What is in your beach bag of summer fun?  Picnics at the river? Concerts in the park? Flower shopping at the farmers market? Digging in the garden dirt? Getting wet with the kiddos at the splash pad? Lazy evenings on the patio?  Whatever your fun in the sun is, it’s about to happen!

Pacific Northwest summers seem to begin after July 4^th.  For some reason, it takes the sun that long to start being consistent with blue skies and warmer temps.  We get the tease of hotter temperatures in May, then June happens.  Wah, wah, wah.  When summer finally breaks, it is worth the wait!  Some of you may go on vacation in the summer months.  For us, it is when our best weather shows up.  We are staying put and enjoying the incredible long days of warmth, green trees and sparkling waters of the lakes and Puget Sound.

Summer is when you will find me outside for most of the day.  Breakfast alfresco, bike riding or Vespa scootin’ around town, lake floating in the afternoon, iced coffee on the deck and quiet moments of writing near the busy birdfeeders.  Needless to say, inside chores suffer.  Difficult to face dusting, vacuuming and laundry, when blue skies are calling.

If you’re working, time is packed full with fitting it all in around the 8 or 10-hour obligation.  Efficiency is of the essence!  Evenings can still be filled with the joys of summer – after dinner corn hole with the kids, barbecue dinners, midweek bonfires and a glass of wine while enjoying stargazing are worth the extra effort. Then, the weekends await!  Camping, hiking, bike riding, lakeside strolling, farmers markets and the garden – all calling your name.  If you’re on a budget, most of these warm-weather favorites barely dent the wallet.  The key is to make memories; let the season be chock full of experiences limited in the cooler months.

When we were kids, homemade popsicles, hours of bike riding along with backyard imaginative adventures filled our summer days.  There were walks to the library for the summer reading program.  Other walks to the community pool for swim lessons and time to splash with friends from the neighborhood.  Best thing ever?  Treats from the snack bar for the trek home.  It made the seemingly long walk enjoyable.

Now, my favorite summer activities include taking the grandson to the lake, other days, floating the same lake in solitude for lazy afternoons and bonfires with friends and family.  If you don’t have a lake nearby, turn the sprinkler on for a quick water feature with cooling benefits!  Checkout public library and local parks and recreation program offerings.  Many of them are free fun in your own neighborhood.  Another of my favorites are the evening concerts offered by all of our neighboring towns.  Each city has them on different evenings of the week.  Great music and settings for a picnic dinner!  If you’re not into the genre of music, the people watching is worth the venture on its own.

Whatever your favorite summer activities are, savor the season.  Disconnect from the phone and the demands of the day – even if it’s just for a moment to kick the shoes off and walk barefoot in the grass.  The days will pass quickly.  Time spent in the sun with family, friends or even alone, will bring joy.  I’m guessing it will be tough to resist smiling while indulging in summer fun!