Hello Summer -

By Lael Gibbs on Jul 17, 2019 – The Roxbury Local https://theroxburylocal.com/

Summer is officially here and in full swing. One of my favorite parts of summer is seeing all of these small towns really come to life. People are outside in their yards either working or relaxing, the farms are starting to get big hauls of beautiful fresh produce, and there are tons of exciting events being held all around the area. It seems like everything is bustling and, for me, it’s a refreshing vibe after the quieter winter months.

We, as a family, really try to take full advantage of the warm weather. We try to set aside a few hours every weekend to take a family hike at one of the local trails. There, we spend our time throwing rocks into the rivers, exploring, and trying to find little treasures along the way: like old structures that used to serve a purpose, or a small garnet stone, or even just a unique looking rock or leaf can be exciting when a 3 year old is in-tow. Most importantly, for us, hiking is our way of taking a small break from work and house chores and just focusing on spending some time together.

We have spent a lot of time in the yard this summer, taking care of our small gardens and tackling some bigger outdoor projects. We installed a swing set and have tried to use it as a focal point to designate a “kids” section of the yard that houses all of the outdoor toys and games. We are also working on creating an area for ourselves where we can entertain adults and kids alike on warm afternoons and evenings with lots of seating and an outdoor fire pit. And we did a little decorative refresh of our porch to make it more conducive to “outdoor” dining and relaxing. At times the projects can seem a bit endless, but it’s a very welcomed excuse to be outside.

And with any left over time, we have been trying to attend at least a few of the unique summer events that have been going on. We absolutely love anything pick-your-own (and I love the challenge of trying to figure out what to do with 5 lbs of blueberries, cherries, strawberries, etc.). This week starts blueberry picking at Maple Bank Farm, which means that we get to visit with their cute little flock of sheep. We have been to some great outdoor markets, fairs, and festivals. We started with 23^rdAnnual Teddy Bear Festival in New Milford and Roxbury’s Summer Kickoff. We also have gone to Open Barn at Arethusa Farms; and this past weekend we went to Pickin’ ‘N Fiddlin’ here in Roxbury.

Needless to say, it has been a very active summer for us. There is so much to do when the weather gets warm; and while it can feel very nonstop, summer also seems to bring its own sense of relaxation regardless of how busy things can get.

And I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am.