I measure my life in how many summers I’ve lived. This was a very good summer, filled with simple pleasures. It got me thinking about a checklist of things I enjoy about summer.
- climbing on top of a mountain—√ – Mt. Muller in the Olympic National Forest
- dancing to live music—× – not yet, but I am planning to go to Bumbershoot this weekend
- feel 90°+ heat—√ – in Wenatchee
- going on a bicycle ride with someone—√ – we went on the Bainbridge Island Studio Tour
- going to a baseball game—√ – I have been witness to the Mariners’ dismal season
- going to a pot luck—√ – several
- having a conversation around a camp fire—√ – while camping with friends on the Skagit river
- kayaking for an afternoon—√ – from Winslow to Blakely Rock and back
- picking and eating fruit—√ – one little blackberry
- riding a water slide—√ – at the local pool. Also hit the √rope swing and the √high and √low diving boards.
- riding an amusement park ride—× – the problem with those rides is that they’re surrounded by hassle
- see a blockbuster matinee—× – I’ve seen a good many of them, but none during the day.
- seeing animals in the wild—√ – several: eagles, rabbits, deer, snakes, porpoises, orca, coyote, and numerous insects and birds
- seeing the sunrise—× – sadly, no
- sleeping overnight in a tent—√ – on two trips
- sleeping overnight on a boat—× – I still could, but it would be a boat sitting in a driveway
- staying up all night—× – does this mean I’m getting old?
- swimming in a lake—√ – in Lake Wenatchee
- swimming in the ocean—× – it didn’t ever get warm enough this summer to brave the chilly waters of the Salish Sea
- watching a drive-in movie—× – there are two drive-in theaters less than an hour away, but I didn’t do this because of car/radio problems
I still have a couple of days left. Maybe I can check off a few more items.
What is on your summer checklist?