Jul 282009
 

 

Some of my neighbors on an after-dinner outing!

Some of my neighbors on an after-dinner outing!

This summer sure has made me feel like a little kid.  First of all, it took forever to get here.  It wasn’t the end of school we were waiting for, instead we had to bide our time and wonder just when Mother Nature would start to cooperate and stop raining on us all!  Until that occurred, it just didn’t seem like summer, no matter what the calendar said!

 

Now that we are experiencing glorious New England summer days, I find myself thinking about ‘summer things.’  I’m fortunate to live in an area where kayaking, swimming, hiking, biking, campfires and dinner straight from the garden are the ‘norm’ this time of year.

On a recent trip to visit a friend (who lives in a more urban area) I passed by a drive-in movie – – in progress!  (Haven’t seen one of those in awhile.)  And if that wasn’t enough, during my visit we bought ice cream from a ‘ding-a-ling’ truck, splashed in a kiddie pool and heard an outdoor concert.

Summer’s longer daylight hours can be a great incentive to “lighten up” on your family’s schedule a bit and try some new things.  Or maybe return to some things you ‘used to’ do.  Re-connect.  Change your perspective.

Late afternoon and early evening, after the heat of the day, is a great time to take an extra-long walk or bike ride.  You may go as far and fast as you can for exercise – or take a more social route, stopping and chatting with neighbors along the way.

Camping is another great choice – even if it means making a tent out of the kitchen table and a bed sheet!  (It still allows kids an opportunity to read by flashlight when they’re supposed to be sleeping!)

You could invent a summer holiday, develop a ‘tour’ of your town or surrounding area, read bedtime stories under the stars…..

Tell us, please, how is your family spending these lovely ‘extra’ daylight hours?

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