Is it weird that the end of August still feels like back-to-school to me? (I mean really…does the thrill of buying new pens and notebooks ever wear off? 😉
As much as I love summer – especially in the Pacific Northwest – I love fall even more.
The exhilarating energy of fall is far more motivating to me than New Year’s. So this week – the last unofficial week of summer (in the U.S., anyway) – is when I begin to look ahead to fall projects that will set me up for a running start into the new year.
BUT…before I do that, I make a point of savoring the end of summer, especially the foods, outdoor adventures, and self-indulgent summer laziness I won’t see again until next summer.
Here are a few things I’m doing to take advantage of the last days of summer…so I can dive into fall feeling rested and ready to tackle a new “school year.”
- Fire up the grill. I had a barbecue on my roof deck in July and rediscovered my love of grilling. Maybe it’s because I no longer have a gas stove top in my kitchen (don’t even get me started about my hatred of electric stove tops), but there’s something uniquely satisfying about cooking food over a flame. Things I love on the grill: sockeye salmon, homemade turkey burgers (I LOVE the Middle Eastern Turkey Burgers with Cucumber + Yogurt Sauce on page 108 of Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good!), and corn-on-the cob.
- Eat some berries. Next to cherries and peaches, berries are my favorite summer fruit…and they won’t be around for much longer. Grab a few pints and make a pie (or a cobbler if you’re short on time or just too lazy to make a crust, like me). My favorite cobbler recipe – and the one I’ll be using soon – is on page 383 of the Moosewood Low Fat Favorites Cookbook: Blueberry & Peach Cobbler. Mmmm.
- Finish off one last “summer read.” I have a stack of books on my coffee table from a couple of months back. It’s about half as tall as it was when I first made it, but I have some reading to do! I’m opting for reading – probably on a lounge chair on my roof deck – over movies and TV for at least a few more weeks.
- Have a glass of rosé. I guess you could drink rosé any time of year, but it feels best to me in the summer. (This was on last year’s list too. What does that say about me?) I’ve got a couple of bottles chilling in the fridge for the weekend.
- Head out on the trail. Trail running and hiking is something I neglected this summer, so I’ll be making up for lost time before the weather turns soggy in Seattle. I’m generally a road race girl; but I can run for much longer on trails, with their cushion of earth. Best to do it before the rain turns them to mud.
- Light a fire. My friend Melody recently hosted an event in Seattle called Urban Campfire. I was in NYC that week and had to miss the event, but I love the metaphor of a campfire as a place to connect, share ideas…and indulge in a few s’mores. Gather your friends – and some marshmallows – and kick back for one last evening around the campfire.
- Take a nap. Okay, so I do this all year; but summer naps – in a hammock, perhaps? – are the best! 🙂
- Make a list. I’m already working on my list of fall projects. Take some time to put your list on paper in the next few days. You can sort out the details later. Getting all of that stuff out of your head makes for a much more relaxing end of summer. 🙂
Your turn! What are you up to for the last days of summer? Tell me in the comments. I can probably squeeze in a few more things. 😉
P.S. If you’re celebrating Labor Day this weekend, have a GREAT holiday weekend!
