's most important at the mercy of what's least but here are some specifics:
-Actually send out some poems.
-Spend a few sultry nights sitting outside somewhere with folks who thrill me to my bones.
-Find someplace where people don't speak in my native tongue and soak it up.
I do so envy some of the items on your to-do list because they remind me of home (OG-Brooklynite-Now-a-lil-Lost-in-FL). But, that's ok, I bloom where I am planted. For me, this summer includes: FINISHING MY FIRST BOOK (so I can get onto my 2nd one already in production)! Getting comfy in my new position as President of the Space Coast Writers Guild; some serious downtime at the beach, pool, home; reading a lot; try new restaurants; start a podcast, or at least make a guest appearance on one! Go on a boat ride; embrace super quite days by the Indian or Banana River (in that secret alcove my husband and I found a year ago); watch all the old films at our local movie theater starting with Dirty Dancing and Jaws; and whatever else comes my way!
- grow something edible in my backyard (ideally cucumbers, that we can then eat sliced with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning on top)
- go to the farmer's market
- do at least one item on my "household tasks that are making me feel guilty because I haven't done them yet" list (this is an actual list, on my fridge at the moment)
That's a good list! I've got some overlap.
-Finish this draft of a novel, revise the last draft of a different novel.
-Sewing, also (I'm taking a class on how to make patterns for clothes).
-Learn to paddleboard.
-Read outside without getting bitten by bugs (I realize this involves the bugs revising their own summer goals).
-Make summer pasta or potato salads that can live in the fridge for lunches.
-Send postcards.
-Learn to make soap.
-Walk barefoot more if I'm somewhere without, like, broken glass.
-Read so many books.
-Write some picture books.
The universe spoke to me this weekend on this very topic:
Sunday morning in Connecticut I saw a box turtle sunning itself on a rock overlooking the Connecticut river. Just as I was taking a photo, I heard this loud crashing in the bushes and a BEAR appeared. I backed away, grabbed the turtle, moved it a few yards away, and hightailed it outta there. It was a message to me about how I should conduct my summer: stop crashing around in the underbrush and spend more time sunning yourself on a rock.
Here's what's on my list:
- make s'mores every weekend until we're sick of them
- invite friends over for a bonfire
- go to the free concerts in the park
- watch Canada day fireworks
- go on family bike rides
- try 3 new flavors of ice cream at Hewitts dairy
I’d like to bake more fruit pies! Strawberry pie, raspberry pie, peach pie...all the summer pies (with ice cream on top!) before the onslaught of apple-focused desserts in the Fall. Oh, and read more books, of course. And learn how to better DNF a book (when appropriate).
Finish work early and enjoy the long evening sunshine.
Actually work in the garden I planted this spring instead of letting it languish and go to ruin (as I fear it is doing right now).
Perhaps take a break from scrolling social media so much and my ever present phone, and finish more novels- maybe even outside in that evening sun!
Finish a needlepoint project I have been working on all year long.
Find a way to slow down time and enjoy the days and weeks and experiences. Be in the moment for once instead of thinking about what needs to be done. Maybe throw out my “to do” list.
-eat all the ice cream!
-date my partner more
-put my face up to the sun
-more coffee walks with friends
-gratitude journaling
-saturday naps
-farmer’s market flowers
-volunteer more for our local animal shelter
-books, books, and more books!
❤️
- Learning to play croquet
- Playing backgammon again
- More live music events
- Waking up earlier to enjoy the cooler weather at sunrise
- reading more with a Yorkie or two in my lap
My plan is to read as much as I can, eat as much good food as I can, enjoy my vacation, and try to make sure I update my Substack as much as possible.
Hi ! French reader here :)
Love your list and your invitation to do the same, I used to make list for everything, it really helps visualising my goals !
Here's my summer to do's :
- Make as much jam jars as I can (planning on doing apricots & peach), also, some tomato coulis & pesto jars by the end of summer (I get so happy to have some with pasta during winter!)
- Hosting a nice picnic birthday celebration for my 2 year old in august ! I'm thinking of a place with trees next to a river, just have to find it
- Seeing as much people as I can, saying yes to invitations, hosting dinner parties on my terrace
- Putting some nice lights garland on the said terrace
- Eating as healthy as I can (& enjoy the occasional crumbles, ice creams, tarts and grilled sausages)
- Walking my dog every morning, as early as I can, while listening to some good music
- Creating a summer playlist to listen to
- Bying myself another nice straw hat and a wicker basket to go to the market with !
- Working on my languages classes (starting on september!)
- Dancing with friends at night (at least once)
- Watching a firework lying in the grass
- Letting my hair grow and taking real care of it
Making the french dolce vita in practice !
Right now I am doing my most important summer goal — I have arrived in California from France, where I live — to attend my nieces' graduations ! Eighth grade for one and high school for the other. Feeling so blessed and happy to be present with my brother and sister-in-law for this time this week. Then home to Oklahoma on Sunday to spend Father's Day (and a few more) with my dad (and mom).
Ok so my whole list is pretty much just that Goethe quote about making sure to never leave what's most important at the mercy of what's least but here are some specifics:
-Actually send out some poems.
-Spend a few sultry nights sitting outside somewhere with folks who thrill me to my bones.
-Find someplace where people don't speak in my native tongue and soak it up.
-Stand up on a surfboard.
-Bring people to my house and feed them.
-Put some new songs out into the world.
I do so envy some of the items on your to-do list because they remind me of home (OG-Brooklynite-Now-a-lil-Lost-in-FL). But, that's ok, I bloom where I am planted. For me, this summer includes: FINISHING MY FIRST BOOK (so I can get onto my 2nd one already in production)! Getting comfy in my new position as President of the Space Coast Writers Guild; some serious downtime at the beach, pool, home; reading a lot; try new restaurants; start a podcast, or at least make a guest appearance on one! Go on a boat ride; embrace super quite days by the Indian or Banana River (in that secret alcove my husband and I found a year ago); watch all the old films at our local movie theater starting with Dirty Dancing and Jaws; and whatever else comes my way!
So at first when I started to read this I thought your summer goal was to lie under a fan and invite belly rubs...
My list:
- week at the lake with the kids
- several days alone near water WITHOUT the kids
- work earnestly on novel draft in progress
- grow something edible in my backyard (ideally cucumbers, that we can then eat sliced with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning on top)
- go to the farmer's market
- do at least one item on my "household tasks that are making me feel guilty because I haven't done them yet" list (this is an actual list, on my fridge at the moment)
- visit one new-to-me bookstore
- sprint triathlon in August
Brandon WAS the worst!!!
Great list! Visiting bookstores is on my list too. Also, plant more flowers.