As I write this, my daughter is at pre-camp (it’s her first year as counsellor) and my two boys have one more sleep to go until they hop on the camp bus for the summer. It’s not the first time all three kids will be away for seven weeks, and I’m grateful we can give them this opportunity. I adore that they’ve all grown up at Camp Walden, and continue to spend the summers together at their home away from home. I cherish the fact that they see each other at meals and camp-wide events and I know they treasure this too.
For the last few weeks I’ve been making mental notes of fun activities for the summer and proactively reaching out to friends to make plans. If I’m not intentional, the summer will be over before I know it and the opportunity to make memories and foster connections with loved ones during our short-lived sunny season will be lost.
I also have not-so-fun items I aspire to complete – like purging and decluttering and crossing items off my long to-do list. (I’ve already advised my husband, Asher, that these are joint efforts and he has no choice but to get on board.) Even with these dreaded tasks, I’m seeking ways to make them fun and provide a boost of joy. Maybe I’ll create a decluttering playlist on Spotify 😊. Or I can just listen to & Juliet on constant repeat. Or I’ll pull out some tricks from James Clear’s Atomic Habits to keep me accountable and on track. Or all of the above. I’ll need all the help I can get.
Downtime by the pool, watching Netflix, reading, and pressing pause on life are all musts too. Filling up every moment is not the goal. My aims are to be present and mindful; take care of myself through regular movement, social connections, and rest; and create joyful moments in the everyday.
Finally, having recently read Gretchen Rubin’s latest book, Life in Five Senses, I’m inspired to use the summertime not just to DO, but to BE – to explore and experience my surroundings with my eyes, ears, nose, and hands. And, to a certain extent, my sense of taste (I’m not exactly adventurous with food).
In past years I’ve documented my summer plans and goals. I wrote 10 Ways I’m Savouring the Summer last year and Spring/Summer Family Fun List in 2016. While I never achieve everything on the list, that’s not the point. I enjoy setting intentions, exploring what Toronto has to offer, and putting explicit thought into this delightful time of year. And writing down my ideas means I do and experience more than if I keep it all in my head (cue behavioural science 101).
For Summer 2023, here’s the vibe I’m after. If you have suggestions or feel inspired, I’d love to hear from you!
1. Weekend Getaways
Blue Mountain
My amazing and active great aunt and uncle live in Blue Mountain and my husband, sister, and brother-in-law enjoyed a weekend with them last summer and we can’t wait to return! We are heading back to the Scandinave Spa for a day of peace and quiet and bringing our bikes. Perhaps we’ll hike the mountain again – it was quite challenging and very rewarding! Here are some pics from our weekend last year.
Haliburton
Each year, Walden’s Visitor’s Day is on a Sunday at the end of July. We leave the city on Friday and enjoy a couple of nights by the lake before seeing the kids for a few hours on Sunday. For many years, we’ve stayed at a lovely destination called the Bonnieview Inn. It’s simple, quaint, and totally our vibe. Our room is booked and we look forward to being welcomed by the Inn’s lovely hosts in a few weeks.
2. Culture and Music
I’ve been eyeing a few events including the Toronto Fringe Festival and the Fever Candlelight Concerts. I attended one of these concerts about a year ago with my sister and I’ve made plans with friends to see Candlelight Open Air: The Birth of Soul at Evergreen Brickworks.
Despite Casa Loma being so close to us, I’ve never attended its Soul in the City events: “Tuesday evenings in the summer months, Casa Loma plays to Juno Award-winning artist Sean Jones, accompanied by a seven–piece band The Righteous Echo and special guests, in the spectacular Glass Pavilion.” I think it’s time for me to get in harmony with this local gem!
3. Nature, Hiking, and Biking
We don’t have to go far (and who wants to with Toronto traffic) to enjoy beautiful scenery. I think it’s more than realistic to fit in a few hikes and there’s no shortage of ideas – it’s just a matter of picking a spot, packing some water and snacks, and getting in the car.
One of my favourite summer day trips is to Ward’s Island. It feels like I’m so far from the city but it’s just a short ferry ride away. Bikes and a stop at The Riviera Kitchen are a must. Speaking of food…
4. Food & Entertaining
I’m not a foodie (fancy feasts and exotic eats are wasted on me) but I appreciate a casual patio dinner in a cool neighbourhood. We have some reservations with friends already and I can’t wait to catch up (and not clean up) – and maybe even try some new dishes. Or not. We’ll see.
I also love hanging at home and basking in our backyard. Pool, BBQ, chilling…I’m in. I can picture it now – hike in a.m., dunk in p.m., then ETB (early to bed). I’m quite the party girl, eh?
5. Summer of Simplifying
While tidying up is in a whole different category than fun activities, restaurants, and destinations, a quiet home in the summer with no distractions gives me the opportunity to focus on decluttering. This is not going to be easy (or fun, let’s be honest) but I’m determined to make progress. I haven’t read Gretchen Rubin’s book Outer Order, Inner Calm yet; but it’s on my list and I fully agree with this philosophy. Also, I recently stumbled upon The Minimalists an inspiring duo with a podcast, books, films, and ample resources to keep me on track. One of the first things I’m doing after the busses pull away is watching their films, Minimalism and Less is Now. I’m so motivated on this front that I even made this mantra for myself. If you have similar plans and need help staying motivated, I’m always up for an accountability buddy! Perhaps this will be the focus of my next blog – the good, the bad, and the ugly!
Thanks for reading and have a safe and lovely summer.
Xo
Jori
myclaritymylight 