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June 21, 2010
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101 Things to Love About Summer

marilyn-monroe-reading

To be completely honest, summer isn’t my favorite season. In fact, for me, at least, summer needs more of a public relations campaign than winter. I wilt in the heat and have been known to get a bit grumpy when I’m hot. But I do love to cool down with a cold glass of wine in the shade and keep things airy in cotton poplin sundress. So, in order to celebrate what the season does have to offer, here’s a list of many of the season’s charms:

  1. lemonade stands
  2. whirring vintage fans
  3. sundresses
  4. fireflies
  5. wildflowers by the highway
  6. s’mores
  7. easy grilled dinners
  8. summer thunderstorms
  9. the long, lingering daylight hours
  10. fireworks
  11. marching bands in parades
  12. linen
  13. the return of Mad Men
  14. cold watermelon
  15. napping in a hammock
  16. sunglasses as headbands
  17. the smell of sunscreen on kids
  18. farmer’s markets at their most glorious
  19. a chelada on a hot day
  20. picnics
  21. daytrips to the beach (and the reminder of it with sand everywhere)
  22. iced tea in mason jars
  23. espadrilles
  24. bocce
  25. swimming
  26. halter top strings dangling down your back
  27. outdoor movies
  28. long hikes in the cool, quiet woods
  29. sandcastles
  30. wavy, sexy beach hair
  31. saltwater taffy
  32. camping
  33. drippy ice cream cones
  34. yoga outside
  35. easy entertaining on your porch or in your backyard
  36. lying on a floating wooden platform in the middle of a lake
  37. croquet with a pimm’s cup
  38. kids playing in sprinklers and open fire hydrants
  39. street fairs
  40. horseshoes
  41. a fresh pedicure tucked into fancy sandals
  42. Lillet on the rocks with a slice of orange
  43. so-golden-you’d-never-know fake tans
  44. visiting national parks
  45. outdoor concerts
  46. sno-cones
  47. big, floppy hats
  48. canoeing
  49. sheer, pretty make-up
  50. vacation, staycation, or just giving yourself a quick relaxation break
  51. iced coffee
  52. the sounds of the ice cream truck
  53. raffia, jute, and straw anything
  54. braids
  55. eating outside
  56. sleeping in tents (in the backyard or the wilderness)
  57. crisp, cool cotton sheets, dresses, and shirts
  58. the seasonal return of rosé
  59. going to a baseball game
  60. fresh basil and mint growing on your windowsill
  61. homemade posicles
  62. sunny days = sunnier moods
  63. blowing bubbles
  64. getting lost in a juicy novel for an afternoon
  65. water balloons
  66. car wash fundraisers
  67. rooftop parties
  68. road trips (and kitschy roadside attractions)
  69. corn dogs
  70. frisbee
  71. the ripest, most luscious tomatoes
  72. collecting seashells
  73. mini golf
  74. lobster rolls
  75. state fairs (and food on sticks)
  76. flea markets and antique fairs
  77. staying inside when you’ve had too much sun, blasting the a/c, and watching movies
  78. retro bathing beauty swimsuits
  79. country church suppers
  80. pretending to be Amèlie on Bastille Day
  81. driving with the top down
  82. crickets
  83. the sound of lawn mowers
  84. open windows
  85. kids in sunglasses
  86. sand between your toes
  87. sitting in the shade on a hot day
  88. the sound of ocean waves
  89. blackberries
  90. a cool breeze on a hot day
  91. flip flops
  92. the smoky smell of people barbecuing in the evenings
  93. relaxed attitudes
  94. surfing
  95. spotting hot air balloons
  96. skinny dipping
  97. dogs with their heads out car windows, tongues wagging
  98. bicycles built for two
  99. snorkeling
  100. neighborhood block parties
  101. the weightlessness of floating with the sun on your face

What did I miss?

image via LIFE

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Comments

  • Emily: GREAT list–and love that pic!1 year ago

  • The ultimate fox + reading + highwaisted shorts + bikini top = summer bombshell!1 year ago

  • Megan: 102. waking up to natural sunlight
    103. hydrangeas blossoming
    104. kale at the farmer’s market
    105. outdoor movies

    curious as to why you put fake tans on the list, when there are real ones to be had!1 year ago

  • Erin: 106. raspberries
    107. my abundant garden
    108. less lawn mowing :)
    109. mojitos1 year ago

  • Erin: 110. being barefoot
    111. going for a late, cool, evening walk after a hot day
    112. going to the mall or department stores to wander and soak up the a/c
    113. sun warmed fresh picked strawberries1 year ago

  • Cadi: 110. teaching the little ones how to make smores on a camping trip
    111. long lazy canoe trips
    112. eating drippy peaches over the kitchen sink1 year ago

  • Cadi: I obviously didn’t type fast enough – should be 114-116! :) Happy Summer!1 year ago

  • Leah: 116 (approx). Nostalgia! Somehow summer always sends me back to childhood memories of the beach, my girlfriends, crushes, the red gingham bikini I had when I was 16, and moments of being perfectly happy…1 year ago

  • Katie @ cakes, tea and dreams: LOVE this list. I need to make my own!1 year ago

  • anne: I live for summer! Love your list!1 year ago

  • Hydrangeas! Drippy peaches! Raspberries! Yes! Yes! Yes!1 year ago

  • KBG in DC: 117: sparkly flip flops
    118: porch swings
    119: Homemade pesto (from all that windowsill basil!)
    120: daisies1 year ago

  • Lori Q: Fresh green beans, corn on the cob and family reunions.1 year ago

  • Michelle Kraetschmer: 121. the smell of night-blooming flowers
    122. the call of seagulls
    123. tan-lines
    124. berry-picking in the woods
    125. reading poetry on the porch on sleepy afternoons
    126. hummingbirds at our feeder
    127. bonfires
    128. sleeping under just a sheet on a hot night
    129. a child’s first experience of a boardwalk at the beach
    130. cold, buttery chardonnay in an elegant glass
    131. and…dare I say it: the tickl-ey feeling of getting your back peeled after that first day of too-much-sun!1 year ago

  • Meredith from Penelope Loves Lists: I agree, summer isn’t as great as winter. I struuuuuuugle with the heat and that makes me cranky.

    Thanks for this list, though. I need to re-jigger my perspective.1 year ago

  • Bethany: 132. summer school and a test every week. oh wait, I’m just kidding.
    132. (really) a glass of white wine after said summer school tests with a fresh ceviche dinner.
    133. cold showers that feel good when it is 101 degrees outside.
    134. hours and hours of daylight.
    135. all the available parking spaces on campus1 year ago

  • Stacey Stardust: I wilt in the heat and have been known to get a bit
    grumpy when I’m hot.

    Me too! It actually makes me dread summer a bit. So props to you for finding a 101 (!) positive things about summer – and thanks for reminding me that there’s plenty to love about this season as well.1 year ago

  • Jaime: Perfect summer post! For me- sitting on a pool float, enjoying the sunshine on my face, & country concerts!1 year ago

  • dru: Fireflies.
    The smell of suntan lotion
    Rodeos1 year ago

  • Suellen: This list made me smile! I especially love #74. Thank you!
    Happy summer!1 year ago

  • EB: Corn dogs?! I knew I liked you for a reason!1 year ago

  • Sarah F: Summer lavender.
    TrueBlood!
    Cabbage roses
    Peonies1 year ago

  • molly: Ha! Great minds. I’m so with you on winter (curmudgeon though it makes me look right about now). And I’ve been keeping my own list, to keep me seen in this sun. So far, so good. And so grateful for a few more ideas!1 year ago

  • Marlies: Just love your blog! It’s adorable!1 year ago

  • Christine S.: Sangria, lots of it, ‘nuf said!1 year ago

  • Ellen: Cardinal and Little League baseball! Cadi-definitely the drippy peach over the kitchen sink! Such a great list Sarah!1 year ago

  • Albert: Oh I love this list…so romantic! It’s everything I appreciate about summer also. Right now I especially like #94 on your list. Three words: surfing, surfing, SURFING!1 year ago

  • Rhonda: mojito’s, the cool ocean breeze, flip flops and beach towns31 weeks ago

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