Moving to a new neighbourhood in the last month makes it difficult to limit my top  summer faves to just five things.

I might tell you it was my bathtub…

Cause really, how could this not be one of my top favourites?

Or it could be my new backyard…

This is all accompanied with much outdoor work, of course. My oldest kiddo suggests we get a landscaper. Been there, done that before. That’s no fun! I promise it will all get done before her youngest sibling leaves for home, in eleven years…hopefully.

Can I put tequila on the list of summer faves? Change up our nod to the Queen, from the gin and tonic habit, to making mango margaritas.

My hometown, Nelson, is definitely a summer fave. Everyone should check out this town. The big orange bridge leads you into a colourful town. Victorian architecture mixed with dreadlocks, a mini San Fran with excellent coffee and fine dining restaurants nestled into a mountain wonderland, beaches and lakes, kayaks and hiking. People so friendly, you’ll consider moving here. Many people do.

A new development for our summer might be a bittersweet summer fave, this…

Definitely bittersweet. Bitter because my daughter is seriously limited in her activities, and obviously had a lot of discomfort (but nice attempt at a field goal!) I feel bad for her many disappointments, and moments where she’ll have to watch dance, watch soccer, watch theatre and know she could have been part of that.

How it’s sweet is that this usually overly helpful girl has to take a seat while her siblings must pick up the slack, and even help her too. Valuable learning in our family this summer. Also, she has more time to bake, so the bread comes out of the oven with bakery regularity. Go Madelyn!

And mostly, this bittersweet fave is a reminder that life is fraught with trouble, big ones and little ones, so carpe diem, and enjoy our summer days, whiling the morning away developing our homestead and lazing by the lake in the afternoons with a book, margarita and the ones I love the most.