"Let us live like flowers, wild and beautiful and drenched in sun."
~ Ellen Everett
When I was young, I used to eagerly await summer and now as an adult I do the same. Summer brings a new breath of life. Sometimes it's a rush, at other times slowdown. Many of us take a pause, especially if we are involved in academia, or simply cash in those vacation days to amp up the adventure of life with real adventures.
As for myself, I like to do a combination of both but not venturing to far away from home. Variety is the spice of life and I enjoy doing a lot of different things. Here are just a few of the activities I enjoy doing over the summer.
Eating!
Specifically, going out to eat and trying out new recipes. It's always great finding a new restaurant that not only serves delicious food, but has a wonderful atmosphere. The inner foodie in me loves just driving into town and seeing what restaurants I haven't tried or what's being built up. On the flip side, I also enjoy creating delectable meals right at home. Being able to make delicious food with my hands that not only I like, but my family likes fills me with an incredible warmth.
Refreshing my home
Every home needs a refresher once in a while and summer is a great time to hack out creative projects. It does get tiring seeing the same thing over and over again, if it is not sparking delight. While we can do an entire home makeover, there are simple things we can do to transform a space (because I'm not remodeling my home every year). Some of the things I like to do include, changing photos on my photo wall, bringing in seasonal flowers and accompanying vases, and switching around furniture.
Visiting family
It has been such a long time since I've visited my family and I can't wait to do that over the Summer. Usually, we visit during this time because everyone is more or less on vacation. Plus, my family lives up north, which means no Florida heat! Anything under 90 degrees plus humidity is pretty much refreshing.
Taking Stay-cations
I love a good vacation, but I also love a nice stay-cation. Living in a tourist state, there are many places to explore and venture off to, but when doing a stay-cation, I'm not looking to do the typical tourist activities. I want to be a "local tourist." This means I'm taking the opportunity to learn more about where I live and hidden gems. Surprisingly, there are still plenty of places in Florida I haven't been to yet and this state is truly the tropical beauty of the mainland United States.
And taking photos! Obviously!
During this time, I do more portraits indoors, but I'm still outside. The summer allows for me to really focus on studio portraits and creative ideas that combine simple and ethereal concepts. This summer, I'm shooting favorites with milk baths and dry ice-- a nice way to enjoy the summer, if I do say so myself. I also get outside, in between the heat waves, and wander through zoos, aquariums, and parks. This helps me break up any monotony or stagnant patterns that I may fall into and give me sources of inspiration for my next shoot.
What do you enjoy doing over the summer?
