What We Did This Summer

Yesterday I saw the first hints of brown on cornstalks. And it was cool enough that I actually wore jeans all day and only got overheated when in a very small room with very poor ventilation. It feels like fall is coming, and if the transition is anything like spring to summer...well...there won't be a fall. There will be summer and then there will be winter.

But for now I hang onto summer, and I feel this is a good time to do my official "What we did this summer" post, as a nod to back-to-school essay assignments from days of yore.

We didn't enter the season with a specific bucket list (although how fun would THAT have been???) but I feel like we made the most of our summer!

Here are some of the things we did - not all-inclusive by any means..

We drank coffee on the porch...though not as much as I would have liked. (I blame the direct shift from winter to summer with very little pleasing middle ground of weather.)

We grilled out...though not as much as usual, because Ryan's grill finally gave out. It became more of a smoker than a grill. We've been on the hunt for a good sale all summer. Haven't found it yet.
We hiked a beautiful (and rugged) state park. Possibly our favorite one so far.

We also survived the tunnel. Please make a note of it.

Ryan learned to roast coffee beans. Now he needs more free time so he can hone his craft!

We spent some time with our bonus girl. Not as much time as last summer when she lived with us for a month, but we still had fun!

We went to a drive-in movie. It was the perfect night for such things.

I took pictures. :) But then that was every day.

We walked in the kidney walk. A first for us, and I'm so glad we did it.

We went to the strawberry festival! (The one that almost didn't have strawberries. That would have been awkward.)

We went to several graduation open houses...including our niece's. I call it the weekend of cake.

We were part of the patriotic program at our church. Ryan sang, I narrated, and we both made a whole gaggle of new friends.

We watched fireworks on the Fourth of July. It was a plan B adventure, but we had fun!
We had a fire pit date, complete with roasted hot dogs and s'mores.

We went to the county fair. (Not pictured: elephant ear and fried mushrooms.)

We welcomed a new nephew!

A deer came to visit our yard. Yes! Bambi!

We hung out with Abe. I call this piece Three Shiny Noses.

We had our first Airbnb experience (and second...and third...and they were all good)!

We explored an outdoor art exhibit! We didn't understand most of it, but we felt very cultured.

We met our new great-niece! And she learned to like us!

We saw (almost) our whole wedding party.

We stood in three states at one time. (Not pictured: getting lost trying to find this location.)

We spent a day at a water park. Please make note of my taco bowl hat. LOL!!!

We visited the lake!

I learned to use a power washer!

And oh! There was one more thing:

Yes, it has been a very good summer! I'm not ready to let go of it just yet, but if fall is half as fun as summer, it's gonna be great!