Simple Summer Pleasures

As you can probably tell from my blog posts since returning from hiatus, I’m digging summer right now.  Digging summer hard.  

And yet, when I let my mind wander too far into the future, it happens… I start to crave fall.  I know.  RIDICULOUS.  But I really am a fall & winter girl at heart, so I can’t help myself from daydreaming about cozy sweaters and scarves, pots of hearty soup and chili, crunching coloured leaves and bright orange pumpkins.

So yeah… I kind of have to snap myself back.  Remind myself to live in the present, and enjoy this season instead of wishing for the next.

And for that reason, this morning I’ve been thinking of the simple summer pleasures.  The little things about these hot dog days that I adore.  And here they are, in no particular order:

• Light suppers.  The days have come when it’s generally too hot to turn on the stove, and my appetite is (believe it or not) less than normal.  For that reason, my suppertime selections have been pretty basic.  Those toasted tomato sandwiches I so adore this time of year, usually with just a side of veggies and dip, a few pieces of cheese, and maybe a pickle.  And then usually just a small dish of fruit – strawberries or watermelon – to satisfy my sweet tooth.  These light suppers remind me of being a kid, having lunch on Grandma’s summer porch.  I’ve been thoroughly enjoying them.

• The song “Cheerleader” by OMI.  I feel like I “discovered” this song before anyone else, because I was groovin’ to it during the cold winter days when I was alone in the office a lot of the time and listening to Spotify.  It does now seem to have become a hit, a song that I believe will define Summer 2015.  And months later, I still like it, so that’s saying something.

• Working out in daylight.  This goes both ways – morning and night.  I’ve finally taught myself to get up earlier in the mornings and work out before getting ready for the day, and I admit that waking up at 5:45 AM is much easier when the sky is already bright and the sun is rising.  It’s also nice to take an evening walk at 8 PM, knowing full well that the daylight isn’t going to fade for a while yet.  Working out in the winter will be tougher… dragging my butt out of bed in the cold darkness… I’m already dreading that part.
• Big Brother.  Oh, I know, it’s trash TV at its worst, but I’ve been a Big Brother fan for years, and it is definitely something I look forward to every summer.  I admit that so far, this summer’s cast isn’t doing it for me the way last year’s was (I miss Derrick…and Cody…and Caleb… and even Frankie!) – but BB is just part of my summer routine, and I’m so glad it’s back!

• Banana-flavoured Popsicles and Ice Cream Cones.  I confess that I haven’t enjoyed this summery treats as much as I’d like to so far, but they just scream SUMMER to me.  I may just go down to the store for a banana-flavoured popsicle tonight!

• Tanning.  My mom has been scolding me for sitting in the sun too much, but as far as I’m concerned, the sunblock is there for a reason.  I’ve been working on my tan, always under the protection of a hat and a low-UV sunscreen.  The hope is that I’m getting lightly tanned while not getting skin cancer… (I did enough burning in my younger days, I figure if I’m going to get it, the damage is already done.)
• The smell of chipstand.  This one is both a blessing and a curse.  I live just up the road from our town’s beloved little grease factory, and sometimes, if the wind’s blowing right, I can smell it from my own front yard.  If not, I definitely get a whiff when I’m out for my walk, and it could literally make me drool.  I really do associate the smell of fries and burger’s from Mae’s as a smell of the summer.

• Lemonade.  Again, not something I’ve had a ton of so far this summer, but I think I’m going to buy some the next time I’m at the grocery store.  I’m craving this little taste of summer.

• Sunday evening movies. Okay, it’s true, I love watching movies, and I do it all year long.  But there’s just something so summery about a Sunday evening movie to wind down the weekend and relax before kicking off another work week.  I’ve been working my way through all the “summery” movies on my shelf and it’s become one of my favourite nights of the week.

So tell me, what are your simple summer pleasures?