Happy summer solstice, and hurry, summer is officially here!
Today, June 21 marks the longest day of the year and marks the beginning of summer.
It’s hard not to get caught up in the energy and sunny, breezy vibes. Days are long and full of possibilities, with memories just waiting to be made.
Here is a list of a few ideas that will maximize your summer fun:
1. Cool treats such as this one!
Frozen Chocolate Banana Popsicle recipe(they are quick and simple to make).
You’ll Need
- 5–6 bananas
- Popsicle sticks
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- Assorted sprinkles or crushed nuts
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Peel the bananas and slice 1" off of one end to create a straight surface.Insert the popsicle stick 1-2" into the end of the banana.
Repeat with the remaining bananas. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to partially freeze the bananas. -
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a glass bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Dip each banana into the chocolate, turning to coat evenly on all sides.
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Set bananas on the baking sheet and cover with sprinkles or nuts.
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Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the banana is frozen solid.
2. Music. Check out the free concerts in the park. Every city and town has a website that lists the bands that are playing. Last summer, I saw a Fleetwood Mac cover band. They were great!
3. Books. Pick a tree and take time each day to read for a bit. These two books are on my summer to-read list: 1. Happy Place by Emily Henry and 2. Daisy Jones & The Six. (It follows "a rock band in the 1970s from their rise in the LA music scene to becoming one of the most famous bands in the world.)You can catch the series on Prime: https://www.primevideo.com/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.b445ce8e-324d-4b7d-82e2-714d0fe0f004?ref_=dvm_pds_tit_ca_hk_s_g_mkw_sOdsmPBEh-dc_pcrid_647856039485&mrntrk=slid__pgrid_148497929640_pgeo_9000761_x__adext__ptid_kwd-1957342082563
4. Explore new places. Shake up your routine this summer by planning some weekend excursions to explore different places and attractions. Small towns have lots of charm and appeal. The joy of visiting smaller towns is that you don't have to contend with huge crowds.
5. Camping. Camp off the beaten path, as parks an hour or so from cities make it difficult to reserve a site. Explore Algonquin Park, where there are over 1,900 campsites (i.e., Whitefish Lake, Kearney Lake, and White Lake, to name a few).
6. Go Beaching for the day, preferably a weekday, as some parks (i.e., Sandbanks Dunes Beach and Presqu'ile Provincial Park) get packed during the week.
7. Chit Chat. Take a stroll around your neighbourhood and get to know your neighbours, as before you know it, it will be winter again and you won't see them for five months. Walking a cute dog really helps. :)
8. Laugh! Don't just laugh in the summer, but all seasons for that matter. Check out some comedy festivals: Just For Laughs, the Montreal Comedy Festival, is in July, and Ha Ha Ha, Toronto is in September. Don't forget to visit small towns for a dose of laughter, too. At Abbie's Gardens in Haliburton, check out Girls Nite Out. It is an all-female, all-fun stand-up and improv comedy trio featuring CBC darlings, Canadian Comedy Award winners, and Second City alumni!
9. With school being out for the summer, that blog post will come soon!
10. The Summer Day, by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
11. I'll leave you with a couple songs I'm currently digging that remind me of summer. For those who know me, these songs are not from the 80s this time. :)
Courtney Barneet - Write A List Of Things To Look Forward To