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Hey There!
Happy summer solstice!
It seems crazy to me that summer doesn’t start until this far into June. That’s probably because as a kid I considered the start of summer when my mother let me (finally) start going barefoot!
Since summer is officially here, I wanted to share with you some of my summer must-dos!
1. Sit out on the porch and watch fireflies.
Call them fireflies or lightning bugs, either way, nothing says summer to me like sitting in the dark surrounded by the still, warm summer air watching those tiny lights go bobbing through the darkness. There’s something so magical about it – like you are getting to watch a fairy dance.
2. Get ice cream at a local ice cream joint.
I know your area has one, and if it doesn’t you can head my way to try one of ours! Locals know the place for the best ice cream. Once you find it, everything else just falls a little shy of the mark. Memories are made sitting in booths, licking ice cream cones. Some of my favorite places in the Tri-state area are:
Pack’s Dairy Corner – Winchester, VA
There are a few Pack’s around, but my favorite is the little frozen custard stand on Route 50. It’s soft serve, and they have a phenomenal waffle cone. Order Mama and I’s favorite – chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles in a waffle cone and thank us later!
Nutter’s – Shepherdstown, WV
Nutter’s is the ice cream go-to for all of the Shepherd University kids. It’s on a side street in historic Sharpsburg, Maryland and has Hershey’s hand-dipped ice cream. The best part? The prices! Serving their college market well, they give you a big serving of your favorite sweet treat for a reasonable price!
Mikie’s – Greencastle, PA
Mikie’s also has some awesome food to go with your ice cream. My favorite is a chicken tenders platter with curly fries while Mama loves their pizza burgers. Mikey’s is a neat place because not only do they have ice cream and food, they also have an arcade and a gift shop! Something for the entire family!
Antietam Dairy – Waynesboro, PA
Farm fresh, creamy, delicious ice cream. Here you will find something unique that both The Fellow and my Father love – grapenut ice cream. Yupp – like the cereal. While you’d think this wouldn’t be appealing, it is an absolute must try. Now, I will say that Antietam Dairy’s isn’t quiiiite as good as Daddy’s homemade ice cream, but it’s as close as you can get for sale to the public!
3. Have a campfire (and eat a s’more).
You know I’m all about a good s’more, and nowadays with Pinterest there are so many other yummy campfire treats to whip up! There’s something I truly love about waking up in the morning with the smell of campfire smoke in my hair. I truly believe that some of the strongest bonds are formed by firelight.
4. Watch a parade.
Seriously, it’s not summer without a little bit of celebration. It’s American summer at its finest watching the kids in their band uniforms, firetrucks, 4-H groups, and pageant queens ride by as you wave and cheer. Go ahead, run, and grab one of those Tootsie Rolls they just tossed while you’re at it. You know you want to.
5. Read a good book.
Be it on the porch, by the pool, or on the beach, summer is for relaxing and doing some light fun reading. Head to your local library or order something online and fall into a magical world. Summer is also the perfect time to get the kids involved in a summer reading program!
Bonus 6. Star gaze.
Just as summer starts to wind down and the air gets the tiniest bit of a chill to it is when I love to star gaze best. It’s the most magical time of the year for me. I like to lay out in a hammock and try to pick out constellations. If you can get a hold of a star-gazing book, the history/stories behind the stars are truly fascinating. If you get a chance, check out a planetarium, and then star gaze at home!
Let me know your favorite summer activities!