Double digit summer arrives early, three-day-old baby birds in the porch wreath, and a beach read worth packing for every summer trip ahead
Happy summer, friends. I hope you had a lovely weekend celebrating your father. My dad does not live close but we had a lovely phone call as we do every Sunday, and that was exactly enough.
It is hot. I do not think we will see any temperatures below 85 until September. Brace yourselves, because I can guarantee that by August I will be whining, complaining, possibly baking pumpkin spice desserts and maybe even pulling out the fall decor as a coping mechanism. We all have our ways of getting through.
In the meantime, from the comfort of my cool living room, I am keeping an eye on the baby birds. The nest is at the top of the wreath, so I have a clear view of their fuzzy heads and beaks too big for their bodies as they wake from their naps and listening for mom. Their eyes are not open yet. Apparently that happens around day five, and right now they are three days old. I have the next nine to twelve days to watch them grow before they leave the nest, and it is a genuinely fascinating thing to witness up close. (The photo is not the best, it is from inside the house as I am trying not to get too close to the nest.)
One last thing before we get to the good stuff. Thank you. As you know, I have been branching out, no pun intended, with longer, more thoughtful and more often midlife posts, and every time I publish one I am completely blown away by your kind comments. Thank you for sharing your stories, your lives and your feelings. I appreciate you and every single comment more than you know.
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What I Read
This week I read A Day at the Beach Hut by Veronica Henry and it is exactly what summer reading should be.
It is a collection of short stories, all taking place over one long, hot summer day on Everdene Sands, woven together with more than fifty recipes inspired by seaside life. A family enjoys their last holiday at a beloved beach hut. The tide brings in an old face and a new temptation. A proposal is planned. A celebratory evening takes a stormy turn. Veronica Henry writes the kind of book you can pick up and put down without losing the thread, which makes it perfect for a summer that involves a pool chair more often than a quiet reading chair.
If you love beach reads with real heart and a little romance simmering underneath, this is for you.
If you have read this book and need more suggestions everything I have recommended can be found on My Bookshop. Most are also available from Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and on Libby from your local library.
What I Watched
This week I watched Love Sarah and it was the gentle, warm kind of film I needed after a long week.
A young woman named Clarissa wants to fulfill her late mother’s dream of opening a bakery in Notting Hill, and she enlists her mother’s oldest friend and her own grandmother to help make it happen. It is a film about grief tucked quietly inside a film about flour and sugar and second chances, and it manages to be both without ever feeling heavy. London looks beautiful in it, the bakery itself looks like somewhere I would move in immediately, and the relationships between the three women carry the whole thing.
Outfit of the Day
This easy outfit is a staple in my wardrobe, shorts and a shirt. I wear this like a uniform around the house, the short are comfortable and if I have to run errands the shirt is a little dressier than a t-shirt. Add your favorite flip flops, sandals, sneakers or flats and a bag.
Click the Images Below for Outfit Details
Tell me, are your summers already brutally hot where you are? And does anyone else have a nest to watch this season? Leave a note in the comments. I always want to know.
Have a beautiful week, friends.
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You might also enjoy:
Turning Towards Yourself in Midlife
Weekend Meanderings No. 115 | Happy Summer
Friday Favorites No. 691 | Summer Recipes, Books Worth Packing, and a Few Good Things
On My Radar
