Get Outdoors and Savour the Summertime

Hey! Just like I promised last week. Here I am, back again! For a multitude of reasons I really needed that week’s break. But it was good for me. Now I can share with you all the good stuff that has been keeping me so busy these past weeks!

The sun has been shining here, with a few gorgeously puffy clouds gently sweeping across the blue skies. And we have been having lovely summery temperatures which I have been hankering for for months now (well, except for the 5 week break in Australia over Christmas 😉). But not counting that…

Now, I don’t know about you, but all this amazing weather makes me want to skip and twirl and grin wildly in the sunshine. Of course there are always the complainers who bemoan that at 25 degrees is it already “too hot”. Me? I’m just getting started!

I thought that it could be fun to share a few of the things that we have been doing around here these past couple of weeks. Perhaps you will find a couple of ideas that you and your family could try out now that the warmer weather and longer daylight hours are here (in the northern hemisphere at least). Or maybe it will inspire you to get outside and discover your own adventures!

So, summer days, here we go…

Go Fruit Picking

The last time I posted here, it was a glorious homage to the loveliest fruit of summer, the strawberry. In the last weeks we have been to the strawberry fields twice and picked about 12 kgs of strawberries. When you have a nearby field where each and every plant is hanging with ripened berries, how can you resist? We all come home feeling satisfied with a job well done, bellies a little but fuller than when we left home due to the “just testing if it’s ripe” tasting method, and buckets full of berries and dreams. So far we have made dozens of jars of jam, bottles of a vodka & strawberries *just for the grown-ups* drink, countless smoothies, bagged berries for the freezer and gorged on fresh berries. Even Master 5 who used to gag on fresh berries would polish off an entire plate if he were allowed! He too is in love 😊.

We didn’t just stop at mass production of strawberry goodies, oh no. We also recently discovered a number of elderberry trees heavy with fragrant flowers, alongside some fields not far from here. Here they are actually quite prolific throughout farming areas and are called Holunder. I had never actually known the English translation until I finally got off my butt and checked it out online the other week . And like the occasionally oblivious expat I am, I never really got into the whole Holunder thing. In Germany it is really popular to create DIY treats made with the flowers because the trees are just so easy to come by. So we cooked ourselves up a batch of both elderberry jelly and a few bottles of the VERY sweet syrup. Again, in Germany, mixing Holundersirup with Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) makes for a refreshing summer party drink called “Hugo”. Is Hugo a thing outside of Germany?!? I have never heard of it before. I can, however, attest that a generous splash of our homemade elderberry syrup in my glass of Prosecco last weekend tasted mighty fine 😊. The kiddies can enjoy it too, mixed with water of course 😉.

I am not sure what it’s like in the area you live. The cherry trees around this region are going gangbusters this year (and we may or may not have eaten one too many 😉). Our raspberry bushes are carrying enough fruit to keep both us humans and the thieving birds happy. And I am not allowed to forget our little white currant bush. Phew!

None of this happens in winter. Whatever your foodie preference, go outdoors, discover and savour it!

Go for a Bike Ride

Remember I said that we came across some elderberry trees recently? Well, that- and the ensuing sweet mess in the kitchen back home- would not have happened had we not been out for a ride through the countryside. (Well, neither would the bike crash on the country road between our 2 youngest. Eeek. But nothing that lots of kisses, time and a fistful of bandaids can’t fix).

While we certainly are not Tour de France contenders, going out for a few kilometres bike ride is something we somehow don’t do often enough for our liking. Sure, the kids aren’t always keen. But getting moving as a family provides exercise, fresh air, fun and bonding.

My secret tip? Have a destination as the end goal. Just saying to our kids “Hey Kiddos, grab your helmets, we’re going for a ride!” tends to be answered with groans and sloth-speed progress at getting ready. But if we say “Grab your helmets, we’re off to the playground/ice-cream parlour/festival/[insert activity]!” they are much more likely to come with enthusiasm.

Bicycles are a standard form of transportation in many parts of Europe (most certainly Germany and the Netherlands). But if bikes aren’t your thing, get outdoors and discover what activity it is that you do love!

Get Dressed Up for that Summer Feeling

And by that I mean, go dig up all your summer clothes, ditch/donate the ones who don’t want anymore, decide which ones you love and start wearing them to get you in that warm weather mood! No more bulky pullovers and blacks and drab greys. Get some colour in your life!

I have been going one step further these past weeks and sewing summer clothes myself for the kids. The girls both have new T-shirts made out of the coolest fabric that changes colour once it is exposed to UV light. Perfect for summer, right?!? Miss 8’s BFF is so impressed with the fabric that she has begged me to make her a shirt too, so that she and my daughter will look like twins, LOL! I also sewed both girls some ¾ leggings, more shirts and Master 5 is about to get some shirts and shorts too. The big benefit when you can sew clothes yourself, is that they are truly one-of-a-kind.

My sewing machine and overlocker are getting a big workout lately! I keep telling myself that I’ll get started on clothes for me soon too. Those fabrics and patterns just keep staring back at me day after day 😉…

Handmade or not, grab some happy-coloured clothes and get your summer feeling on!

Enjoy Al Fresco Dining

While I do swoon over the idea of Italian piazzas and such, you don’t actually have to be near the Mediterranean to enjoy eating your meals outdoors in the summer warmth. These past weeks we have had more BBQs than I care to count and eating outdoors just makes it more fun. Another benefit? No fussing about crumbs on the floor 😉.

But aside from that, warmer weather is the perfect time to let the kids run wild in the yard and have friends or family over for a meal. Outdoors you can often spread out a little more, get up and move around and generally feel more relaxed.

In our neighbourhood we have turned it into an even bigger occasion: once a year we organise a neighbourhood street party. We block off the street. (We live in a small quiet street 😉). Everyone from retirees to newborn babies turn up. We put together as many tables and chairs and benches as possible. Everyone kicks in some money and/or food and drinks, someone plays DJ, someone else takes care of pouring the beers, kids splash in a wading pool or hula hoop or blow bubbles. You name it. We even had a jumping castle set up in the middle of the road a couple of years ago! We all have such great memories of these social events where everyone mixes and mingles and the kids always ask when we are doing it all again.

Whatever family or neighbourhood constellation you find yourself in, get yourselves outdoors, grab a cool drink, some delicious food and enjoy the weather at the same time!

Dream Big About That Summer Holiday

Regardless of whether you are really going on holidays this summer, or daydreaming about what may be, the warmer weather is the perfect opportunity to take a break from work. Of course if you are planning to going away on holidays (vacation, Urlaub, call it what you want) you’ll want to do your research and make some bookings and just spend some idle time thinking about what it is you want to do on your time away.

Usually our summer holidays are comfortable, family-friendly beach affairs, at the North or Baltic Sea. This year we are all very excited to be going somewhere new- Croatia! Practically guaranteed to be sunny and warm. Accommodation is booked. Transport is sorted. Now the kids keep asking about buying snorkels. And when we are going to start learning to speak Croatian (dobar dan!). Anyway, we are all really excited about this adventure and gives us endless things to talk about and plan.

Summer’s coming so get dreaming, and maybe even planning, your perfect getaway for this season!

So, now you know what we have been up to these past weeks and why I have been kept so busy. We have been getting into the spirit of the warmer weather. For those of you also in the northern hemisphere, I hope you have been too. And if not, maybe this post might just spark your imagination of how you can get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air, sun and the things you can really only do in summer. Vidimo se kasnije!

What have you been doing lately in the warmer weather? Or for those of you reading from Down Under, what are some of your favourite things to enjoy as summer is heating up? Share with us below!!