trying to enjoy a "slow" summer
while it lasts!
Summer has historically been my favorite season, for a number of reasons. Primarily: it contains my birthday, and the weather allows for lots of time outside/in the water. And as a bonus, it is directly followed by my second favorite season — fall.
Typically, I speed through things in an attempt to find the most efficient path possible, and cut down on any wasted time. I think people in general tend to do this, and our brains do it automatically. And summer time is no different. As a rule, if I am not being productive, I feel like I am wasting my time.
Emphasis on feel. Because I know that’s not really true — it’s not a fact. But I also think I share this feeling with many others.
I did eventually realize that there is something about a slower, calmer, more laid-back type of living as well. And this August (at least), I am trying to embrace a bit of that. I want to make the most of summer, and enjoy it while it’s here.
I travelled to Paris last month, and witnessed a whole different, much more casual approach to things. And it did inspire me to bring a tiny bit of that back home. Maybe I needed to romanticize some of my mundane days, even if I have a less-beautiful setting for my activities than what I witnessed in France.
Coming home, the first thing I noticed when I landed at ORD was wow, everyone looks so angry. It actually stood out to me as strange, that’s how different it was than the week I just had.
And I’m not going to lie, I was also one of the angry-looking ones (maybe it’s just an airport thing) having to shuffle my way through customs, crammed together with 300 strangers in a never-ending line. But in my defense … I had just received notice from my parents that while away, our car was broken into and vandalized. So, welcome back to the states, I guess!
Regardless of all that, the first hallmark of a good summer for me: eating tomato feta salad. And I’ve been doing that a lot this summer.
My mom has made this recipe famous in our family. She diligently brings it to every family gathering in the spring and summer months. It really is a classic — juicy tomatoes, crunchy red onion, tangy feta cheese, and a vinaigrette to bring it all home.
This is my tweaked version of the classic recipe. Enjoy~
Tomato Feta Salad
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 medium red onion, chopped
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbs fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper to taste (I like coarse sea salt!)
vinaigrette: 1/8 c. olive oil & 1/8 c. apple cider vinegar, mixed (you may not need it all)
Mix it all together, and there you have it. It’s an easy dish for pretty much any summer activity. It’s been known to show up at a family gathering, a beach day, a baby shower … you get the idea. It does it all.
And on the topic of tomatoes (yes I’m obsessed) gardening has been one of my favorite ways to really savor summer. I’ve been a hobbyist gardener for a few years, just a few plants at a time, but my favorite plants to grow are herbs and tomatoes. And I eat a LOT of those two things.
One of my favorite morning activities lately is taking a cup of coffee, standing outside, and looking at my different plants. Running my fingers over the growing sage and smelling the earthy leaves. Noticing the tiny mushroom sprouts beneath the tomato vine. Taking the time to actually appreciate these little things.
Doing this makes me feel more calm, and in a strange way, more focused. Like any mental fog lifts a bit in these moments. Growing the things I like to eat helped me get into this hobby as well, it’s motivating to see the plants progress and grow into something I can actually use.
Another hobby/activity that makes me feel like the season is slowing down a bit has been reading. This, as well as gardening, can be extended to any hobby you enjoy.
Make a little time to do the things that make you the happiest. Basically … prioritize those smaller joys in your life, whatever that is for you. You might find that you end up more inspired, or at least feel a little more peaceful.
And with reading, any amount counts, in my opinion. There are several days I can’t quite bring myself to crack open whatever book I have been into. But what I can do is read a Substack article or two, or a magazine article. Maybe an essay. Just something that makes me think a bit.
I’ve found that another way to make the days not necessarily feel longer or slower, but happier in general (which, you could argue, makes for a “slower” vibe) is being a little bored sometimes. Hear me out.
I’ve been trying to abandon the feeling that I must constantly be doing something, or must always be productive in some way. I definitely struggle with this one, like I mentioned earlier in this post.
The widespread presence of hustle culture aside, which is a whole separate rant for another day, a healthy dose of boredom is good for creativity. And arguably the best part: sometimes it leads to fun, spontaneous activities you would have otherwise missed out on.
Maybe I’m feeling sentimental because my daughter is about to turn 5 and start kindergarten (likely the cause) but I also really love summer, and there’s so much about it to appreciate. And I just want it to last.
Everything in life already moves so fast. I’m taking August to try to slow it down.
i love that you brought up normalizing being okay with boredom. my attention span isn't as wide as it used to be, because i would never allow myself to just be bored in the moment. learning to get creative when you're bored rather than moping around about it is so important!