Giveaway Alert: Details at end of post.
Many of my books are set in summer. Maybe it's because the heat goes hand in hand with heated desire and passion.
Here's my list of favorite summer delights that might explain why I love this heated season.
1. Homemade ice cream.
OMG. There is nothing better than the homemade vanilla ice cream I've been making since I was given the recipe by my ex's mother-in-law many years ago. She got the recipe from her cousin Maybelle who got it from her mother.
The icy cold vanilla sweetness melts on your tongue. It's light, not heavy like commercial ice creams. I've never had better ice cream anywhere. It's so good that when I announce, "I'm making ice cream today," everyone grabs bowls and spoons and volunteers to help.
2. Roses, crape myrtles, zinnias, marigolds, and lantana.I love gardening. I love all the bright colors. Growing flowers creates a feast for the eyes--for me and any passersby. Here in Houston, the color parade starts in the spring when Mother Nature outdoes herself with wildflowers in the country and azaleas bursting into bloom in town. As the days heat up, the flowers begin blooming. How can anyone feel down when you see such beauty every day?
3. The fragrances floating in the air.
Oh, honeysuckle, star jasmine, night blooming jasmine, gardenia, roses, butterfly ginger, and magnolia. There are many others, but these vines, shrubs, and trees are my favorites.
4. Porch swings and hammocks.I can't think of anything more relaxing than lazing away in a porch swing or a hammock in a cool shady spot. A chaise lounge will work nearly as well. Just bring a good book on your Kindle and you have everything needed for a fabulous summer day.
5. Visiting with neighbors.
We have a wrought iron bench and a couple of matching chairs in our front courtyard under the giant live oak tree. We like to sit there in the gloaming and sip glasses of wine. Neighbors come by and stay a while and chat. It's low-key, casual, and friendly--all of which is often missing in today's frantic world. (By the way, gloaming is a word my grandfather often used. In fact, there was a song he sang that had the word in it. One doesn't hear it much any more. In case you don't know the word, it means that time after sunset and before darkness.)
6. Summer rain.
There's something special about a summer rain. I love it when it lightly falls on the roof or taps at your window, like the song Summer Rain says. I love that oldie sung by Johnny Rivers.
7. Flip flops, sundresses, and cork sandals.I do love to wear breezy sundresses. I choose flip flops if I'm just hanging loose or cork sandals if I'm going somewhere. Cork sandals are the best because they make me taller. *LOL* I'm on the petite side so anything that adds 3-4 inches to my height--comfortably--have a place in my closet.
8. Beach reads.
Of course, summer is for reading, and Kindles make it so easy!
A thoroughly delightful romance. The story of not one but three separate and equally lovely couples. What a merry chase this story is. I absolutely loved how it all wove together to create a satisfying and lovely romance. ~ Amazon Review
If you like your heroes hot you'll love FBI agent Hogan, who's caught up in a family conundrum during his vacation. Together with deputy sheriff Susannah they manage to get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Sparks fly between them with both determined not to fall in love and of course failing. Lovely secondary romance as well for Susannah's mother. Lots of fun and laughs in the Texas sun! ~ Amazon Review
GIVEAWAY!
That's my list of favorite summer delights. What's yours? Answer this in a comment with your email address and be entered in a random draw for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway closes June 30. Winner announced July 7, when I recover from the Independence Day celebrations.
Joan Reeves is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Sassy, Sexy Contemporary Romance. Her books are available at all major ebook sellers with audio editions available at Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. In 2017, new print editions of her books will be available.
All of Joan's books have the same underlying theme: It's never too late to live happily ever after. Joan lives her happily ever after with her hero, her husband, in the Lone Star State.
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Joan, not entering the clever contest but wanted to tell you I enjoyed your post. Summer is NOT my time, but I do enjoy sitting in our breakfast nook with Hero and looking out at the back yard. We grew up in West Texas so having large trees and thick grass is a treat. I also love colorful flowers. Due to the shade, I display them on our sunny patio.
ReplyDeleteThat's the great thing about Texas, isn't it? Such a large state with so many different landscapes that there's a kind of gardening one can do in each. I agree about the beauty of big trees and beautiful lawns.
DeleteHi, Joan. I'm not entering the contest either. But my favorite thing about summer is our large covered patio surrounded by lush flowers and ferns and the joyful songs of the birds nesting in the trees in Central Pennsylvania. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Judy. Would love to see your patio. Sounds lovely. A family of bluebirds seems to have adopted our yard at our house in the country. Such tiny birds and so brilliantly colored. Beautiful.
DeleteI do enjoy the twilight in summer and more often than not we do not put on the lights and just enjoy the gloaming. Yes, a word in our family vocabulary too.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Hi, Mary. Got your name entered in the drawing. I'm glad to know the word gloaming is still around.
DeleteMy list includes spending more time with my grandson, watching the monsoon storms light up the sky, sandals and shorts.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jeanna! Monsoon storms? Oh, my. I remember monsoon season when I lived in Okinawa. I swear, I think mildew could probably grow on a bowling ball during that time.
DeleteDid you want to be entered in the Giveaway? If so, leave your email address--written out not as a hot link.
I love your summer delights. Our neighbors are too far apart for that to work but sounds wonderful and it's been years since homemade ice cream, but I remember it well. My favorite summer delight is the long days. I love night not coming until 9:30 and mornings starting at 5.
ReplyDeleteoh and not entering the contest :)
DeleteThanks, Rain. I'm waiting for this long day to start dwindling. This morning, I worked in the yard at our house in the country--trying to renovate the yard after 2 summers with an armadillo each summer decimated it. I'd forgotten how physically hard this kind of gardening can be. *LOL*
Delete