A Summer Un-Bucket List
Every year right around Memorial Day, I get reminiscent for summers of my childhood. There was a church fair, Spring-A-Rama, that was held right around that time, and always was the unofficial sign that summer was about to start. My friends and I would do our makeup - which largely consisted of copious amounts of roll-on body glitter at that time in our lives - and walk around the church parking lot in a gaggle as teenage girls do. We’d laugh and whisper about who was riding the ferris wheel with who, and whose boyfriend was going to win them a stuffed animal from the games booth. One of our friends happened to live across the street, so after we’d gotten our fill of funnel cakes and “gambling” at Keno, we’d head to his porch for the rest of the evening, sometimes staying out there past the fair’s closing time as we got older.
It felt almost magical - like a little taste of the freedom of summer ahead of us. Because back then, summers really did feel limitless. There was all this free time just stretched out ahead of you - hours and hours of daylight, and then evenings with the cicadas humming and buzzing, creating a little soundtrack of my summers. I would read books and magazines, “tan” with my friends on my deck (but while wearing sunscreen, because I burn to a crisp), and just relax. There was very little stress other than what book I was going to read next, what I’d eat at the pool’s snack bar, and what movie my friends and I would go see over the weekend. The summer stretched out in front of us near-endlessly, with days lit by sunshine and nights lit by lightning bugs.
The older I get, the more I miss it! Summers feel the opposite of limitless now. Because summer always feels so short, it feels like I have to make the most out of it, packing it trips and local excursions and outings with friends and family. And while I always have a great time doing all of this, it also feels like it makes the summer speed by even more. I’m so worried about doing all the things, and checking the next thing off my summer bucket list. There’s no time left to relax, to luxuriate and languish in the sun.
So this year, I’m choosing the opposite. I’m dubbing it the year of the summer un-bucket list. I don’t mean that I’m not going to travel or make plans… but I’m not going to stress over squeezing in every last thing that pops into my mind. I’m going to leave time and space for the quiet, sleepy parts of summer. Reading a book on my patio under a big umbrella, iced coffee in hand. Spontaneous(ish) late night bonfires with friends, snacking on mountain pies and s’mores. I want to leave time for the moments that might not typically make the bucket list, but often end up being the most enjoyable moments of all.
Last week on the blog
What I’m reading and watching
I finished both my digital book and my audiobook within a few hours of each other on Saturday night, which rarely happens! On audio, I read The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan, which is an absolutely beautiful family drama that spans decades and continents. It follows different family members in the Middle East, with tangled relationships and secrets and drama and questions of identity, home, and belonging. It’s incredible on audio because the writing is almost lyrical at times! I loved this.
I also finished Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel, which is a story that takes on an alternate version of history - what if India was never liberated from the British? The main character, Kalki, begins to get more involved in the rebellion efforts, and has to make life-altering choices between fighting for freedom and risking her life, or playing it safe. Throughout the book, stories about the ten avatars of Vishu are shared, which mirror Kalki’s own actions. If you liked Babel, I think you’d like this. Thanks to Netgalley for my copy!
As for watching - I’m writing this while also watching the Tony Awards at the same time! One of my favorite nights of TV all year long.
What I’m eying and buying
I stopped by Pittsburgh’s Arts Fest on Thursday night, and I’m unable to refrain from picking up something from the jewelry booths. The exact pair of abstract pearl earrings I picked up from Sarah Krisher Studio aren’t available on her Etsy, but she has so many other beautiful pieces.
I’m going to a friend’s picnic themed baby shower this month, so when I saw that Hill House had released a print dotted with veggies?? Had to have it. I love the little bit of whimsy!
I also picked up this hydrating lip stain from Violette_fr. It’s kind of a cross between a lip oil and a lip stain - it goes on nice and glossy, and then dries down while staying moisturizing. I really love it.
Adding your books to my ever growing, never shrinking list!