The Ten Best Things About Sustainable Summers

It's an odd time of year for the blog.  Most of the blog-able projects have either already occurred (winter and spring chores, garden prep) or are yet to come (food preservation, winter readiness, harvest glories).  But it is still my favorite time of the year.

I love the next three or so weeks.  The hardest garden chores are done, and most of what I am going to grow is in the ground, save a few fall and secondary plantings.  Now, whatever will be, will be.  (Cue "Que Sera, Sera")  Now I can just enjoy walking out into the garden every day, pulling a few weeds, sawing a few logs for the growing wood pile, and waiting anxiously for tomatoes and cucumbers.

With that, my top ten things I love about my sustainable summers:

1.  Bouquets from the cutting gardens, fresh on my kitchen counter.
2.  Laundry drying on the line.
3.  Dresses and skirts every day, with no tights or thigh-high socks.
4.  Bare shoulders and tan lines that grow darker all summer long.
5.  Answering the question "what's for dinner?" by walking outside.
6.  Wondering how many servings of fruits and vegetables a day are too many, rather than too few.
7.  Grabbing just flip flops and the bike lock key to run an errand.
8.  Tomato blossoms.
9.  Zucchini in everything -- pasta, bread, pizza crust, pies, etc.
10.  A tangible reminder of the kind of life I want, in a place where the temperature never dips to freezing and I can garden and salsa dance outside, all year round.

What are your favorite things about summer?