Hello and good morning! As promised in my post of July 31st, I’ve compiled a list of 15 ideas to help make your August amazing . And because I’m going easy on myself this month, I decided to only come up with 15—as opposed to 31 (which would be my usual.)
Many of these I can hardly wait to accomplish, and some will be a bit of a challenge … as in the tent one (I may sleep in our new trailer instead ;)
15 Ideas to Help Make Your August Amazing
- Buy bottles of bubbles and spend a morning photographing them as you blow them into the light! If you have children or grandchildren to help you … all the better! If not, just place your camera on a tripod, set the timer, and bubble away!
- Visit greenhouses and shop for mid-season clearance items, or for new arrivals such as late summer coneflowers, huge pots of mums, and dazzling dahlias. I used to restrict my flower purchases to spring, but now stores like Home Depot are bringing in fresh pots (and ideas) daily.
- Cut back flower pots that have become leggy and fertilize with a 15-15-30. My daughter gave me this tip, which she learned from a horticulturist at Lowes. This will give your plants a huge boost and make for an amazing last hurrah!
- Visit U-Picks for fresh veggies, berries, and fruits … these days a person doesn’t have to have a garden to enjoy the bounty that surrounds us!
- Shop local craft stores and/or attend markets (post coming soon)
- Shop the ditches!! I’m surrounded by wildflowers that make the most amazing bouquets! We have tansy, fireweed, cow parsley, clover, purple vetch, chamomile, oxeye daisies, and grasses growing with wild abandon. Just a word of caution though—you might want to check a wildflower guide or search online to make sure it’s OK to pick a certain species. On my foraging adventures I also see wild orchids and tiger lilies and I am well aware they are not to be picked. Not only is it illegal, but it’s also just not right. Everything I pick is a “noxious weed”.
- Make bouquets using only 3 items and sprinkle them around your house.
- Have a picnic in your own back yard, on a blanket, under the trees. Gather up a few lighthearted books, and magazines, and a pillow (just in case.)
- Sleep in a tent in your own back yard. Make it as comfortable possible (even drag a mattress outside if necessary ;)
- If you’re in North America, mark this date: August 21/2017 to watch the solar eclipse! You might not be able to see the total eclipse, but even a partial eclipse will be amazing (and magical.)
- Take social media breaks … not just for hours, but for days … gasp!! yes you can!!!
- Switch up your photography style: if you do mostly still life, try capturing macros or landscapes or simply dreamy light. It takes the pressure off (if you put pressure on yourself :)
- Make homemade ice cream (again, post coming soon) … this is life changing people ;)
- Read a classic, but keep it simple. I picked up Classic Tales of Horror by Edgar Allen Poe and after reading one story, I found myself so intrigued I was searching online for answers … very stimulating. I’m still thinking about it.
- Connect with someone you’ve lost touch with … it may change your life in positive ways you never dreamed possible.
So there you have it! My first of 4 (promised) posts for August.
I’m limping along here, but not giving up.