Happy Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial start of summer! Most years, after end-of-school-year celebrations, summer arrives with a bang. However, unfortunately, I have covid (for the second time, ugh), so I missed most of the last week of school. I did find a special and safe way to still celebrate with my class on the last day. This year, instead, has been a gentle easing into summertime, thankfully with beautiful mild weather. And in fact, it’s emblematic of why I love summer – to me, it should be a time of ease, of carefree days, of wandering and lingering and lazing. Here are five simple summer pleasures that I look forward to most every summer:
A wonderful read
One of the simplest yet best summer pleasures is sitting outdoors, reading page after page of a book that captivates and entertains. One of my favorite books I’ve ever read in the summer is Katherine Heiny’s Early Morning Riser; it is laugh-out-loud funny as well as uplifting. Another is Paulette Jiles’s Enemy Women if you’re in the mood for adventure and excitement.
A really good beach day
I love those beach days that feel like a dream, in which the weather is around 80 degrees with low humidity, the sky gleams a rich blue, the clouds float at the horizon, puffy and soft, the sun sparkles on the waves, the breeze flows gently, the sun feels marvelous, not too hot, and the ocean refreshes. A really good beach day does wonders for the soul.
A glass of refreshing iced tea
How lovely it is to be hot and a bit thirsty, only to have that thirst quenched by a crisp, not-too-sweet glass of fresh and flavorful iced tea, filled with plenty of ice.
A coastal walk or bike ride
On a cloudy, cooler day (the kind we get in Rhode Island), I fancy a long walk or bike ride down a coastal road, slow enough to admire the wildflowers, breathe in the salt air, and appreciate the respite from the heat.
A s’more
Making s’mores always feels a little nostalgic to me, and I love it – toasting the marshmallow, assembling the chocolate and graham cracker, and taking inevitably messy bites. I think s’mores are the perfect, delicious summertime treat that evoke family and togetherness.
A happiest start of summer to you!
P.S. More books to read and fun summertime things.
