MidSummer Delights

It is the middle of summer! The weather has been great (except for a minor heat wave that we survived last weekend) and there have been so many things to savor with a more relaxed, but still hopping household schedule. Here are some of my recent summer delights:

• A few weeks ago we happened to go to a secluded local beach in the late afternoon. We often go to the beach in the evening, and usually not in the afternoon when the sun is brighter, but various circumstances led us to the beach at what for us is an unusual time even though many other people would consider it prime time. Because the beach was secluded, it was not busy, and luckily when we got there, the sun went behind a bank of clouds which left me lying back on sun soaked dark, boulders worn smooth by the waves of storms past. The dark rock had absorbed the most perfect radiant heat, and coming off the water was the most delightful chilly breeze to cool me down at the same time. It was amazing, and I decided I just wanted to bottle the whole experience up for next February.
• YaYa is taking care of the chickens at her internship, and the new chickens have started to lay lots of eggs. She frequently gifts me with fresh farm eggs, which are so delicious. Even better, some of these chickens have been laying monstrous double yolked eggs. So yummy!
• Along the same line, there is a strawberry patch at YaYa’s internship as well, and I also have been gifted scrumptious sun warmed strawberries. There are often snakes in the strawberry patch, so I don’t go near it, but let me tell you, when she hands me a container of strawberries, I’m all over eating them!
• The vine on the side of our house is growing back, which makes me very, very happy! Also last fall we hacked down some caragana bushes by the driveway that were too tall and spindly and needed some help. I looked at the sawed off trunks all winter and worried that this might be the end of the caraganas, but they are growing back so nicely too.
• Peanut Maximus is getting the hang of his balance bike, and he goes for a ride down the sidewalk several times a week. It’s so cute to see someone so small riding a bicycle, even if it is not a pedal bike. It takes us a long time to get anywhere because he’s so busy checking out sticks, rocks, piles of sand and everything else.
• It is delightful to see how much my kidlets delight in summer rowing. It is just the perfect balance of a healthy activity that makes them strong and fit, and the opportunity to be social every morning. I love that they are up and out of the house early in the morning and not complaining about it.
• I have been practicing piano in the evening after Peanut Maximus goes to bed, and the light out the windows as the sun starts to go down and then set is just so gorgeous. It inspires me to not miss that special practice time.
• We’ve had a cool, rainy start to our summer (although this last week has been drier and warmer) which means there is just lush, beautiful green vegetation everywhere. The wildflowers are flourishing, and the forest is a gift to the eyes. Unfortunately the bugs are out in full force as well due to the perfect conditions.
• Peanut Maximus and I have been delighting in summer stroller walks. We walk with the stroller all year, of course, but it is just so easy in the summer.