I love recognizing and indulging in small pleasures on a regular basis. They add a sense of happiness and contentment to my life. Summertime offers an inordinate amount of these delights (ice cream cones from Pine View Dairy, lightning bugs, eating al fresco at every opportunity, etc.) and I’ve been enjoying as many of them as I can.
My favorites of the summer so far:
- Strawberry spinach salad. June is strawberry season around here and I am all about those strawberries. My favorite way to eat them this year is in this beautiful spinach salad. I just can’t get enough of the sweet and tangy deliciousness.
- Baseball season. Youth baseball, that is. This is the last year my youngest son, Aaron, will play in the local youth league so I am trying to soak up as much of the experience as I can. The weather has been especially accommodating for evening baseball games and Aaron’s team is having a winning year. It’s an irresistible combination as a spectator/mom.
- Listening to The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I’ve recently gotten into audiobooks as an enticement to walk regularly or complete nasty chores. For most of June, I’ve listened to The Nightingale, A WWII story that focuses on the experiences of two very different sisters in Nazi occupied France. The narrator, Polly Stone, does a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life and I’m transported to another, often sad and dark but ultimately hopeful, world.
- Summer reading lists. I love reading articles and blog posts about books and the summer reading lists are jam-packed with great suggestions. Considering my massive TBR pile, perusing lists of tempting books is rather counter-productive but I can’t seem to help myself. If you are wondering what book you should take with you to the pool, beach, or your next vacation these sites are good places to start: Modern Mrs. Darcy, The Bookbub Blog, and Popsugar.
- The front porch. My front porch is shaded for most of the day and secluded from the street by burning bush and holly. It is private and comfy and I have already whiled away many pleasant hours reading a good book, watching a thunderstorm roll in, or relaxing with my husband in the late evening after a long, busy day.
I hope you are taking time to enjoy the small pleasures of summer and of life. Please tell me about them in the comments!
Whimsey Pie 
My Top 5 Summer Pleasures (so far):
1. Apricots – I cannot eat enough of them!
2. Cycling – Last year I splurged on a “girly” bike complete with polka dots and basket in front. Hardly a day passes that I’m not riding it.
3. Conversations over Lemonade – (No explanation necessary.)
4. Reading in the Sunshine – Am about to start All the Light We Cannot See.
5. Watching Movies for Pleasure – As a classic movie blogger, I’m often taking notes and/or over-analyzing classic films. A couple of weeks ago, I started watching films Just Because, and it’s been glorious.
This is a great list! I hope you enjoy All the Light We Cannot See – it was one of the best books I read last year. Any good movies to suggest “just for pleasure”?
Grandkids! 🙂
Small pleasures the whole year through, I believe. 🙂