07.25.24
An Ode to Summer
You made an announcement the other day that left me, well… shook. There’s no other way to put it.
Summer is not your favorite anymore.
For me, summer is not even in the same ballpark as any of the other seasons. It’s incomparable in so many ways. I can’t even describe why it’s “better”. I can only remind you why it’s the best. So, here’s my dissertation.
We live in a part of the world that shines best in summer. Never mind the actual beach for a moment. I’ll present a few other examples: marsh grass, farm stands, outdoor concerts, boats.
There’s no winter equivalent to finding the warmest spot in the creek to go for a swim, or the most secluded little corner of the beach and staying there until the sun sets eating cape cod potato chips and watermelon, and then coming home to take a cool shower.
Or how about just waking up to a cool Sunday morning after an overnight thunderstorm, eating breakfast at the outdoor table, and thinking about what you want to do for the day? There’s no other time of year that you could capture that specific moment.
All my perfect days have been lived in the summer. And, I’d argue our biggest accomplishments have been won in summer too. Think of all the crazy, wild, hard, beautiful days we’ve had together in the woods of New Hampshire, the valleys of the Berkshires, on the North Shore, at our client’s homes, at museums, in the desert. I know we love a fall wedding, but the summer ones are the hardest won and have a different flavor. IMO You haven’t been a real live wedding planner until you’ve had to secret shower and change your hill house home dress multiple times due to sweat.
Speaking of HHH we don’t wear those anymore, and I know you definitely won’t agree with me here, but for me summer clothes are the best clothes. All of my very favorite things to wear can only be worn in summer. All my white Ciao Lucia sundresses, oversized button down shirts over a swimsuit, straw hats, flip flops, linen mini shifts, poplin maxi skirts, and always and forever running shorts with the built in bike shorts under for my walks. Everything looks better with a tan.
There’s a lawlessness to the summer that fits my sensibility that winter just could never put up with. A Wednesday in summer is just as likely to be spent with the kids at camp and me in front of my computer as it is doing absolutely nothing but laying on my couch reading books, drinking iced espresso and telling my girls to find a craft project to work on. I like that.
Also, the best food is summer food. You really cannot argue. It’s a fact: Down river ice cream, steaks on the grill, watermelon forever, cucumber salads, strawberries from the orchard, ice in every drink, hot dogs, hamburgers, cold margaritas (not an actual marg, the kind we like… not sweet), cherries rinsed in ocean water, chippies that are hot from sitting in the sun, chicken salad sandwiches on the mini Hawaiian rolls, corn on the cob, everything is a treat.
There’s absolutely nothing else like sitting in the hot hot sun until you can’t stand it for one more second and then jumping into the water that is so cold it takes your breath away and freezes you to the bones. Or how about we put our chairs in the water because today is so hot up on the sand and the greenheads are getting me? There’s nothing in this world that compares to that.
These short months give me life to continue on through the rest of the year. Soaking it all in recharges my batteries and keeps me going through the dark of winter (kind of?). Summer me is the best me and when I feel the most like myself. So, while I hear what you’re saying - there’s no schedule to rely on and unpacking a beach bag sucks the life out of you and god is it hot - I just can’t agree. Summer will be my favorite forever and always. I <3 summer.