A Blythe Coach

Summer Fun in or out of the Sun: a Bucket List of Hot-Weather Hits

I find it easier to enjoy the spring and summer, as the warmer weather lends itself to many activities I enjoy, such as time outdoors, bicycling, picnicking, and eating fresh produce. So the game is not to try to make the best of more challenging times, but to seize the sunny fleeting days wherever I can and not miss out on my favorite bits before they’re gone again.

Less decoration and dressing up, more dressing down, decluttering, deep-cleaning, taking in the natural beauty of one of my very favorite seasons.

Looking for summery inspiration? Here is a collection of resources and activities that might provide a jumping-off point for your own longer-day adventures.

Summer Fun Bucket List Brainstorm in my Bullet Journal

Seasonal experiences such as reading, listening, viewing, tasty treats, crafting and creative themes delight my students and also my own inner Artist Child! When I sample a few of my favorite experiences of the Fall (and each successive season), I feel I have fully enjoyed and made the best of this time of year, am better ready to embrace the change that continues to come.

Experiences & Traditions

Generally speaking, for me August and September are about “Back-to-School” and establishing rhythms and routines as we shift from a more leisurely summer to the activity of Autumn, October is for Halloween, and November is about Thanksgiving. There are other special days in the mix as well, which do you honor and which have I omitted?

  • Hike, walk
  • Rose Garden and Botanical Gardens
  • Sketching and Watercolors
  • Blowing Bubbles
  • Sidewalk Chalk drawings
  • Bicycle Tour or lazy ride
  • Frisbee
  • Summer Reading
  • Picnics and time at the Park
  • Swim and Beaching
  • Fireworks
  • Healthy habits
  • Travel
  • Ride a roller coaster, visit a theme park
A snapshot during the Dyke March demonstration, CSD/PRIDE Weekend 2024

A Few Favorite Summer Holidays

  • PRIDE Month is June internationally and Cologne’s Christopher Street Day celebration is in July
  • Strawberry Moon, Thunder Moon, Sturgeon Moon
  • Loving Day June 12th
  • Juneteenth June 19th
  • World Refugee Day June 20th is also my birthday
  • Fathers Day is right around the Solstice and my birthday in June
  • Summer Solstice or Litha in the Northern Hemisphere is around June 21st, Lughnasadh/Lammas August 1st
  • Nonbinary People’s Day July 14th
  • American Independence Day July 4th
  • Disability Pride Month is July
  • Camp NaNoWriMo July; One Book July; Junk Journal July, etc.
  • August 8th 8.8 Lion’s Gate Portal / International Cat Day
  • Labor Day in America is the first Monday in September
  • Strawberry Moon, Thunder/Buck Moon, Sturgeon Moon
  • Gemini, Cancer, and Leo Season

Themes

For personal and creative exploration, alone or with children

  • Fireworks
  • Camping, Forest, Mountains
  • Walking and Hiking
  • Travel, Vehicles, Packing
  • Water, Ocean, Lake, The Beach, Swimming, Sea Animals, “Under the Sea”
  • Pirates
  • The Zoo, Park, Botanical Garden, etc.
  • Safari Animals
  • Creativity and Energy
  • Cooling Off, Calming Down
  • Back-to-School
  • Getting to Know Each Other, Making Friends
  • Ground Rules: Be Safe/Careful, Be Respectful/Kind, Have Fun
  • “Little Red Riding Hood,” paying attention, exercising caution
Warm weather in Cologne means trips to our neighborhood gelato spot

Tasty Treats

Food & Eating is one of my personal favorite ways to celebrate every season, holiday, and life in general! Not necessarily the most ambitious cook or baker, but I’ve got a few standbys that I make myself, others I just buy and enjoy that others have prepared.

In summer, naturally, it’s all about the fresh produce and eating outside!

Eats

Picnics, potlucks, outdoor eating wild, at open-air restaurants, while traveling and at home make for a delicious summer.

  • Strawberries
  • Strawberry Shortcake, Cake, Pie
  • Blueberries
  • Blueberry Muffins, Pancakes, Muesli
  • Fresh Fruits: especially Berries as mentioned and every kind, Nectarines and other stone fruits, Watermelon and other melons
  • Salads & fresh Veggies
  • Popsicles, Ice Cream, Frozen Treats
  • S’mores
  • Stockbrot (bread on a stick on the open fire)

Cool Drinks

A handful of my favorite refreshers:

  • Smoothies
  • Rhubarberschorle (Sparkling Rhubarb Soda)
  • Radler (Lemonade and Beer, the taste for which I developed in Germany)
  • Iced Coffee & Tea

Yoga & Meditation

I have created a number of stand-alone practices that are appropriate for Summer, as well as a series, my Yogalicious 5-Day ReTREAT.

Birds of Summer 30-Minute Yoga Practice
Birds of Summer Yoga Practice 30-minute movement session Video on YouTube
Bumble Bee Breath
Humming Bee Breath Video on YouTube
Beach Bonfire Guided Elements Visualization
A Blythe Coach Podcast 038: Beach Bonfire Guided Elements Visualization on Spotify

Ballet & Dance

Seasonally-appropriate a la carte dances and movements as well as more involved challenges and series.

Summery Movements

Firework Festive Ballet Port de Bras Video on YouTube
Butterfly Creative Ballet Port de Bras Video on YouTube
Butterfly Catching Dance Warmup Video on YouTube
Seaside Seated Creative Dance Floor Stretch Video on YouTube

Boats https://youtu.be/wUxgh7CbG8g

Caterpillar Walks https://youtu.be/Ad-M6rDzW3A

Dance Challenges and “Intensive”

Screenshot of my Camp NaNoWriMo July 2024 “winner” badge

Creativity

Energy tends to be high in summer with the long days, so it may be a great time to create something (although R&R are also totally legit!).

Writing

In addition to annual fiction writing challenge National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November, Camp NaNoWriMo takes place in April and July. These “camps” support new and experienced writers in reaching personal creative writing goals and the summer can be a good time to get some writing done.

Summer provides a wonderful vantage point of perspective, through pausing and possibly changing location, situated at the midpoint of the year. It’s convenient for me that the Summer Solstice and my birthday in June well align with taking a look back at the first 6 months of the year and ahead at the next 6. There is still time to do what we dreamed for this year, but it is time to review, reflect, and take action.

I shared my recent midyear reflection in the Juicy June & Quarter Two Flew – 2024 Month 6 Review, Q2 & First-Half Wrap-Up article, which was one of the monthly reflections that Judith Peters inspired me to share during her Jahresrueckblick / Annual Review Blog challenge.

Exploring Media

Other types of art and crafts can also fill the bill, some of which you can explore in my Ignite the Spark of Creativity Challenge, which features six different creative modalities in an approachable way to blow away any blocks you might be facing.

Maybe there’s another artistic or creative challenge you feel moved to take on this season, an assortment of which I discuss in the article, Charming Chosen Challenges – creative ways to try out or jumpstart a habit.

Listening

Music

Summer jams old and new, lyrical and instrumental, set the beat for the season.

Playlists By Me

Songs & Pieces of Music

Podcasts about Summertime

It’s a bicycle party at the community garden in Cologne

Reading

Ever since the days of three months off of school, lazy days, and a Summer Reading List, immersing myself in other worlds through a book has been an integral part of savoring the season. Whether sprawled on the sand for a beach read or fantasizing about travel to exotic locales on staycation, the written word always delights me.

Books

Novels

Nonfiction

Picture Book

A Day at the Beach by Mircea Vasiliu is one of my favorite children’s books that takes place on a summery day by the sea, with appealing images that have stuck with me through the years.

Poems

I see that I have yet to record Summer Poetry Favorites video! Started the series with Winter and Spring, will get back on completing the set.

Until then, here are a few choice selections:

  • “When the Roses Speak, I Pay Attention” by Mary Oliver
  • “While I am Writing a Poem to Celebrate Summer, the Meadowlark Begins to Sing” by Mary Oliver
  • “Summer Warmth” by Helen Cohen
  • “Liberty” by Janet S. Wong
Fresh blueberries in my muesli, smoothies, muffins, and everywhere in summer!

Viewing

Summer-suited Films, Television Series, and YouTube videos. This section could use more ideas, I know there are more…

Movies

I tend not to watch quite as many movies in summer due to more daylight, time outside, and such adventures. However on a really hot day, it can be lovely to escape indoors to the cinema!

  1. “Call Me By Your Name”
  2. “French Kiss”

Television Series

  • “White Lotus”

YouTube

Questions for Reflection

  • What sounds, flavors, and feelings evoke summer for you?
  • Which holidays do you celebrate in the summer?
  • What will have you feeling satisfied at the end of the season?

Resources for Further Exploration

Special events and resources for Back-to-School, Fall and more coming up soon! The best way to keep up-to-date on everything I’m coaching, teaching, creating and sharing about as well as my favorite work from other creators is to subscribe to my weekly email newsletter. Would love to be connected to you there, on social media, online or in-person.

Blythe Stephens, MFA & Bliss Catalyst
she/her or they/them
Creator of A Blythe Coach @ablythecoach
helping multi-passionate creatives dance through their difficulties,
taking leaps of faith into fulfillment through coaching, yoga & dance education

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