thursday's ten or so: the summer bucket list

my friend angie posted on facebook the other day that she had created a summer bucket list. so being the amazing friend that i am, i decided to steal the idea :-)
(it's not REALLY stealing if i give you credit, right angie?!)


so here, in no particular order, are {some of} the things that i'd like to do at least once before summer is over!


go whitewater rafting
take a camping trip (i cannot believe this one is on here...i have NEVER been camping. but anthony loves it so i want to give it a try!)
visit holiday world (most likely with angie!)
see the ocean at least once...hopefully for a long weekend!
host a summer bash at our house just because
do at least one 5k even in the ridiculous tennessee summer heat
jump on a trampoline 
run through a sprinkler
harvest from the garden (hopefully this is ongoing...ha!)
set up the hammock and spend quality time there
hike radnor at least once a month
implement some fun summer pinterest ideas :-)


i'm sure the list will get longer as summer progresses.  but that's a good {fun} start :-)


what do you want to do this summer? anything i should add?

In My Garden

In my garden
I pretend to grow things that last for exactly as long as I nourish them

In my garden
thai basil is flourishing
the italian basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, dill, and catnip need a bit more convincing
not to mention the lavender and cilantro I'm attempting to grow in pots indoors

In my garden
Emi is more than willing to eat the grass that sprouts up easier than anything else

In my garden
the tomatoes are making me happy
A rose has miraculously survived the past 5 years of my ineptness
A few annual flowers are thriving

In my garden
the moonflowers are poised to bud

In my garden
I can pretend to have a green thumb
I can sit in the evening hours with my laptop and a cup of tea
I can watch the rain

I'm a fan.

What's in your garden this year?

Thursday's Ten

Ten Simple Things I'm Loving...

1. good drinks on a patio






















2. girlfriends and sun

















3. Kissing






















4. sleeping kitties

















5. Blooms






















6. Trips to the zoo with my beau

















7. Working from home






















8. tomatoes in my garden

















9. Roses (also in my garden)

















10. Seeing views like this (I passed the airport last night and noticed the sunset skyline...how cool is that?!)

Thursday's Ten -- the outdoor variety

Having celebrated Earth Day yesterday, and seeing the sunshine outside today, I'm truly craving some outdoor time. Since I can't get any at the moment (boo!) I'll just tell you some of MY favorite things to do outside it great weather!

1. hike/walk/run. Whether it's just around the neighborhood or going to one of the *gorgeous* greenways or parks in the city I love it.
2. a picnic. If there are kids involved, make sure there's a playground nearby, and that you have a good book to read on the blanket while they play :0)
3. working in the garden. Now...I kind of suck at gardening. But I love to *try* to make my backyard pretty. I have big plans to work in my garden next week! I'd really like to get an herb garden started. I've killed all the herbs I've attempted to grow...but I have hope. Any tips among the rest of ya?
4. tanning. I know, I know. Bad for you, blah blah. But I am built in such a way that I crave--need--the sun. And somehow, getting a little hint of brown on my skin makes me feel better emotionally and physically. I'm sure I'll pay for it one of these days, but I'm telling you. I never deal with depression when there's sunshine to be had.
5. playing. I don't have kids of my own, but I babysit enough--and have enough friends with children--that I'm quite used to playing outside on swingsets and jungle gyms. I love it.
6. driving. If I can't walk or run, just driving with the windows down and sunroof open will do. And the music blasting, of course!
7. being near water. Oceans are best, but access to them in TN? I'll settle for a river, lake, creek, waterfall. There is something therapeutic to me about hearing, seeing and smelling water. I somehow always feel closer to God at the water's edge.
8. whitewater rafting. A tradition for us at youth camp every year, so I get to go once per summer at least. But I love going with a group of friends as well.
(the last 2 are kind of remarkable considering I don't know how to swim..at all!)
9. sitting on the patio. Especially at dusk or at night. I plant moonflowers each year, and make sure there's a lot of white in my garden besides that so that I have some beauty to look at even in the near-dark. I love to relax and listen to the beautiful sounds around me. This does not include a nearby neighbor's yappy dachshunds. ;-)
10. pull out the camera. I'm sure you've all figured out by now that I enjoy taking pictures. I love grabbing a nature photograph, a photo of a friend--or going to the zoo and taking pictures of the cool animals they have!

What about you? What are your favorite things to do outside?