glimpses of summer

Summer. When I think of the word, I imagine 3 months of total relaxation and carelessness. Lying on a couch watching hours of The Office and Doctor Who, sucking on a frozen piece of cheesecake, or 2, or 3. Sitting on a back porch, sipping a cool glass of lemonade. Going to the Muny. Sleeping in until 3 in the afternoon. Eating ice cream. Playing frisbee.

This has always been my experience with summer. It's been a few months with nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one expecting much of me. But as I get older, that is seeming to become less and less of the case. There are these new funny things popping up and interrupting my usual absolute laziness. Unpleasant things like Alarm clocks. Work. Exercising. Chores. 

There has never before been a summer that I've been so busy. Today I picked up my camera for the first time in over a week. And as for my goal of blogging every day this summer? Ha. Funny joke.

But although it's been busy, and tiring, and I have trouble recalling most of the last few weeks due, probably, to sleep deprivation, it's still been summer. And it's still been beautiful. And in those rare moments when I've had time to pull out my camera and snap a few pictures.... well, the pictures speak for themselves. And they say "summer".

My brother and I went to Cold Stone today and bought the biggest sized carton that they sell (Everybody's) of Sweet Creem ice cream. Every time I've ever been to Cold Stone before (and that is A LOT), I've always gotten Cake Batter with chocolate shavings. I've never tried getting another flavor. Oh my goodness... cake batter is delicious, but I had no idea what I was missing out on. I almost cry every time I take a bite of this ice cream. In fact, I'm tearing up just writing this. (Just kidding. Maybe.)

After a fairly long hike on a hot day with my friends, I was hungry and didn't want to make the last little trek up to these bluffs. But, despite the mosquitos that assailed us when we got up there, this view was absolutely worth it. It was one of those moments where I wished my camera had a panorama setting, so I could have captured the whole thing. It was breathtaking. (And so green!)

(I really hope this isn't a Japanese swear word or anything...)

Another day, another farm. This one belonged to a pastor friend of my dad's and his family. They had a few sheep and chickens, and a beagle.

Dark chocolate bokeh. Is dark chocolate a "summery" food? Please. Dark chocolate is the food summer, fall, winter, and spring.

My friend Anna took this picture. Love!

How is your summer going?

-Stacey