Making the Best of a Beastly Hot Summer

"Gross." I shamefully admit that "gross" was the first word out of my mouth as I stepped out the door this morning to walk the darling Delilah, with temperatures already edging up towards the 90-degree mark before 9:00 a.m. I don't think I need to point this out to you, but "gross" is not very "joyful", and joyful is a thing this blog purports to be. Luckily, when we returned from our (much shorter than usual) dogwalk, there was a post waiting for me from one of my new favorite bloggers, JJ Begonia, with her usual magazine-worthy photography, and lo and behold, it was a post touting all of the things to love about summertime. Thank you, JJ Begonia: I needed an attitude adjustment today! So, without further ado, here's my own list of joyful things about summer:

1) Peaches and plums at their very juiciest (and very messiest).

2) Fresh tomatoes from our lovely Garden State. I didn't realize, until I grew them myself, that the leaves and stems of tomato plants smell even better than the tomatoes. Or that tomatoes should have a scent--because supermarket tomatoes fall dreadfully short in this respect. (Who knows how long ago they were picked and how many miles they've traveled?)

3) Butterflies taking a sip of our flower collection.

4) Kiddie pools for cooling off. (Before flipping over the pool yesterday when we were done "swimming" in it, we grabbed the watering cans and filled them up, then showered our thirsty plants.) And do be sure to drain the pool when you're done, even if it's just a couple of inches deep. I rescued a drowning chipmunk last summer...perhaps a story for another post!

5) Iced tea, ice cubes, fresh lemonade, limes.

6) Corn on the cob in August (again, from the Garden State).

7) Wild raspberries picked fresh off the bushes in the backyard. Can't get more local than that!

8) Fireworks and fireflies. Sparks big and small, both magical.

9) Gazpacho, ceviche, guacamole, frozen margaritas, and cold pasta salad. Not necessarily together. (Fresh guacamole couldn't be any easier: Just mash together avocados and add a juicy chopped tomato, plus a pinch or two of salt, a couple cloves of crushed garlic, and a squirt of fresh lime juice. Done and delicious!)

10) The exquisite refreshment of sitting in the shade and feeling a breeze. (See how I turned my whole view around? From gross to great in no time!)

Your turn: What's your favorite thing about summertime? Please share in the Comments section below. If you are reading this post via email subscription, click on the title or go to www.JoyfullyGreen.com and you can leave a comment at the original post.

Reader's Note: Still need to chill out this summer? Check out my exclusive interview with Antarctica photographer Tatiana Botton, featuring some of the coolest photographs ever (literally).

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