Quick Overview of this newsletter:

1. 🌿 What happens in August?
2. 💧 Summer Laze
3. 🥾 If I had more energy
4. 💭 Making the Most of a Guided Tour
5. 📖 Product of the Month
6. 🥕 Seasonal treat

August is here, and this is when I finally take a breath.

After all the build-up of spring wildflowers, then blueberries and u-pick, then peaking with water-based activities, you might think I’m off to the next activity. However, my Augusts have been slow and quiet for the last few years.

There are a few reasons for this - first and probably the main reason, my full-time work gets stressful around this time. I have less energy and enthusiasm to research, plan, and go do. Pair that with uncertainty around wildfire smoke, and it’s an easy excuse to stay in my lovely and comfortable home. And each year I struggle, but ultimately make peace with doing less in mid- to late-summer.

This year, I am choosing to reframe it as appreciating the summer heat and harvest. Days are still long and warm, but they won’t stay that way. Sweet corn won’t be a choice in my CSA box for much longer. And leaves are already starting to change (is it oddly early? Or just me?).

It also makes sense to take a breath and enjoy the moment before I fully embrace autumn- leaf-peeping hikes, seasonal beverages, and the return of spa season. Just writing about it is making me excited.

Hanna

Summer Laze

Last month I foreshadowed my quiet Augusts with some low-energy water-based activities like reading or hammocking next to water and finding a quiet swimming hole to relax. That is exactly what I’ve been up to these last few weekends. Maybe motivating to do a little cleaning or make a nice dinner on the weekends, utilizing fresh herbs from my herb garden. I slow down and notice the clear water in the creek, the wind moving through the trees, and especially the sunsets. They come earlier every day.

More low-energy activities, if you’re the same:

• Tending to my herb garden, especially plucking the flowers from my basil plants!
• Drying herbs from my herb garden for future teas or cooking.
• Eating fresh vegetables from local farms or my CSA box.
• Neighborhood sunset walks.
• Working on the customized paint-by-number kit that I started last year or another craft.
• Planning fall travel or activities.

If I had more energy

In an alternate universe, where my job wasn’t as mentally tiring, and I didn’t need a breather, I would probably be:

• Hiking at higher elevations to see the late-season wildflowers.
• Heading to the coast during the heat waves.
• Packing/planning for a big-ole fall Europe trip with my mom - it simply did not materialize this year, and I think I’m okay with it. We’ll do something special next year.
• Hitting up the dahlia and sunflower farms in Oregon - it’s on my list, but not sure I’ll make it in time this year.
• Discovering new swimming holes for future Hanna.
• Rollerskating more often (I put my rollerskates on for the first time this year last weekend - wow!)

Resource for Summer Travel: Tips for Making the Most of a Guided Tour

If you’re fitting in one more trip before school starts (surprisingly the local school district doesn’t start until September 9th here - crazy right?) or perhaps are planning your annual autumn trip, which I believe is a phenomenal time to travel, I wanted to share a resource with you about making the most of any guided tour.

Whether it’s one day or more, I’ve included tips and tricks that I do to try to pick the most aligned tour operator and stay engaged during the tour itself. Travel can be exhausting and overstimulating, and it’s so easy to just let the day slide by. The blog post and printable guide will help you out.

Apple cider tasting in Norway with extra explanations amongst the trees.

Product of the Month

This book has been on my TBR (to be read) list for ages. However, it wasn’t until the book club at my work chose Braiding Sweetgrass as the next book that I am finally prioritizing this “hymn of love to the world” as another author describes. And there truly is some earthly magic woven into the words because I am often brought to the edge of tears with the beautiful writing and messages. If you enjoy the outdoors or plants, even casually, I almost guarantee that you will find this book meaningful in some way. Highly, highly recommend it.

And also highly recommend reading this book outside, if you can. It has greatly helped me find peace during my quiet observant August. Check Libby or your library first! Also available at Thriftbooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and likely your local bookstore.

Labor Day Sales

Also, most outdoors retailers are having Labor Day Sales - Patagonia’s sale is winding down, REI’s sale is just picking up, Backcountry has a sale, Columbia, Cascade Design (MSR, Therm-a-rest, Platypus), and likely others may start next weekend during the proper weekend. It’s not a bad time to get something you’ve had your eye on.

Seasonal Treat

My other CSA (community supported agriculture) box is the more typical vegetable variety, with some fruits mixed in. The one I’m in allows you to pick your vegetables from specific lists each week from late May to November, which I absolutely love, and it reduces waste almost completely. The lists change with the season, and I can taste how incredibly fresh the veggies are. Some of my favorite items are the Sungold tomatoes, the salad mix, and fresh carrots.