Summer has officially begun. We marked the solstice with a bonfire and our first campout, which felt like a great way to celebrate–although I have to admit the reality of sleeping on an air mattress is not so great.
Ellie is done school and, like last year, I’ve made the decision to “do summer.”
There’s been a bit of an adjustment to being around each other all the time. But we’ve had picnics, playgrounds, and water fights. Met up with friends, visited a local festival, worked in the gardens, picked strawberries, had family parties, watched hay baling and kept an eye on the patio construction. There have been late nights and sleeping in.
We’re off to a great start (air mattresses aside), and I’m looking forward to soaking up the season.
Here are some other things I’ve been up to this month.
I reread one of my favourite books of all time. It’s still wonderful.
Donating to a land trust, with a twist
“The last demographic that progressive people still mock with impunity.”
I bought a basic soaker hose at the dollar store last year, and it’s been great in our garden. I also have these quick connectors for changing fittings quickly.
Are your most important relationships getting your leftovers?
In case you were wondering, strawberry icing on chocolate cupcakes is a good idea.
This week, we’re finishing off June with wrapping up our patio. I am not so patiently waiting to set up the furniture. The reveal will be coming soon.
Home on 129 Acres 
I am definitely too old to be sleeping on an air mattress! Unless it’s one of those really deep ones, like two feet deep…
I enjoyed the story of the family who bought land with their friends, and lived on it every summer. What rich memories for their kids!
That Barbara Kingsolver book sounds interesting and also painful. The divide between urban and rural folks is getting wider all the time. I’m an urban dweller and also quite leftist, politically, but I’ve often thought about the huge disconnect that exists in left wing attitudes – fighting against sexism, homophobia, racism etc. on the one hand, while not challenging this incredible level of disrespect towards rural people on the other. No wonder those on the right are angry and sick of the hypocrisy.
I saved the strawberry icing recipe. Shae loves strawberry flavoured things, and it looks amazing! Did you try it?
I think a lot of people on the left (speaking for a general mass) miss a lot. Our politics (and I share yours) are about being inclusive, but we can be very dismissive of certain groups. Or draw lines for certain situations. It ends up being very hypocritical.
We did try the icing. It was very good.