My favorite thing about summer is the lightning bugs! I used to catch them in jars when I was little (and of course release them!), so whenever I see them now, it brings back a lot of good memories. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I can still catch one with my hands :) - Holly Brantley
Having taught most of my adult life, I love the wide margins of summer -- the languid hours reading, the nights on the porch, and the endless steamy afternoons in the garden.
My favorite thing about Summer is my children not having homework or school responsibilities. I can have a conversation with them or just be together, without feeling guilty that we have to get on to the next thing or saying, "Get back to your homework."
My favorite thing about summer is traveling to visit family and friends while school is out. I love spending hot summer nights outside - watching my son run around with his cousins, having the absolute best time.
One of my favorite things about summer is honeysuckle vines. For me, this is the start of the season (even though the blooms begin in spring)—when the honeysuckle vine blooms and its blossoms fill the air with the smell I associate most strongly with the season. They make me think of my grandfather, who first taught me to sip the nectar straight from the flower. Now, years after his passing, they are a reminder that he is still near.
My favorite thing about summer is the late afternoon/early evening popcorn storms that come in and suddenly cool down a hot day. Everything breathes again, and a smell comes up that's like fresh earth, and minerals, and ozone. The smell of rain that interrupts summer heat has a name that I love: petrichor.
My favorite thing about summer this year has been watching the fireflies begin to appear in my garden after the sun sets. The magic of it amazes me every time. I want to add, Kim Stanley Robinson's book, The Wild Shore, has been one of my favorites ever since I came across it in college back in the '80s. I reread it from time to time as it gives me great comfort.
Living in the suburbs of DC, the extreme humidity and heat can sometimes overwhelm our summers. But I actually love it. I lean into it. The heat, spontaneous summer thunderstorms and the sounds of tree frogs outside our kitchen window at night, singing out for a mate… love it all.
My favorite thing about summer is taking all the cotton curtains down from the windows in our house I shared with my sisters and my parents in the 1950’s and washing them. Then Mom would put up the “stretchers” in the dining/living room ( they were thin poles bound together to stand up… about six feet tall and 8 feet long….. that contained many little nails on which we would fasten the EDGES of the curtains). After she got all the poles to stand on their own ( like tee-pees), we girls would help her with the wet curtains. We would press on the edge of the curtain so that the little nails pierced the fabric and held it….. and as the fabric dried, it was taut , so it did not need to be ironed. If the wet cotton had had starch applied , the curtains dried and were stiff, so that the gathers ( when the curtains were hung up at the windows) were beautifully and softly flounced out with happiness. They also smelled delicious. I loved looking at the big, white sheets of curtains in the living/dining room… and thinking about them, becoming beautiful……
The only part of this process I did not like was when the little nail pierced my thumb pad as I pressed a little too hard against the nail. Our skill had to be deft…. So that the fabric got placed on without any spot of blood…..
And after drying, we took the curtains down and put them back up at the windows that always sparkled cause Mom loved to wash windows.
Sending y’all good vibes! My favorite part of summer as a kid was definitely all the fireflies (so many less now!) — as an adult, there’s almost nothing better than the pleasure of ripe tomatoes, watermelons, and canteloupe in summer!
Great post and great photo! My favorite thing about this summer is that i got to see my mom for the first time in 3 years and i got to visit Puerto Rico with my youngest daughter and her girlscout troop. Many memories were made and it made the isolation and struggle of the last 2 fade in to history.
My favorite thing about summer is the lightning bugs! I used to catch them in jars when I was little (and of course release them!), so whenever I see them now, it brings back a lot of good memories. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, I can still catch one with my hands :) - Holly Brantley
Having taught most of my adult life, I love the wide margins of summer -- the languid hours reading, the nights on the porch, and the endless steamy afternoons in the garden.
My favorite thing about Summer is my children not having homework or school responsibilities. I can have a conversation with them or just be together, without feeling guilty that we have to get on to the next thing or saying, "Get back to your homework."
My favorite part about the summer is being a teacher and having summers off… that and the blue skies.
My favorite thing about summer is traveling to visit family and friends while school is out. I love spending hot summer nights outside - watching my son run around with his cousins, having the absolute best time.
That sounds so familiar! Forgive me, but, have we met? It's strange but I feel like I know you from somewhere...
One of my favorite things about summer is honeysuckle vines. For me, this is the start of the season (even though the blooms begin in spring)—when the honeysuckle vine blooms and its blossoms fill the air with the smell I associate most strongly with the season. They make me think of my grandfather, who first taught me to sip the nectar straight from the flower. Now, years after his passing, they are a reminder that he is still near.
My favorite thing about summer is the late afternoon/early evening popcorn storms that come in and suddenly cool down a hot day. Everything breathes again, and a smell comes up that's like fresh earth, and minerals, and ozone. The smell of rain that interrupts summer heat has a name that I love: petrichor.
Happy Solstice! ❤️
My favorite thing about summer this year has been watching the fireflies begin to appear in my garden after the sun sets. The magic of it amazes me every time. I want to add, Kim Stanley Robinson's book, The Wild Shore, has been one of my favorites ever since I came across it in college back in the '80s. I reread it from time to time as it gives me great comfort.
Living in the suburbs of DC, the extreme humidity and heat can sometimes overwhelm our summers. But I actually love it. I lean into it. The heat, spontaneous summer thunderstorms and the sounds of tree frogs outside our kitchen window at night, singing out for a mate… love it all.
My favorite thing is reading and relaxing at the beach, or even in my backyard. I love summer sunsets, as well as spending time with my grandkids!
My favorite thing about summer is taking all the cotton curtains down from the windows in our house I shared with my sisters and my parents in the 1950’s and washing them. Then Mom would put up the “stretchers” in the dining/living room ( they were thin poles bound together to stand up… about six feet tall and 8 feet long….. that contained many little nails on which we would fasten the EDGES of the curtains). After she got all the poles to stand on their own ( like tee-pees), we girls would help her with the wet curtains. We would press on the edge of the curtain so that the little nails pierced the fabric and held it….. and as the fabric dried, it was taut , so it did not need to be ironed. If the wet cotton had had starch applied , the curtains dried and were stiff, so that the gathers ( when the curtains were hung up at the windows) were beautifully and softly flounced out with happiness. They also smelled delicious. I loved looking at the big, white sheets of curtains in the living/dining room… and thinking about them, becoming beautiful……
The only part of this process I did not like was when the little nail pierced my thumb pad as I pressed a little too hard against the nail. Our skill had to be deft…. So that the fabric got placed on without any spot of blood…..
And after drying, we took the curtains down and put them back up at the windows that always sparkled cause Mom loved to wash windows.
Sending y’all good vibes! My favorite part of summer as a kid was definitely all the fireflies (so many less now!) — as an adult, there’s almost nothing better than the pleasure of ripe tomatoes, watermelons, and canteloupe in summer!
Great post and great photo! My favorite thing about this summer is that i got to see my mom for the first time in 3 years and i got to visit Puerto Rico with my youngest daughter and her girlscout troop. Many memories were made and it made the isolation and struggle of the last 2 fade in to history.
My favorite thing about summer is jumping in the water when it’s so so hot.
my beautiful daughter was born!