April 26, 2015

20 things I (really!) want to do this spring and summer!


The birds are chirping up their orchestral tunes, the daffodils are out in full force, and I have officially worn open toed shoes for the first time this year! We're a month into spring already and suddenly, exquisitely, majestically, and so very beautifully, there is an almost hyper-abundance of things to do and see and savour again for the first time in many, many months.

If our plans aren't already set in motion beforehand, as the weekend draws nears, Tony or I will usually ask the other person what we might want to do on Saturday and Sunday. The answers can range from yard saling to fishing, thifting to the farmer's market, just depending on which one of is doing the replying. Fortunately we're both great at splitting our free time amongst each other's passions, while also sharing in many of the same ones (say for example, attending auctions or sitting on the beach in our camping chairs and watching the onion skin hued sun be swallowed up for the evening by the sagebrush covered Okanagan hillside) and that ensures that our weekend are usually a blast.

This time around when Tony posed the question to me on Friday, my mind didn't just stop at the coming two days, instead it shot off into a rapid fire Hollywood movie worthy montage of many of the fabulous things that I want to do, not just right here and now, but throughout the coming weeks and months that will fill the sublimely warm seasons of spring and summer.

This flip book of activities that these two can house is as good as endless, especially if you happen to live near water or other highly inviting landscape features. It can have a thousand pages, or just a few that you revisit time and time again, taking to heart like the lyrics of your favourite summer songs. The following are twenty that are topping my list this year and that I sincerely hope are able to come to fruition!


20 awesome things I really
want to do this spring and summer 




1. Test drive all of the great vintage, repro and vintage appropriate warm weather clothing I picked up over the course of the fall and winter and feature oodles of it here in future outfit posts.



2. Watch the stars shine like a hundred billion sparkling fireflies from atop Apex Mountain on a hypnotically warm night.



3. Get so lost in the enchantingly loveliness of the season that I forget not only what time it is, but what day of the week it is, too!




4. Barbeque a lot. I mean risk wearing out the grill levels of barbequing.



5. Watch the twinkling, gorgeous Canada Day fireworks that are shot off over Okanagan Lake down at the beach.



6. Try to spend at least a few minutes, but ideally an hour or more, outside every single day.



7. Think of my Halloween costume well in advance October and then start making and/or buying the necessary elements.




8. Go fishing with my honey. He fishes, I lounge on the dock and converse with him, and delight in each and ever dragonfly that lands for the quickest of pulses, on my bare, suntanned skin.



9. Get said suntan without burning to a crisp first. Easier said than done when you scorch faster than a piece of toast, even after being slathered with industrial grade SPF!



10. Fly a kite! I was probably 12 or 13 the last time I did so.



11. Have a bonfire, complete with marshmallows (and thus naturally, s'mores) at the beach (own town allows you do so in some areas).



12. Visit the traveling carnival (midway/fair) when it's in town (it's almost a running joke how often, despite madly wanting to do so, I end up missing it, usually due to my health).


13. Go on at least one road trip, even if it's just a weekend long getaway. My immense sense of wanderlust is usually strongest during these sublimely lovely months of the year, thanks in no small part, I'm sure to the fact it was when my parent took us on holidays around the province when I was a youngster.


14. Picnic like it's going out of style!


15. Buy some coloured chalk and let my inner five year sidewalk artist run free.



16. Come the early days of August, watch the Peach Festival Parade on Main Street (I haven't been in over half my lifetime!).



17. Put the frozen yogurt maker we bought at the end of last summer though its paces!



18. Take a houseboat cruise ride on Okanagan Lake for the first time (how I've gone 30 years without doing so before is beyond me!).



19. Attend our town's toe-tappingly fun annual square dance festival.



20. Camp!!! (After all, it is an in-tents experience! :D)



{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}


♥ ♥ ♥



I know that there's a very real chance I won't get to everything on my list, modest sized though it may be, this spring and summer, but even just having these desires down on virtual paper makes the possibility of them turning into something tangible seem all the more likely.

Chances are, for every one that does happen, ten marvelous unplanned or very last minute activities, invitations, feasts, and trips (even if that word is simply used to describe a five minute drive somewhere) will occur and come the last days of summer, when summer gets ready to hand the torch over to autumn, I'll look back on these months and smile ear-to-ear.

Spring and summer never disappoint (see 2012's post 25 reasons to love summer for some of my personal favourite reasons why that rings true for me). Even when the going gets tough in my daily life, something about sunlight until nearly 10 pm, the ability to walk barefoot in warm-as-oatmeal sand, the wearing of sundresses and strappy sandals, the consuming of light, fresh fair for nearly every meal, and the treasure trove of memories that this time of the year houses all ensure that it's worth jumping out of bed in a happy-go-lucky mood, no matter what you might have planned - or not – for the day.

So tell me, my dears, what's calling your name this spring and summer? Will you be mapping your every move, taking it nice and easy, or - as I tend to do - balancing the two to create a generous stretch of months so lovely they make every last icicle, snow bank, and extra woolen layer of winter worth it a thousand times over.

Here's to the prospect of all that this half of the year holds in store for each of us - may it be a spring and summer to delight in and cherish the memory of forever!

66 comments:

  1. Another terrific post, my dear! You are a constant source of inspiration, sweet friend! I think I may have thought "I want to do that too!" to just about every item you listed.
    We too annually go to carnivals, parades (ours is call Old Settlers),& fireworks (Independence Day). {Well actually we don't always make it to all of them. It seems like when we were kids we never missed one. Why is it that now we're grown we attend fewer & fewer of these festivities?}
    I'd dearly love to go camping & fishing this summer too. We went ALL THE TIME when I was a kid. It's been a few years since we've gone...
    I'd love to take a little road trip too. {Though, I'm not a very good traveler - I'm rather a homebody & I love MY bed. Day trips are really best for me.}
    One thing for sure I'll be doing a lot of - flea markets & antique sales!

    Well thanks so much for getting the wheel turning in my mind on all the delightful things to do this Spring & Summer! You're an inspiration!
    Have a lovely weekend, Hun!
    {hugs}
    Michelle ^_^
    Delightful Handwork

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    1. Thank you so very much, my lovely friend, that is an extremely touching thing to be told. I love knowing that my posts speak to you so deeply and look forward to reading any and all that you pen which were inspired by my own entries here.

      Your list is fantastic - one can't help but smile and feel seasonally festive while reading it. Goodness, that's a great point about attending less festivities and the like now that we're grownup. I guess the demands of adult life trump having good old-fashioned fun sometimes, other commitment takes up our time, we are too tired at the end of the day to head out again, and similar things account for why such is the case for a lot of folks. Still, I think we would all be well served by focusing on having fun more often. It's one of the best cures for stress and just makes you feel young at heart, which is always awesome.

      Thank you so much again for your fantastic comment. I really hope that you and your family are able to make it out a road trip this year, too.

      Tons of hugs & joyful wishes for the week ahead,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Like you, I love Spring and Summer...in addition, I have a pretty high tolerance for heat, so that probably influences my love for the tropics quite a bit. Now that it's comfortable to be outside here I'm constantly feeling the urge to bring a book and a snack to the park and have myself a little picnic.

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    1. Though it does drain me more and can be quite hard on some of my conditions (just as winter can be on certain others), I absolutely love the summer heat as well, particularly dry heat of the sort that (thankfully) our neck of the woods specializes in. Last summer we got up to at least 42 C for a couple of days and I genuinely loved it. A lot of people look at me like I have bats flying out of my ears when I say that, but it's the honest to goodness truth. I think I need high heat to help defrost me after a seven month winter! :)

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment. I hope you're able to get in plenty of fun picnics this spring and summer.

      ♥ Jessica

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  3. I'm with you, Jessica! A barge of plans are usually the sign of enthusiasm for a coming season. I feel the same way. Let's fly kites and have fun!

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  4. I love this list, sweet Jessica! There are so many things you mentioned that I'd love to do (spend more time outside, picnic, watch the stars), but many of those activities are infinitely better with someone you love. That's not to say I'll put off doing them, but there is something romantic about summertime, isn't there? I can't wait to see all of your adventures this summer!

    xox Sammi

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    1. Hi lovely Sammi, thank you very much for your great comment. Good point. There are certain activities each season that lend themselves better to being done with two or more people, but that isn't to say that most of them can't still be savoured and enjoyed every bit as much when one is flying solo. Perhaps because I'm Canadian, I think of winter as being the most romantic season (all that cuddling up and trying to stay warm inside has a romantic quality to it, as does the serenity of watching snow fall, IMO), but summer excels there, too.

      What are some of your favourite things to do in the summer on your own or with a gal pal? I adore taking a good, thick book and comfy blanket to the beach or woods (near our house) and reading and/or meditating for hours on end, hitting the local thrift stores on foot solo, and taking long walks with my camera in hand are some of my favourite things to do by myself in the spring and summer.

      I really hope that the warmer half of the year is stellar for you, sweet dear!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica


      ♥ Jessica

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  5. I'm so excited for summer! It already feels like summer here in Florida and I think I'll have to do some of these things you've added to this delightful list this summer. They all sound marvelous!

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    1. That must be fantastic! The weather actually took a nosedive here this weekend. We woke today to 2 C/35 F temps, though it has warmed up a little since. Thankfully no snow though and I'm sure this is just a temporary cold front.

      I hope you and your husband have a fantastic, fun filled spring and summer!

      ♥ Jessica

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  6. Open toed shoes! How wonderful ... I live in hope. Still boots here. England is so misty nearly all the time, and then for just a few weeks glorious. My list of things to do grows ever longer each year, but it is always good to have plans and dreams. I second many of yours! I'm hoping to make more time for my small garden, plant some trees for birds and some wild flowers for the Bees. I go on /sprinkling' trips round the countryside throwing wild flower seeds out into the meadows. x

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  7. The excitement of the spring and an impending summer is palpable, Jessica! I hope you get to do this much and more. I'm also trying to collect natural sunlight daily (without getting my fair skin burnt to a crisp). And I'd love to have a bonfire too!

    <3 Jackie @ Let's Go Thrifting

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  8. I think you've essentially described most people's ideal summer! I want to do everything on your list, it all looks like fun! I got really into picnics last year and can't wait to do them again. I'm less of a fan of barbecues as the rain tends to interfere with them here - you pick a day to do it, get all the meat, then end up putting it all in the oven! Whereas picnics are a bit more spontaneous... I can't wait to get to the seaside again either, particularly as I've got a new place to stay for free this year, right on the coast, thanks to some kind relatives :D just need the weather now - c'mon sunshine! I hope you get to do all, if not then most, of what's on your list :) CC x

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  9. I love summer, my favourite season. The sun makes me happy and joyful! Reading your list got me thinking about all the things I want to do this summer. Wearing pretty dresses and sitting in fields looking up at the blue sky and fluffy clouds. Being by the sea and collecting shells. The thing that stood out to me most on your list was watching the carnival. Carnival day is always a big event in our family. We all watch the floats go by whilst throwing pennies at them, go on the fair then all meet together as a big family. It's great, I hope you manage to achieve most of the things on your list this summer!! Xx

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    1. It is such a joyful time of the year! Not only is it warm and beautiful, but I find that it tends to put most folks in a better mood. I'm an upbeat, happy person 99% of the time, so I really enjoy it when more of the population is the same way, too. :)

      Your list is absolutely lovely, too. I haven't collected seashells since I was a wee little kid. It would be tons of fun to do so again, if we happen to find ourselves at the sea this spring or summer.

      Thank you for your great comment, honey. I hope you have a summer that is every bit as sweet as you are.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  10. Sounds like an awesome list. heres to hoping you not only achieve but have a blast doing each and every one of them this summer!

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  11. Wow, that's a fun list! I'll have to make my own and see how many I actually do. It's been sandal weather and sleeveless dresses for awhile now in Southern California. I'm truly blessed to live exactly one walking mile to the beach. Your own list has inspired me to get creative and get outside. Xx ChristyByTheSea

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    1. Thank you sweetly, dear Christy. My stance goes along the lines of, if summer can't be fun, than what hope do the rest of the seasons have? :) I hope you're able to enjoy a lot of fantastic events and simple pleasures this spring and summer, too, my sweet friend. Living that close to the beach sounds like paradise to this ocean loving lass!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. Dear Jessica,
    You fill heart with joy at the excitement in this post. I love that you embrace all the things you CAN do this spring and summer, not just dreams of traveling to distant lands. You make me want to run and create a list of my own, many items copying the very things you mentioned here. Fly a kite? Indeed! I was at the beach just two weeks ago on a particularly windy day and so many people were flying kites of all shapes, sizes, and colors and I thought... I haven't flown a kite since I was 8 or 9. I want to try this again! And draw with chalk? I loved that when I was a kid, and we should never forget the activites we embraced as children.
    But more so, you've made me just a bit jealous with the pictures you've painted of your lovely home town. And now I yearn to visit Canada and explore its many beautiful facets, just as I yearn to explore my own vast and varying country.
    Enjoy this summer and I can't wait to hear more of your explorations this season!

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    1. Sweet Shannon, thank you very much for your tremendously nice comment and touchingly kind words about my outlook on the seasons. I don't see many people flying kites any more. As a kid, it was one of my favourite simple pleasures in life. Me and my brother even tried to make our own from scratch with found items from our house, but they never really got wind (our experiments with black trash bags were as close as we came). It really didn't matter, building them was as fun as seeing them in the air (or not). Let's both really aim to fly a kite this summer.

      I really hope that you're able to visit Canada one day. It is a massive country. Rich in beauty and diversity, landscapes and experiences. I certainly haven't seen it all yet myself (no one could technically see all of it in one lifetime), but one of my biggest goals is to visit every province and territory while I'm on this earth. Five down (two of which I really want to revisit as my time in each was brief and what I saw, fairly limited), eight more to go (we have ten provinces and three territories here). If you ever have the good fortunate of heading to Canada, please let me know so that I can fill you in on any vintage related things I know in the area(s) you're going to visit.

      Thank you again for your stellar comment. Have a beautiful tail end of April!

      ♥ Jessica

      ♥ Jessica

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  13. Oh these all sound so fabulous Jessica!! I must admit that most of those are in my plans for summer also. My family always goes camping in the summer and our local square dance club will be holding lessons in a month so I am definitely looking forward to that:)
    -Madison
    www.1minniemuse.blogspot.com

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    1. Camping is the best! Sure, the Girl Guide in me factors into a play a bit, but I've always madly loved camping. Like, I could live in a tent and rough it in the wild pretty much 24/4/365, if my health would permit and I'd be - if you'll pardon a cheesy pun - a very happy camper in the process. The more connected with nature I am, the more joyful my heart and at peace my mind.

      Your summer plans sound great! How lovely that you have an active local square dance scene in your area, too.

      Have a beautiful spring & summer, dear gal!
      ♥ Jessica

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  14. Those all sounds lovely! Today I spent some time out in the garden pulling weekends and accidentally got a bit of a burn. I was working pretty hard so I took off my sweater and only had a tank top on, and no sunscreen. Oh well.

    I am actually looking into working abroad in Norway over the summer. It likely won't happen because of Visas and the scarcity of jobs in the area, but there is still a chance! Either way I will be going back to my new favorite place this summer :). I also am hoping to get some good sewing projects in.

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    1. Oh no, you poor thing! Sunburns are nothing short of pure evil. Burning faster than toast, I've had a few in my time, too, but thankfully not a truly serious one since I was 14. I got the very worst burn of my life that year and vowed to never (baring like if you were in an emergency situation and there was nothing you could do to get out of the sun) let it happen again. I wanted to curb my risk of sun cancer (and skin damage) at an early age and am happy to say that so far I've succeed. Fingers crossed that horrible burn never comes back to bite me on either of those fronts (especially cancer!).

      I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that you're able to find a summer job in Norway. That sounds like it would be a great experience.

      Big hugs & many thanks for your terrific comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. I love this list and the cute images! I really love fairs too!

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  16. Yes,Yes, Yes seize the day! or days in this case. Last year in the busyness of planning our daughters wedding I felt like I lost part of the year. At the time I kept thinking this and that needed doing but in hindsight it was my own fault that I let my summer slip away. A list like this would have kept me on track to enjoy summer fun while still allowing for what I really did need to get done for the wedding. Things are going to change this year my friend to enjoy whatever the days may bring. Rain or shine I'm determined and I've got the rubber boots and umbrella to prove it.

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    1. Goodness, do I know what you mean there. Rare is the year that I don't have parts - be it months, whole seasons, or longer - swallowed up by one important happening or another, that, when you look back, makes it feel as though those weeks (etc) slipped away in the blink of an eye.

      I truly hope you're able to enjoy spring and summer to the fullest this year, Debra, and that they're both amongst the nicest you've ever had.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. Inspirational post, dahlink! *lol* I just might have to steal some of your ideas...I certainly need to become a tourist in my own city (Toronto, Ontario) to suss out some of the things I've never seen in my 44 years here.
    My ideas of what I'd like to try and do? Wear some of my vintage hats (without looking TOO costume-y, that is), and start fashioning myself a little more 1930's - but not too authentically, I'd want to shoot myself if I ruined anything authenitic while wearing it! ;) I'd love to find a new position within my company, but there's so much competition out there it looks like that one may have to stew for a while longer. More art sounds fantastic! Perhaps I'll try dabbling in mixed-media...I'd love to try and create something with jewellery if I can, too. *ahem* Sewing something for once would be wonderful (procrastinator extraodinaire!!)... *lol*

    Heck, even if you can cross one of those thigns off your list you've accomplished something - no worries, life's too short for worrying! :)

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    1. There were so, so many things I wanted to do in Toronto during the six years we lived there, but were never able to (largely because I was in an atrociously bad state of health for most of that time, plus we didn't have a car). I could like you twenty things or more off the top of my head that I'd do if I was heading back for vacation. That is one of the lovely perks of big cities though - the abundance of things to do, new and old, undiscovered and firm favourites alike. I hope that you're able to cross many things off your own list this spring and summer, very much including sporting vintage hats. That's something I'm always in support of! :)

      I truly hope that you're able to find a new position in your company and wish you the very best of luck there.

      Agreed through and through, though as a natural born worrier, it can be hard to practice what I preach on that front. ;)

      Thanks for your great comment. Have a beautiful spring + summer!
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. Summer is my fav season and it seams the it will stay a while here in Down Under, QLD! Your post is fabulous dear Jessica!
    Your list is fabulous!
    http://inkandlacedesigns.blogspot.com.au/

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  19. I love your list, Jessica! In my case I unfortunately burn but rarely tan, and I love to spend a lot of time outside providing the heat and humidity are not too high. I hope you get to do (and enjoy) everything on your list! :)

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  20. My word, Jess.. Thesebare some marvelous ideas. I would not mind doing most of them.
    Unfortunately, I already spoiled the tanning one - burned like hollow-minded no-brainer. I was gardening hat-free.. in high noon.. with the UV index quite high. Now, I'm multicolored and itchy.. and here we are allowed to use otherwise ugly term: Red-neck. 😉

    May at least some of your plans come true... And it would be a great spring. 💕

    Marija

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    1. Thank you very much, dear Marija. Goodness, I'm sincerely sorry to hear that you got sunburned. Ouch!!! They're such dreadful, comfortable things. I got a horrific one (the worst of my life) when I was 14 and have done everything in my power to prevent them since. Save for a little pinkness on my face now and then, such as while watching an afternoon rodeo in a nearby community last May, I haven't had a full on sunburn since and hope I never do. Just as I hope that is your last, my sweet friend.

      Here's to a joyful next few months - sans (further) sunburns - for both of us!

      ♥ Jessica

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  21. What a delightful post and it gets me enthusiastic for summer even more! I find this post very inspirational and it might inspire me to write such a post on my blog aswell! There's sure a lot that I want to do.

    In my last post I wrote that I was had a hard time enjoying the summer of 2014 and I want to change that and enjoy the summer of 2015 more and twice as much!

    Have a marvelous day, Jessica!

    xx

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    1. That's awesome to know, dear Lindsay. I'm delighted to be able to help bolster your enthusiasm for the sunny half of the year all the more.

      With all my heart, I hope that you have a much happier, enjoyable, relaxing summer this time around.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  22. What a lovely list. :) I just adore your writing, this was so poetic, it made me smile. Do print your list and put it up on your fridge and every time your health and the weather is good, do something from your list and cross it over. At autumn you will be surprised how many lovely things you did. I will be looking forward to seeing all your summer outfits, dear. I cannot wait to wear my vintage and vintage style summer dresses either. Summer is so easy, just put on a dress and hop into a pair of sandals, and that's it. I want to be outside, I hope for nice weather this summer, to be able to work in my garden, but also to sit and knit in my vintage garden swing. I will drive my vintage car (which is a summer car only), we will ride DH's motorcycle, we will visit my tiny summer cottage at the weekends and during our holiday, I will love all the flowers and make simple bouquets for my living room, and I will soak up as much light as possible. Today I have a half day off, and will try on all my bikinis and bathing suits to see what to keep and what to donate to charity. I suppose I need a glass of champagne to do the job, ha! ;) Wishing you a lovely day, dear. :) XOXO from Denmark

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    1. That is a splendid idea, dear Sanne, thank you very much for both it and your wonderfully nice comment. We're a touch over a month into spring and I've already accomplished a lot, one biggie of which was setting up a large stall at a local classic car swap meet show here in town earlier this month. May is a fun month in general, in no small part thanks to the holiday (Victoria Day) long weekend towards the end, so I'd be willing to bet that at least a couple of these things will get checked off in the next few weeks. :)

      Your list of summertime activities sounds fantastic! You're so fortunate to have a cottage to get away to when the mercury is boiling. That's not something I've had the pleasure of experiencing before. It sounds like such a blast!

      So true! I bypass the issue by just not owning a swimsuit. :) (Okay, to be fair, I should get one again, but it would just be for show, as swimming is beyond the scope of my health unfortunately - shame, as I love it dearly.)

      From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a fun, fabulous, sunny, awesome summer!

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. I have a Miracle suit which I bought in the US three years ago, it is really fantastic. Try it. :) I'm not much of a swimmer either, and I always carry a sarong with me to cover up. Have I ever told you the story of my tiny cottage, here it is: http://samati.dk/pan/pan_uk.htm
      Wishing you a lovely day dear. :)

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    3. It's absolutely beautiful, my dear friend - and I so love that you even bestowed a name on your cottage. I love naming things as well. Thank you for sharing that link with me, as well as for the suggestion of a Miracle suit.

      I hope that you had a lovely day off yesterday and that all is well on your end as April comes to a close.

      Have a fantastic Thursday,
      ♥ Jessica

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  23. I should have a list like this, it makes you enjoy more the days and look foward to it :) The barbeque, bonfire (never had one :| ) and picnic will be on the top of my list -there is something about food and friends that make everything feels right ^^ Last year I was going to paint a wall in my house with a chalk paint effect and I let other things get in the way :\

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    1. Very much so!!! Summer and food go hand-in-hand. It's usually light, fun fare - not the kind that cooks for hours, but something quick, fresh and often fairly healthy (salads, fresh fruit, grilled fish, etc) that's thrown together on the fly and yet tastes like a secret family recipe, even if nature is the one who did almost all the work. :)

      I really hope you're able to get to everything on you list, dear gal, and this summer is a sensational, fun filled, and very happy one for you.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. Well, even though it's Autumn here (and in no time it will be winter) I think I would still like to spend some time outside soaking up the sun. It seams less harsh then, and it isn't really awfully cold outside unless it's morning. I look forward to spending time on all my little hobbies (curling up with a good book and painting), experimenting with winter clothes, maybe possibly cooking something, And burning some lovely scented candles.

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  25. P.S. that picture of the ferris wheel is awesome. And how rude of me to only mention myself in my last comment! I hope you get to tick off all the things on your list. I miss summer already!

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    1. That sounds like a great list of things to do this season, dear gal. I always make a beeline for my candles when autumn rolls around, too (albeit it usually in the bathroom with the door locked, to keep curious pets safe!).

      Please don't worry in the slightest. That's very considerate of you to say, but I hadn't thought as much for a split second. It's always wonderful to hear from you and about you, my dear.

      Have an absolutely beautiful autumn!
      ♥ Jessica

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  26. I love this list. What I want to do this summer is go up to New York City to the Bite Beauty Lip Lab and see if they can make me my perfect red lipstick! But I'm job-hunting and moving, too, so we'll see.

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    1. That sounds like such a cool experience!!! Fingers firmly crossed that they're able to create your perfect shade of crimson lipstick,

      Best of luck with your move + job hunt. That is a hefty combo to tackle at once (been there) and I truly hope that both go as smoothly and successfully as possible for you.

      Big hugs & many thanks for your lovely comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  27. What a wonderful list which makes me want to build my own list of things I want to do. I cannot wait to read about all your summer adventures and I really really hope you get to go the carnival this summer. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you!

    Liz :)

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    1. Aww, thank you, sweet Liz, that's really lovely of you to say.

      I hope that this summer is nothing short of flat out fantastic for you as well!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  28. Sounds great! Can't wait to see the test drives on all you new summery pieces!!!!

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  29. What an inspiring list, I agree with them all!
    I have already bought a picnic blanket and wicker basket that are sitting out proudly waiting to be used, as well as a book on picnic ideas I have been poring over for inspiration. I have also booked some tickets to watch old films in outdoor cinema's around London during the warm summer evenings and I cant wait... I am determined to make the most of this year, blog about it all and savour every moment.

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    1. How awesome! I'm trying to document my life more, too. Thankfully outfit posts help there a fair bit, but as I spend a lot more of my time indoors due to my health than out, I'm trying to think of ways to share more inside, too. Perhaps some posts about various parts of my vintage collection? Occasional how-tos? Just a bunch of blurry snaps of my pets? :D (The latter seems like the most probable.)

      I really hope that you have a splendid, fun filled spring and summer, sweet dear.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  30. My hope for you is that your dreams come true and that you do every single one of these things! You must put them on your calendar now! Do the ones that require the most advanced planning or that might be a challenge FIRST:-) Then completing the others will be a cinch! Best of spring wishes to you, as always!

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    1. Fantastic advice, dear Ann, thank you! If only I knew for sure when the fair was coming through town next (it usually corresponds with the August long weekend, but that isn't a given) - as that is really, really high up on my list. I'll just assume it will be swinging through again then and take things from there.

      I hope that you and your family have a positively splendid spring and summer!
      ♥ Jessica

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  31. Oh, yes to #6! Though I've given up completely on #9. It is Michael Jackson White or Lobster Red for me, with no in between...and while the red *does* make my green eyes look even greener, the pain and future wrinkles are just not worth it anymore. ;) Multiple glamourous wide-brimmed hats it is!

    The houseboat ride sounds like *such* fun! You'll have to watch the old movie "Houseboat" first and perhaps borrow a few children to make it even more thrilling. *ahem* It is funny you bring up sidewalk chalk...some of the kids around here use it on their driveways and sidewalks, so of course I can never resist playing hopscotch while walking Ben, when we come across the well-used scrawlings. I've been a bit tempted to buy a box of chalk myself, just for fun!

    We began such a list, though my husband's big work project is coming to a close, so things will be rather hectic until late July. We've also decided to put our house on the market within the month and find our dream house even if it means renting for a while, so that of course does interfere a bit with summer stuff, at least until we're semi-settled. Even so...summer is summer, and I just love it for all of the sunny outdoor opportunities it brings, and the bounty of things to do all over the place! I do hope the remainder of your spring and the entire summer are just a blast for you both. :)

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    1. I hear you there!!! I don't tan easily, but I burn faster than Kleenex over a campfire! If a tan happens for me, it is a gradual affair, gained in small increments. I can't even remember the last time that occurred though. Between the 60 - 100 SPF that I apply anytime I'm in the sun and the fact that I tend to avoid long periods of being in it during the sizzling months (because it zaps my already dangerously low at the best of times energy levels so much), a wee bit of colour on my face is usually as close to a tan as I come these days.

      How exciting that you're putting your house on the market. I wish you nothing but the best there and hope that you find a fantastic new abode. Moving is always a lot of work (and often stress), but summer is arguably one of the best times of the years to do so (move, I mean). Good weather, and long hours of daylight can be a real boon on the house hunting and relocating fronts.

      I hope that you and your family have a stellar spring and summer as well. This year has been a fairly long feeling one already and I'm so ready for the cheerful, lightheartedness that comes part and parcel with the sun-kissed months.

      Oodles of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  32. Flying a kite sounds like a wonderful idea ! It's something I have not done in so long…
    Today I rode a bike, last time I did that was years ago !

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  33. I hope that you get to do all of the things on this lovely list of yours. I like the sound of toasting marshmallows at the beach, the star watching and the boat ride. It has inspired me to start having a think about what I would like to do this summer. I quite often get put off outdoor things as I burn so easily but I will find ways to enjoy them in the shade!

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    1. Shade, sunscreen, long sleeves, straw hats, and taking advantage of evenings are my best tips there, as someone who also burns at the speed of light. I wonder sometimes, how different would the summer be if I had heartier skin and didn't burn easily? No doubt I'd have a better tan at the very least! :)

      I hope that you have a fun filled, wonderful summer (and birthday - can you believe that we're nearing that time again for both of us?), my lovely friend.

      Happiest start of May wishes!
      ♥ Jessica

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    2. I too wonder what summer would be like if I had inherited my dad's skin type rather than my mums. He hardly burns and goes brown at the slightest whiff of sun! We are such a contrast. I do need to find a good straw hat this year which will help. Gosh yes, birthday time coming up so quickly!

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    3. Lucky, dad! My sister has olive undertones to her skin (not sure where in the family tree that came from, probably my paternal grandpa) and burns far less easily than me or my brother, though he too has "thicker" skin than me. Thank goodness there are some great industrial strength sunscreens on the market for folks like you and I to avail of. I'd rarely venture out from May to September were it not for them!

      It really is! Part of me says "ugh", because it's like, "where did the last year go?!!!", but the part of me that always adores birthdays gets excited and trumps it. :D

      ♥ Jessica

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  34. You are so sweet and take joy in the smaller moments of life which is a rare gift indeed! I'm sure you will have oodles of wonderful experiences this spring:)

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    1. That's wonderfully sweet of you to say, dear Joanna. Thank you. I think that you have a natural affinity for appreciating and observing the small blessings and simple joys in life as well.

      Huge hugs & the happiest of May wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  35. I love your list, dear friend! The houseboat cruise ride sounds intriguing and delightful. Every once in awhile I get an urge to pull out the sidewalk chalk and do a bit of artwork myself, so I'm right there with you on that one!

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    1. It really does sound cool, I agree, and the more I think about it, the more I want to take a ride this summer, if possible. I've been on ferries, motor boats, and even canoes, but have never set foot on a houseboat to the best of my recollection, so it would have that fun perk of being a first to boot.

      I hope that you have a splendidly fun spring and summer!

      ♥ Jessica

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  36. All of these sound like fantastic fun! Even though summer is about halfway through I hope you've managed to scratch many of these off your list! :) I only had a few things I wanted, but I'm not as much of a summer fan as I am a fan of fall or spring.

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    1. Thank you, my dear. Tony going to work in the States this summer (which we didn't even know was going to happen when I penned this post) has certainly altered this list a bit, but some have happened and will continue to as the season rolls along. For example, my mom and I are going to go fly kites really soon, which I'm totally looking forward to!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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