Monthly Musings July 2025: How We Summer
It's the last Thursday of the month and time for monthly musings with Holly and Patty.
1. My favorite thing about this summer including having my family so near; Alec is home from college so I have all 3 boys at home, my parents are up from North Carolina so I get to see my mom on a near daily basis. My brother and his family are living in my husband's family's campground just down the road so we see them often too!
2. I have eaten so many delicious things this summer but my favorites would include:
Ice cream treats!
Fresh picked raspberries-- they were SO good!
We tried some new turkey burger recipes this summer that were SO good! One was apple maple mustard and the other was a Mediterranean burger with spinach and feta and onions.
Ian caught some fresh fish when he went deep sea fishing and we made some really delicious fish tacos one night. I never eat tacos but these were incredible!
While these next 3 were technically eaten in early June, they were eaten on our vacation which felt like summer!
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| the best lobster roll in Maine (I like mine hot buttered) |
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| salmon with potatoes and asparagus |
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| this grilled feta, cheddar, strawberry and arugula sandwich was so good I recreated it at home! |
3. We've streamed a few movies this summer but we haven't been out to an actual movie theater in ages and ages. We enjoyed Happy Gilmore 2 & Dumb Money. I'm sure we probably streamed another few but these are the two that I remember.
4. How long do you have? I've read a TON of books this summer! I read 14 books in June, I've read 12 books in July and while I know August hasn't officially started I do tend to hit publish on my book posts a week or so ahead of time so I've already finished 5 books for August and have 3 more started! Some of my favorites include:
Erik Bachman's My Friends
these 4 books by Tessa Bailey-- both of the books in the Vine Mess series and both of the books in the Belinger sister series.
I started The Thousandth Floor series and I am loving it-- I'm part way through book 2 already!
I also started this adorable Villain series and it's been so fun to listen to!
I picked up this book in Newport, Rhode Island and it is just adorable! I am so glad one of the employees wrote up a little index card review and they had it on the suggested reading table.
5. While I love, love, love fall here in New England I always want to hold onto summer. I still want a fall at some point but if it just slid in and took over winter's place I'd be fine with that.
6. My summer schedule is a tiny bit different from the rest of the year in that I don't have to oversee any schoolwork for Evan (though this is our last year homeschooling so I have no idea what my other seasons will look like in 2026!).
7. I feel like my whole summer is one long break/rest; I like to read, craft, kayaking, hike (when it's not too hot!), pick fresh fruits and veggies, take little day trips with the boys or my mom (or both!).
Most days you'll find me in either of these spots:
I don't kayak often but it is very relaxing out on the water as long as there aren't many other boats out.
8. Technically my husband and I are heading to Glacier in late summer though it really doesn't feel much like summer once Labor day comes and goes.
9. I'm not a concert person so that would be a no.
10. While I try to hold onto summer as long as I can usually by mid-way through September it no longer feels like summer. Whether that's due to our actual weather or just the routine/ structure of heading back to school it definitely feels like summer is over by then.
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| Sept 27, 2020- notice the shorts and tees but look at those leaves. There is no denying it's fall already |
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| Sept 24th 2018 |
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| Sept 25th; holding onto that summer feeling by reading in the sun but notice the jeans, socks, and changing leaves on the trees. |
Linking up with: Thinking Out Loud, Spread the Kindness,
You "summer" very well!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt sounds like you have had a great summer! Family time, reading time, lots of good summery foods. I have started itching for some fall foods. I know it's too early, but I did start thinking about embracing all of the summer foods because fall cooking will look different and will be here soon.
ReplyDeleteI am not at all ready for fall foods yet; I feel like we've hardly enjoyed salads and grilled foods yet!
DeleteYou’ve eaten some yummy things this summer! I liked Katharine McGee’s royal series. I’ll have to check that one out.
ReplyDeleteI've read a few from the royal series but not all of them. This is a totally different vibe but equally as good; I think.
DeleteThat lobster roll though! Looks like you are having a great summer. Isn't it funny, how it's still technically summer but you can see and feel the changes. Here in the UK it's getting darker earlier and the blackberries are out already - a sure sign autumn is on the way! Hope your August is awesome!
ReplyDeleteWe don't really see the changes yet since it's been in the 90's and so darn hot and muggy this week but sometimes those season changes seem to happen overnight.
DeleteA fun filled Summer! Delicious Ice cream, Books, Vacay is what all one need. Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI featured ice cream as well- I ate it more than normal! You read a lot this summer. I had a variety of hits and misses- I guess that's how reading goes!
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've had more hits than misses lately so I'm happy. I hate when I fall into a reading slump and can't seem to find anything "gripping."
DeleteYour summer looks great to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I LOVE summer.
DeleteWow summer is so beautiful there and I love that you get to look at the water everyday. You made me hungry looking at all of that good food! Enjoy the rest of the week Joanne.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt's a tad different than our summer, LOL. The fresh fruit is the best. You wouldn't think you could grow anything in our summers, but farmers do...although it's zucchini, watermelon and such.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jodie
Even in our weather I can't seem to grow anything so I'm amazed at all farmer's skills but particularly those that have to battle drought and heat.
DeleteYour summer is fantastic. I love that your family is so close by. Mine is in Michigan next to the Canadian border. Family is really what makes life wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThe rest of the year most of them are not close by... it sounds like perhaps my brother and his family are even toying with the idea of moving south so I might be the last one up here in New England!
DeleteLove reading when you are boys are all home. Your ice cream treats are seriously making me hungry- I have indulged a few times in ice cream this summer too!
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't so darn cold today I'd talk my boys into going out for a treat this afternoon. I have little self control when it comes to ice cream.. which is why we never buy it to have at home!
DeleteHaving everyone home definitely makes it feel like summer! Love all your delicious food photos!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this might be our last summer with everyone home as Alec is talking about an internship next summer... we'll see. I know he's anxious to get some travel under his belt so I'm excited for him!
DeleteWhat a great summer of food and family! I can't wait to read about your Glacier trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteSounds like you had an awesome summer!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt is crazy summer is almost a wrap up. My daughter goes back to school in 2 weeks and my son in 3. They both had part-time jobs this summer, so I felt like we didn't get to do as much. But, we still did a lot (if that even makes sense). Ohh, I've never had freshly picked raspberries, they LOOK good!
ReplyDeleteCarrie
curlycraftymom.com
Yep Alec will be back at school in 3 weeks; my oldest works full time and has a job on the side and Alec has worked a minimum of 3 days a week but we still get to eat dinner together most nights so that was nice. We had never picked raspberries before as this was the first year our orchard had planted them and wow; they were so much better than the store bought varieties.
DeleteOh, that ice cream looks so good! I've never had a lobster roll, but I'd gladly try one on the East Coast (not here in Indianapolis, though). Fresh raspberries look so good, too! What a fabulous summer you've had, Joanne!
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
You know it's so funny I really only eat lobster and lobster rolls in Maine. Even when we visit the shore in the other New England states I tend to get more cod or haddock or clam chowder but never lobster.
DeleteThat sounds so lovely, how Summer is a time you can be close to your family! I just love all those yummy desserts you showed... Now I want one too.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI am here for all the summer food pics! Wowzas! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe have definitely been eating well!
DeleteOoooh I'm so excited for you that you're reading The Thousandth Floor series!! It was one of my favorites ever!! I STILL think about those books and I read them five-ish years ago! We watched Happy Gilmore 1 last night in preparation for watching 2 tonight because it had been so long since we'd since the first one. Those movies are so dumb but so fun. I love Adam Sandler and I can't wait to watch the second one tonight!
ReplyDeleteI thought of you when I picked up that series! Thanks for the recommendation I am really enjoying them.
DeleteSandler's older movies are definitely dumb but funny; in the 2nd Happy they show scenes from the first so your memory is jogged over who the various characters are. We did go back and start re-watching the first one... but I fell asleep.