32 'Slow Living' Inspired Ways to Savor Summer
by
Mark Sisson
Mark’s Daily Apple
Recently
by Mark Sisson: My
Healthy Lifestyle Was Killing Me
As we round
out the last few weeks of summer, I’ve been thinking about all the
potential left in the season. Although there’s admittedly less pressure
to grab hold of every last warm day in my current locale, I remember
savoring those final weeks of summer in Northern New England. Time
was truly of the essence, and we didn’t waste a day with both fall
and school on the horizon again. No matter where we live, I think
summer inspires a leisure we more readily forgo in other months
when routine often has greater hold of our days. In the spirit of
Primal
play – and last week’s Slow
Living post – here are a few (dozen) ideas for savoring the
upcoming weeks. Enjoy, everyone!
- Have a Primal
picnic. Surprise someone you love, or gather a rowdy group for
a Primal
inspired picnic. Throw in some Ultimate
or beach volleyball, and you’ve got a party.
- Go for a
walk
in the summer rain. Grab you wellies or – even better – go barefoot.
Taste the rain. Puddle stomp. Let your mind daydream
in the upside reflections of the sky.
- Listen
to the nighttime wildlife (e.g. the cicada, frogs, crickets,
coyotes, etc.)
- For the
remaining weeks of summer and early fall, pick
1-2 veggies a week that are at the peak of their harvest and
go to town experimenting with recipes.
Bonus: buy a slew of them at the farmer’s market while they’re
cheap,
and freeze
or can
them for later in the year.
- Camp.
- Sit
around the fire at night – fire pit, campfire, bonfire, whatever
you have.
- Host an
impromptu
dinner party or summer cocktail hour (al fresco of course).
Gather some flowers from your garden for the table. Grill some
shrimp in the shell and make a salad. String up some lights, set
out some tiki torches, and let the party go well into the night.
- Use it as
an excuse to whip up your favorite Primal-friendly/-adapted
summer drinks like sangria, bloody Mary, gin and tonic, vodka
lemonade, or kicked up old fashioned sun tea.
- Nap
in a hammock.
- Attend an
outdoor
concert or play.
- Sleep
as close to nature as you can. Even if you can’t camp on a
given weekend, pitch a tent in the backyard, or sleep on the porch
for a night.
- Have some
slow style “quality
time” with your partner – whenever and wherever the mood strikes
(don’t get caught!).
- Create
a piece of art – whatever you feel like doing in the moment.
Don’t stifle the experience with imposed standards. Just see where
your mind goes and follow it.
- Visit
a new park in your area every weekend. Hit all the stops from
wilderness areas to botanical gardens, nature centers to arboretums.
- Build toad
or fairy houses with the kids.
- Mud
fight!
- Spend a
whole day (or at least an afternoon) on
the water. Go surfing, rafting, water skiing, river tubing,
boating, canoeing, kayaking, or any combination of the above.
Read
the rest of the article
Listen
to Lew's recent podcast with Mark Sisson
August 13, 2012
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© 2012 Mark's Daily Apple
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