Postcards from July

Boats, sunshine, and being outside

I am behind on the internet. When it is February, I am up to date on what is going on. I am checking in daily and seeking connection. But now it is summer and life is so colorful that I have less need for the dopamine that the small, glowing box provides.

Instead of cracking my eyes open to another cold, gray morning where I snuggle under the covers and see what joy I can find in my feed, I am greeting the morning sun and taking my coffee to the porch because there is Vitamin D to be soaked up, birds to be listened to, and breezes to catch.

Instead of hibernating on the couch, looking to pass time in my feed, I am getting lost in a book while the sun takes its time setting. I am out riding my bike or hiking, soaking up the colors, sounds, and scenes of the local islands. Like a summer novel come to life in front of my eyes.

I am participating in other people’s joyous days, freezing their joy and emotion into frames that they will, hopefully, revisit for the rest of their lives and point to and say, “wow, look how young we were.”

I am slicing peaches, biting into juicy cherries, and eating crunchy salads so colorful they require admiration before digging in.

I am saying yes to as many boat rides as possible and reveling in the 6 pm shower where sand pools at the bottom of the tub after a day spent in another body of water or surrounded by trees.

I am occasionally eating buttery popcorn in a cool, dark movie theatre at a matinee showing of one of the blockbuster movies of the summer.

I am daydreaming about what it would be like to own a small sailboat one day for these perfect days.

So, sorry I am behind on the internet. But I’ll catch up with it in February.

01 - We started The Other Bennet Sister this weekend after a long travel day, and it’s the gentle, cozy, delightful watch I hoped it would be. Especially nice after watching a slew of darker shows (that were good! But a palette cleanser is always nice.)

02 - I chopped all my hair off! I had been growing it back out this year, but when I walked into my hair appointment last week, I decided to chop 8 inches off and go back to the bob. I have zero regrets and have been loving it!

03 - I’ve really been leaning into seasonal produce this summer. Snacking on cherries and peaches in the afternoon. Finding any excuse to add corn, basil, tomatoes, or zucchini to any meals I’m making. It’s great.

04 - I’ve been on a mission to find sea pottery at the beach all summer and finally hit gold this month. While on a day trip to the Boston Harbor Islands with my brother and his fiancée this month, we found a ton of sea pottery on the beach alongside the sea glass. It is my newest obsession.

05 - Most of the time I don’t pay too much attention to my Spotify recommendations, but sometimes they nail them. This folky album surfaced earlier this month, and I’ve had it on repeat while driving, walking, and working.

01 - The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson. My perfect kind of beach read: a summery setting, complicated character dynamics, and witty writing. All the stars.

02 - Tenderness by Rowan Beaird. A quiet, mysterious novel about an island wedding where the bride’s escaped a cult. Dark, moody, and so intriguing.

03 - Whistler by Ann Patchett. Another hug of a novel from Ann Patchett. It’s lovely, comforting, and captures a really lovely stepfather/daughter relationship. I didn’t want it to end.

04 - The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai. I inhaled this sprawling novel about sisters, identity, and art in three sittings, and I cannot wait for more people to read it (it comes out today!)

Hikes, bike rides, boat rides, weddings, breezes, and views. These video clips pretty much sum up what the month has looked like, and I am extremely grateful!

What's been bringing you joy lately?

Until next time,

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