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10 of My Favorite Things About Summer

10 of My Favorite Things About Summer, Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash

I’m a fan of summer. Perhaps you love summer, too. While I enjoy something about every season, summer remains my top pick.

Since enjoying this wonderful season is well under way, a top 10 list seems in order to share my favorite things. 

We’ll start at number 10 and countdown to my number one favorite thing.

(10.)  Reminiscing of childhood.

Reflecting on my childhood stirs a mix of good and not-so-good memories. Yet, when I think of summer, I remember fun and laughter and joy-filled moments. Memory lane reminds me of playing outside with my sisters and cousins.

Preteen and teen years meant days spent at the local swimming pool and the first time I jumped off the high dive. Another memory leads to number 9. 

(9.)  Catching lightning bugs.

Called fireflies or lighting bugs, these winged insects start appearing in June and are seen lighting up around dusk and nightfall. Recently, my grandson Foster spent the night. So I recreated this childhood favorite with him by catching lightning bugs and putting them n a mason jar. He insisted I do the catching while he cheered, “Go, Mimi, go!”

(8.)  Connection and Community Events.

Summer naturally gets us out and about in our neighborhoods, our towns and cities, and attending local events. Examples include: neighborhood yard sales or block parties, music and other festivals, county fairs, and community mission and outreach projects. Also, there’s day camps and programs just for kids.

(7.)  A blooming flower garden. 

My front yard sports the cutest flower garden. Encircled with stones, a small tree sitting in the center, the garden showcases several types of flowers. Blooms of stargazers/oriental lilies, African daisies, purple irises, and yellow day lilies. I enjoy weeding, watering, and caring for them to display all their glory. 

(6.)  Outdoor recreation.

No other season provides such great opportunities for outside play time: parks, sports, swimming, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, water games, biking, hiking, walking, picnics, and so much more.

(5.)  Slower rhythm of life. 

Sure, life happens in every season. Yet, for many of us, summer life is slower, more laid-back, and lazy—not ignore-your-responsibilities lazy. But like the “lazy river” at a water park…relaxing while gently floating along with a slower current.

And unless your children attend a year-round school, summer means a break from studies. However, as His children, the good Lord teaches us worth-while lessons when the rhythm of life is slow.

Like resting our weary minds and souls in Him. Or, slowing down and not running through life at breakneck speed.

The good Lord teaches us worth-while lessons when the rhythm of life is slow. Like resting our weary minds and souls in Him and not running through life at breakneck speed. #summer #jesus Click To Tweet

(4.)  Warm temperatures. 

10 of My Favorite Things About Summer, Photo by Anna Demianenko on Unsplash

It’s true, I’m a warm-weather girl. Although sweltering temps and unbearable humidity is not desirable, I prefer warmer temperatures to the frosty digits in the dead of winter. Think about it, have you ever heard anyone say, The dead of summer. Not me. Warmth and the season brings growth and life. So give me 70, 80, and 90 degrees anytime over 10, 20 or 30 degrees.

(3.)  Camping.

As I type this blog post, my husband and I are camping at one of our favorite campgrounds in the mountains of North Carolina. Our camp site is beside a small creek. Listening to the water trickle over rocks during the day and especially at night inside our little camper is part of heaven on earth. I hear it’s soothing sound right now.

We cook our meals. We enjoy a campfire and roast marshmallows. And sometimes go to local attractions. Campers camp in the spring and fall. But summer is a busy and favorite camping season.

(2.)  Trips/vacations.

Our family loves to go on trips throughout the year, particularly in the summer. Though we used to go to the beach in July, the last few years we went in May right before summer officially started. But that’s never our last hoorah when it comes to trips. The Smoky mountains is a favorite place to visit Gatlinburg and Dollywood theme park. Just being together makes every trip special.

(Drumroll please.)

(1.)  Long summer days. 

The extended amount of daylight makes my number one spot on the list. In my neck of the woods—east Tennessee—sunset happens around 9:00 PM. This makes for long daylight hours. There are many tasks, activities, work, and more we accomplish when light hangs around longer than usual.

But when my son was young and bedtime came early, he never understood how it was bedtime without darkness. “Mom, it’s not nighttime yet, the sun is still out.” And he had a valid point. In Genesis, God created the heavens and earth. Then, the Lord created light.

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Genesis 1:3-5, NIV)

Furthermore, it reminds me how Jesus is the light of the world and in God is no darkness at all. 

The long daylight hours of summer remind me how Jesus is the light of the world and in God is no darkness at all. #summer #lights #topten Click To Tweet

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5, NIV)

Your Summer Favorites

What’s some of your favorite summer things?

If you missed it, here’s my blog post, How to Laugh and Play More as a Family.

10 of My Favorite Things About Summer, Photo by Ethan Robertson on Unsplash

*Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:

Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Kingdom Bloggers/Literacy Musings/Tell His Story/Purposeful Faith/Abounding Grace/Welcome Heart/Recharge Wednesday/Porch Stories/Destination Inspiration/Worth Beyond Rubies/Tune in Thursday/Sitting Among Friends/Heart Encouragement/Embracing the Unexpected/Fresh Market Friday/Faith On Fire/Dance With Jesus and Faith and Friends.

This post has been featured over at Grace & Truth.


© 2019 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved

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June 27, 2019 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized


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Susan Shipe says:

Karen, we’re neighbors at Debbie Kitterman’s today. My husband and I are getting prepared to take our Gracee, a Casita Travel Trailer, to Alaska. We are so looking forward to it. Enjoyed your summer faves.

Karen says:

Hey Susan, thank you for commenting and glad you are heading the Alaska in your travel trailer! How fun! Have a great trip!

I love something about each season. During summertime, I enjoy popsicles, walking outside and enjoying God’s creations, picnics with family, playing in the sprinkler with grandson Rowan, and much more. God gives us so many wonderful blessings to enjoy.

Karen says:

Melissa, I love popsicles too. I remember a store we walked to growing up that had lemon ones…they were white and oh, so yummy! Still love them in the summer now. And playing in the sprinkler? That’s great!

While summer in Texas is not my favorite season, yours and others sure do make God’s lessons during this time of year extra special Ms. Karen

Karen says:

J.D., I’m sure the summers are super hot there. My twin sister and I were born in El paso, Texas and we moved to the mountains of Virginia in second grade. But the laid-back part of summer always appealed to me. The good Lord teaches us worth-while lessons when the rhythm of life is slow. Like resting our weary minds and souls in Him and not running through life at breakneck speed. Thanks for your thoughts! Blessings!

Like you, I love longer days – more light as you suggested.

Karen says:

Yes, the extension of daylight is the best part of summer. Thanks, Beth!

Karen, What a fun post! Although my favorite season is fall, I do love BBQs, gatherings with friends, and the slower pace that summer brings. When I lived in Alabama as a child, I loved catching lightning bugs, too!
I love God’s reminders in each season.
Blessings on your summer activities, my friend!

Karen says:

Fall is a nice time of year, Beckie. And I’m with you on the BBQ’s…and gatherings. Hope you all have lightning bugs in California! 🙂

Catching lightning bugs with Virginia brings back those sweet childhood memories for me. Although I do enjoy most summer days, I’m NOT someone who likes really hot temps. That’s why Danny and I usually vacation in the fall or spring, and even winter!
But slowing down to spend more time with God should be done in every season.
Blessings, and enjoy every single summer day!

Karen says:

Isn’t it fun to catch lightning bugs with our grandkids now, Martha? And yes, my husband is like you and Danny, he doesn’t like to camp or travel when it’s super hot. Where we are right now in the NC mountains is perfect. Cool in the mornings and night, and high 70’s to low 80’s during the day with low humidity. Thanks!

Linda Stoll says:

Karen, yes! These are the good old days.

😉

Karen says:

Hi Linda, I wished kids these days appreciated more about the good ole days and outside play and activities. Thanks for stopping by.

Kristi Ann says:

Wow, Nice list Sweet Sister in Christ Jesus-Yeshua Karen!!

I personally like winter / spring / and Autumn

Karen says:

Thanks, Kristi Ann. And you are not alone, a lot of people like other seasons over summer. And that’s just fine. We serve the same Lord of all seasons of the year and seasons in our lives.

Kristi Ann says:

Whoops, I goofed again so sorry everyone!!

I personally like Summer Spring autumn and winter the best!!

Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua is our Only WORLDS HOPE for our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America and Israel-Yisrael and our Christian Earth Everyday!!

Our ONE True GOD’S LOVE is ETERNAL THROUGH HIS SON Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua for Today and Everyday Forevermore Everyone!!

I Love you all Everyone through Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua, because HE LOVED 💕💜💕 EVERYONE FIRST!!

Love 💕 Always and Shalom ( Peace ), YSIC \o/

Kristi Ann

P.S. I was using my Kindle Fire HDX!!

Karen says:

Blessings to you!

Nice list, Karen. Catching fireflies sounds like fun but something I’m not sure I’ll ever get to try. I enjoy summer for recreation and vacations too, but I do prefer winter sports over the summer ones. My two favorites are hockey and skiing. One thing I would add to the list being in a busy California area: Less traffic during commute hours! It’s hard to top less cars on the road.

Karen says:

Thanks, Stephen. I hope you get to try catching ligthning bugs. They fly really slow, almost in a hovering position, so they are easlily caught by loosely clasping one or both hands around them. Interesting you enjoy winter sports. And that sounds like a big summer plus…less traffic. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

S.A. Foster says:

Thank you for sharing this list. It made me think of my own. I have great memories of family, camps, vacations and yes, lightning bugs. I saw some recently and they made me smile:).

Karen says:

Summer seems to bring back those smiling and joyful memories. Appreciate you joining our conversation, S.A.

Wonderful post to remind us of the grace God offers us in the slower pace of summer. I like you list of ideas to help us find the beauty. I just spent time around a fire pit making s’mores- yummmmm

Karen says:

Awesome, Yvonne. Yes, camp fires and fire pits and s’mores are great! May we slow down enough to enjoy life and the blessings from our compassionate heavenly Father.

Excellent, fun blog! I love Colorado summers, even though I’m not a big fan of heat. Fortunately, ours is a dry heat, and the mountains are not too far a drive if I need to escape it. The heat is the reason I’m awake at 3 am, but I’ve been able to spend some time in prayer, in the word, and reading and writing.

Karen says:

Candace, I’ve heard that about Colorado…the heat but with low humidity out west compared to here in the south. Glad the mountains are a hop and skip away. Blessings for the rest of your summer.

Lisa notes says:

I connect with SO many things you share here, Karen. Summer is my favorite season. I definitely love the longer days but also the more relaxed atmosphere and the warm weather. Long live summer. 🙂

Karen says:

Long live summer! I love that, Lisa. And glad we’re kindred spirits and soul-sisters for summer! Thanks for stopping by!

When our kids were in school, I loved the less structured, more laid-back pace of summer. Now that they are all done, there’s not that same sense of joy and relief that comes with the last day of school. But we do have more days off, and my husband usually takes a week off in August. July starts our “birthday season” – four of the five of us have summer birthdays. I also enjoyed running through the sprinkler and the frequency of ice cream trucks when I was a kid. And longer days would probably be my number one favorite part of summer now.

Karen says:

Hey Barbara, yes, when kids are grown, the school days being done for a while is over as well. But I like that your husband takes a week off in August, you celelbrate a lot of summer birthdays in July, and I loved running through a sprinkler as a kid too. And ice cream?! You bet!

Karen, what a wonderful list! When I was a girl, and we’d visit my aunt in far eastern Illinois, we would try to catch lightning bugs. One of the very few downsides of living in Colorado is that I’ve never seen one of these insects here.

Summertime with teen boys isn’t particularly relaxing, but what I love is coming together in the evenings, after we’ve each had a busy day and hearing about our highlights. Our boys have stories and anecdotes and lots of words to share. This mama’s heart loves it.

And barbecuing. I love cooking on the grill. 🙂

Karen says:

Jeanne, someone else mentioned they don’t have lightning bugs where they live, I didn’t realize everyone doesn’t have access to catching them. I’m sure teen boys bring a lot of busyness and activities to summer. We love cooking on the grill in summer, too.

Great list! I would have made this exact list for all of those reasons! I’ve really missed my blooming bushes and flower beds that I had planted at the home we moved away from in 2018. I was back there last week and discovered that the new owners had cut down all the flowering shrubbery and mowed down all the flowers—peonies, daisies, roses, irises, lilacs, forsythia all gone. I cried.

Karen says:

Oh my, Melinda! I can’t believe the new home owners would cut or mow down such beautiful flowers and plants. Sad! I would have cried too. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

We just stayed on a farm in PA and I saw more lightning bugs than I ever knew existed! We get them here at home, but on that farm, once dusk hit, they came out by the hundreds!

And I’m spending the whole summer talking about favorite things on my site! Each week is a different theme! I loved finding your list today!

Karen says:

Hi Rebecca, I read and commented on your post and saw that you visited a farm. So great there were that many lightning bugs to watch light up and catch. Looking forward to more of your summer posts.

Krsiti Ann says:

Awe Thanks so much sweet Sister in Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua Karen!! oh, I did not know you have an identical twin sister!!

Do You have Pictures of you Both together?!

( Hebrews 1:3 KJV ) “Who being the Brightness of HIS Glory, and the express image of HIS person, and upholding all things by the WORD of HIS Power, when HE had by Himself Purged our sins, Sat Down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High;”!!

( Hebrews 12:2 KJV ) “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith; who for the Joy that was set before Him Endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is Set Down at the Right Hand of the Throne of GOD.”!!
( Matthew 19:28 KJV ) “And Jesus Said unto them, Verily I Say unto you, That ye which have Followed Me, in the regeneration when the SON of man shall Sit in the Throne of HIS Glory, ye also shall Sit upon Twelve Thrones, Judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”!!

( Matthew 5:34-35 KJV ) “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by Heaven; for it is GOD’S Throne: Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the Great King.”!!

“Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only GOD keeps You Going.”!! Amen-Amein Praise Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua Hallelujah!!

Our ONE True GOD’S LOVE 💕 is ETERNAL THROUGH HIS SON Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua for Today and Everyday Forevermore Everyone!!

I Love you all Everyone through Jesus-Yeshua Christ, because HE LOVED EVERYONE FIRST!! 💕
Praise Jesus-Yeshua Christ-Messiah for Today and Everyday!!

Love 💕 Always and Shalom ( Peace ) Everyone, YSIC \o/

Kristi Ann

Karen says:

Hi Kristi Ann, yes, I have pictures of us together. Look at this Twitter post on National Siblings Day with my twin and younger sister. https://twitter.com/FridayKaren/status/1116128435989045249

Jessica Brodie says:

Karen, I’m with you… even with my hectic schedule, summer always reminds me of being a kid, and I love the relaxed pace with my kids on summer break.

Karen says:

I love my summer memories as a kid. They seem like some of the best ones where I felt joyful.Thanks, Jessica!

Long days, warm temperatures and a slower pace!! I was right there with you…and then you said camping. Um, not for me!! I cannot even imagine….but the rest of your list just makes my heart smile!! :)enjoy every long day of summer!

Karen says:

Ha ha! That’s funny about camping, Jennifer. It is something you either enjoy or don’t. Ours is a little camper where you get the full camping experience unlike some of the big rigs we see where, to me, it’s pulling your second house into a parking spot. Glad you are a soul-sister with long summer days, warm temps, and the slower pace!

Mary Geisen says:

I love summer for many of the same reasons as you. I especially love the warm temps and longer days. As a retired teacher, summer was my chance for rest and time to recharge. Now I still fall into the same familiar ways. I love vacationing with family during the summer, hiking, and just enjoying the summer. Here’s to summer and all of our favorite things! 🙂

Karen says:

Yes, Mary, summer is particularly great for teachers. My twin sister is a teacher, and while she enjoys her students and job, she always looks forward to summer for rest and restoration. Thanks for sharing your summer favorites!

A kindred spirit! I have always loved the summer months for many of the same reasons as you. I’m glad to come across someone else who says “lightning bugs” instead of “fireflies.” 🙂

Karen says:

Hey Tina, summer-kindred-spirits! We’ve devised a whole new term. 🙂 And I was completely unaware lightning bugs were even called fireflies until I heard it in a song once.

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