Summertime is the best time for cheap thrilling, don’t you agree?
I feel like the whole world opens up once the sun finally comes out here in Portland. I blink twice, and suddenly we’ve gone from cozy little hibernators to social crazy folks- filling our days with hikes and bikes and concerts and cold beverages and general loveliness. And, bless their sunny little hearts, most summertime activities are cheap! Some are free! It’s the best thing ever!
I know you don’t all live here, but I’m sharing anyway. Not all these activities are Portland exclusive, though some of them are probably worth coming to visit me for. Today’s cheap thrill challenge? Adopt my summer bucket list, or make a list of your own, and get out there and live your life while the sun is shining!
Summertime Bucket List
1. Eat dinner in a park at least twice a month.
2. Ride my bike whenever my car isn’t absolutely necessary.
3. Hike somewhere amazing and stand under a waterfall. Freeze.
4. Go on walks for no reason.
5. Sit in the backyard and read for hours in the afternoon at least once a week. Feel no guilt.
6. Sleep under the stars at least once.
7. Do one thing I’ve never done before.
8. Practice using the library to feed my backyard reading habit. Return books on time.
9. Attend as many things in parks as possible, including (but not limited to) Star Trek in the Park, Shakespeare in the Park, and Mt. Tabor’s Concerts in the Park. Bring bread, cheese, olives, and blueberries, wear a cute dress, and feel ohsodelightfully fabulous.
10. Go to a pool party. Wear an actual bathing suit.
11. Host at least two theme parties. Preferably a fiesta and a southern-inspired picnic (mint juleps, fried chicken, big hats, “I do declare!” exclamations, etc.)
12. Decide what I’m making everyone for Christmas. Cringe a little.
13. Grow food! Cycle new crops in as the season progresses. Eat what we grow.
14. Dine on patios. Specifically Rontoms, Palace of Industry, and the Kennedy School.
15. Put my toes in the ocean once a month.
16. Remember to take pictures at the Oregon Country Fair. (I’ve never been, but Fav is a huge fan. Wish me luck!)
17. Watch West Side Story at Flicks on the Bricks. Sing along.
18. Send greeting cards to three people for no reason. Not particularly seasonally dependent, that one.
19. Sing songs around a campfire.
20. Avoid sunburn. All summer long. We’ll see how well that goes.
Lovely friends, I’d love to hear your summertime bucket lists. I hope each of your summers is full of all of the things that make you your absolute happiest.
love.
Photo by the incomparable Shannon Hannon.
Mine isn’t nearly as creative as yours, but here goes…
********
Sit in the yard and read and knit without guilt…and be thankful for the Kindle which allows me to do both at the same time.
Play lots and lots of fetch with the pups.
Plant lots of flowers to enjoy, preferrably ones that I can cut to enjoy indoors.
Eat from my garden, without letting anything go to waste.
Wear lots of dresses. (Note to self, must buy more dresses.)
Treasure every moment I can wear sandals.
Find some sunglasses that make me feel fabulous.
Avoid sunburn, but get a bit of color (and then make a dermatologist appt for January, just to be safe).
Knit my mom a sweater for her birthday.
Practice photography in my backyard.
Practice photography anywhere outdoors.
Find more excuses to “go to town” and enjoy the wonder that is Portland. (Must find some friends to do this with.)
Enjoy yummy summer brews.
Grill out as often as possible.
Eat lots of fruits and veggies from local growers.
Attend a Farmers Market at least twice each month.
Thank God for every day of sun that He blesses us with.
********
That was fun! Thanks for the inspiration. ~Melissa
This. Sounds. Perfect. And now I need a Kindle. 😉
Okay here is mine but it for a couple years, not just the summer:
1. Parachute out of a plane. (if i break something, the rest of the list is null and void!)
2. Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
3. Work on handmade Christmas presents or at least start to think about them.
4. See grandbabies as much as possible. Adults kids also.
5. Keep working on my garden and not slack and let the weeds take over.
6. Go to Bend, even if i have to camp. :^(
7. stay out of the sun since apparently now sunblock doesnt work
8. Make a few appointments with doctors that I have been avoiding.
9. Open all the windows in the house and ENJOY!
10. Visit my mom in Arkansas
11. Visit Hall in Washington.
I love it! I definitely want to be there to watch this skydiving happen… you’re going to think it’s soooo amazing! Eeeee! Let’s go tomorrow. 😉