Summer Bounty
Summer Bounty
The list of delights keeps getting longer
I am overwhelmed. Distracted. There is too much happening in my brain and I can’t focus. Too many things I could be doing, want to be doing. I’m exhausted. And yet, when I pause to consider the fullness, I am overwhelmed in a different way. Gratitude for the abundance of this season washes over me.
People say that summer doesn’t start in the PNW until after July 4th and the weather this year did perpetuate that – as soon as the calendar page turned, the sun came out and the heat cranked up.
Weather aside, the last month has showered me with such summer goodness that I can’t help feeling like the summer has been here for weeks.
About a year ago, I began challenging myself to notice good things. I kept a journal next to my bed and before I went to sleep each night, I wrote down two good things from the day. At first, I was very inconsistent and the joys I captured were repetitive - the weather, a good workout, something tasty I ate. But as time went on, it got much easier to recall delights from the day. I would find myself jotting them down throughout the day instead of waiting until night and they became much more specific.
Just like any other activity that we must practice in order to improve, the practice of noticing delightful things improved my ability to notice delightful things. What a joy!
It is easy to get caught up in all the things. There are so many things! And if we get swept up in them, the flow of overwhelm will become our life, instead of what we want to prioritize.
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” - Annie Dillard
But if we pause, notice the good things, and attend to our priorities, it’s easier to climb out of the current.
For inspiration, here’s a snapshot from the list of things delighting me right now:
Fresh strawberries from the backyard – by the handful. Sitting in the grass with the baby, picking berries and alternating: one for her, one for me, one for her, one for me, until they’re all gone. Rarely do any make it inside the house.
Picking a sugar snap pea from the garden and biting right into it. The joy of that sweet crunch! And pride that I cultivated the plant that produced food that is feeding me!
Gorgeous crisp heads of lettuce thriving in the heat
Endless daylight
Pulling weeds in the front yard after bedtime while listening to an audiobook I can’t turn off
A bike commute home from school. Until our nextdoor neighbor gave us a hand-me-down bike trailer that she used with her kids, I didn’t realize how much I wanted to bike as a family. After a few practice runs met with success, I decided one afternoon, spur of the moment, to bike the commute to school pick-up. It was very fun (for both of us!) and during the ride, I realized that being able to bike to and from school was a dream that I didn’t think would be realized for us. What a gift!
These hydrangeas that were the exact color of my shirt (and walks with friends who notice that you match with the flowers and take your picture 🙂)
Tanlines: I’m not running right now due to an annoying, niggling foot injury but that means I have been swimming! I was on the swim team all through childhood and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I started enjoying it as an adult. And now, swimming laps for 45 minutes with nothing but my thoughts in my head is such a treat. I’ve been consistent enough that I have a racerback tan and am proud of it.
A community of neighbors that feel like family: especially when they message the group text to say, “come pick the raspberries in our backyard while we’re out of town!”
Our first time camping with the baby (in the backyard). Not the best night of sleep for any of us but a very sweet core memory and hopeful gateway to bigger camping adventures.
The sunset view from the park near our house. I don’t think this will ever get old.
The healing power of a simple walk around the block. Earlier this week after a few hours at my computer, I felt anxious, irritable, and a little crampy. Instead of stewing in it to push through, I paused, took a deep breath and asked “what do you need right now?” And I felt the answer – I needed to get outside and go for a walk. Within a block, I felt better.
Yoga in the park: This is my fourth summer teaching yoga in the bluff park near our house and it continues to be a fun way to engage in my neighborhood community. Bonus that I always feel better after an hour moving my body outside (and have I mentioned the view?).
Hiking with my daughter for the first time (a whole mile on her own little legs!). After twenty minutes of screaming from the backpack, we were all pretty miserable and thought the hike was ruined, to be honest. But as soon as her feet hit the ground, she started running with glee and kept going all the way to the trailhead a mile away. I can’t wait to see what she gets interested in as she gets older but for now, it was a major delight to see her enjoy an activity we love.
The first nectarine of the season - sweet and juicy.
Sitting on the back porch after bedtime: The air has cooled enough for pants or a light jacket and the sun sets slowly, painting the sky in pinks and blues. Just watching the sky in solitude.
A Box of Le Panier pastries: Since Besalu closed last March (truly devastating), I have struggled to find an adequate replacement. Last week with family visiting, we took a touristy trip to Pike Place Market and devoured a box of delicious goods from Le Panier. While we’re at it, playing tourist in our own city was also delightful.
Playing hooky from work to go kayaking with David
Playing hooky from work to go hiking at Discovery Park
Playing hooky from work for literally any reason at all 🙃
Our summer bucket list: dreaming it up and working our way through it!
My challenge to you: Make a list of delights. Begin noticing the joy around you and see how it shifts your perspective. What are you attending to?
“Time slips by when we don’t attend do it” - from Real Americans
Hi! I’m Liz. Thanks for being here and reading my journals on the journey. If you’re new, learn a bit more about me and this space here and consider subscribing to my weeklyish posts.
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