Tag: summer

Summertime Traditions

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Summer is one of those times when I try to keep my schedule open. I like the freedom to say yes to an impromptu pool visit or trip to the market. I revel in the simple pleasures of popping out to the library and grabbing dinner with a friend. It feels so serendipitous and romantic. It also helps to break away from the rigid schedules of the school year and winter months. We can easily overbook ourselves throughout the year but I find making space for myself seasonally helps me to enjoy the flavors and delights unique to that time of year. 

One of my favorite summer past times is strawberry picking. When I was a little girl my grandmother let the wild vines in her backyard thrive. She was always pointing out sweet little red berries for me to pick and devour right away. There is nothing sweeter than a sun warmed berry in your mouth. When I first started my own garden strawberries were the only plants I grew. I eventually waded into tomatoes, beans, zucchinis, and squash. But my favorite standbys have always been strawberries. 

And so each summer I call the strawberry hotline – our local berry pick-your own market has one – where you can call to find when the strawberries are ready and then head to the fields. The earlier the better for strawberry picking. It is such a delightful adventure to pack up the kiddos and head to the farm for a morning of berry picking. We always collect some fresh produce, a pie for dessert, and donuts. They also get a chance to play at the park after they’re done devouring their own berries and breakfast treats. 

Another joy for me is to bring home the berries and make jam. Jam making in the summer is not only a sign of the season but a sweet way to bring our whole family together. Each summer I make a point to invite my cousins to come visit. Sometimes they stay for dinner and if I’m lucky they stay for a week or two. It gives us the chance to catch up, connect, and bond.

There’s no better activity for teenagers then helping not only pick berries but also to pare them, pummel them to jam, and talk over the activity as a family. What a delight to work together to make something so sweet and fresh. We use my grandmother’s recipe, which admittedly is a lot of sugar. The Kerr jar company of the 70’s liked their sweetener and so do we. If you’re going to make jam, make it good. 

It feels so wholesome to prepare jam from my grandmother’s recipe, using the mason jars she once did to make new memories with our family. I hope my kiddos remember these sweet summer rituals with joy. It fills my heart to think of the love I pour into each batch and the joy I reap in sharing this summertime tradition with another generation. The spoils of summer are many – what are your favorite ways to enjoy them? 

Summer Break

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It’s summer break! Here’s a list of some fun things you can do to treat yourself better and create more fun and joy to fill your memory banks. Summertime isn’t just about kids having fun. So often we get jealous of people who go on vacation or children making their way to camp. What if you gave yourself the gift of fun too? Making time for fun and pleasure is not just for kids. Finding joy in your daily life keeps things exciting, gives us something to look forward to, and brings us closer to our purpose of being alive. We aren’t here to suffer or make amends, we’re here to thrive and enjoy every morsel. 

There’s a wonderful line in the Talumud which reads, “A person will be called to account on Judgement Day for every permissible thing they might have enjoyed but did not.” Embrace happiness and let your highlight reel be a joyful expression of your love for life and for yourself. These ideas aren’t super expensive or tricky, you only have to give yourself permission to partake in the delights.

  1. Watch the sunset
  2. Eat an ice cream or frozen popsicle on the stoop or in the grass.
  3. Swing at your local park – you can do this in the morning before it gets too hot!
  4. Take yourself to the beach – or turn your backyard into your own beach oasis with a towel, some sunscreen, and a shallow pool of cool water.
  5. Read a book under the shade of a tree.
  6. Take a hike or go on a walk in the evening with friends.
  7. Turn on the sprinkler and run through it!
  8. Take a nap.
  9. Draw with sidewalk chalk or blow bubbles
  10. Pick some flowers and put them in a cup of water

Invite a friend or loved one to join you in any of these endeavors for an added boost of connection and memory making. Joy is always doubled when shared. Happy Summer break!

How Does Happiness Feel to You?

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Let’s share a meditation today. Simply copy down the headers and write your own responses. I’ve included my answers for inspiration. I’m excited for you to use this tool to bring you into the present moment and more in touch with yourself. The goal is figure out how happiness feels to you so you can add more of it to your daily life.

Look

To me, happiness looks like a luxuriously appointed room, with panoramic views of trees, wildlife, and gardens. They could be oceans, lakes or mountains but the glory of wide open spaces is mine to enjoy. I have time and freedom to savor it. To me, happiness looks like I have space to myself, peace, and the promise of adventure.

Feel 

Happiness feels soft like throw pillows, cozy fireplaces, and hot tea. It feels serene and gentle, like my dog at my feet. It feels expansive and as if I do not need to strive but I may settle, be at ease and rest.

Taste

It tastes like hot chocolate and delicious meals that feed, fuel, nourish and surprise me. Rich flavors that feed my soul and my heart’s longing for fulfillment and adventure.

Smell

Happiness smells like a new book and typewriter tape. It smells like ink, sea salt, and sunset. The lush abundance of freshly mown grass and ripe summer peaches. It smells wholesome and rich, tender and calm.

Sound

It sounds like a fireplace crackling. Happiness sounds like woodland walks on secluded paths. To me it is symphony music and the effervescent bubbles of champagne. 

That is what happiness feels like for me. And reading it over, most of it includes activities I share with my dog. So maybe, for me, happiness is life with my trusty pup. How lucky are we to live in a world with dogs?

Did you try the exercise? How does happiness feel for you?