Summertime, Summertime, Sum Sum Summertime!

What's not to love about this time of year?  Here is a little rundown of some of my top reasons for loving the summer season...

1.  Waking up easily to chirping birds and the first early rays of sunlight making their way through my bedroom window- no blaring alarms here, nature is doing the job quite nicely

2.  Long days that melt away into warm evenings, complete with lightning bugs roaming through the yard and my sweet pup happily chasing them around

3.  The smell of sunscreen-  there will never be another smell like that of buttery coconuty suntan lotion that so instantly and decidedly takes me to a summery place

4.  A fresh spray of freckles across my nose and my knees- yes, summer has a special way of restoring what the other seasons fade

5.  Gardens full of fresh vegetables and fresh flowers, and plenty of plump bumble bees doing their jobs to help make sure the plants reach their full glory

6.  Trips to the pool and slow lazy afternoons to enjoy catching up on a good book while my husband relives his childhood in the water

7.  Buzzing whirls of a ceiling fan moving the air just enough to stir up the perfect little breeze 

8.  Eating dinner outside on the deck each night, soaking up the end of day sun and enjoying the new shade of our growing birch trees

9.  Discovering myself- I never knew how much I loved laying in the grass, tending to my flowers, and making fresh lemonade- but I do. 

10.  Weekend road trips- “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” -Dalai Lama