The Elf Blog

Spring and Summer Entertaining

Spring and summer are a great time to entertain. Lots of good opportunities. Wonderful fresh foods to eat. And if the weather is good, you can entertain outside so you don't have to celan your house (except for access to a bathroom).

Take some time this weekend to think about your spring and summer entertaining plans. Here are som ideas to get you started:

•Mother's and/or Father's Day.

•Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

•Graduation parties.

•Bridal showers.

•A cookout can be a simple and elegant meal. You can grill meat, fish, veggies, fruit. Even pizza.

•Outdoor happy hour. All you need is a tub of ice and a blender. Especially good on Fridays.

How will you entertain this season?

Summer's Over -- Now Plan Fall

Yes, I know that summer doesn't really end for another 2 weeks, but, for most people in the U.S., Labor Day is the end of summer (just like Memorial Day is the beginning -- even though it's 3 weeks early). That means it's time to start planning for fall.

What do you want to do before the holidays or before the end of the year?

• Maybe it's yard work or some remodelling of the house.
• Maybe you want to sign up for a class or complete a craft project.
• Maybe you want to start an exercise program before holiday treats get in the way.
• Maybe it's a family trip to see the leaves or to pick apples or pumpkins.
• Maybe it's simply to find the containers and lids that match in your kitchen cabinet.

This week, take a few minutes of quiet to think about what you hope to achieve this fall. Actually write it down and put it somewhere you can find it later and refer to it frequently during the season.

Making your goals concrete and visible is the first step to achieving them.

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day is the traditional end of the summer in the U.S. (even though seasonal summer still has a few more weeks to go).

As I get older, I find that I tend to use a long weekends as an opportunity to catch up on work and chores and projects. But you should try to do something this weekend to enjoy the last vestiges of summer's relaxation.

I'll be hosting a cookout for friends. We'll have hamburgers and hot dogs, homemade baked beans, corn on the cob, green salad, Mediterranean salad, PBJ slaw, watermelon, and brownies. I think that's enough fod!

Summer Planning

Technically, summer doesn't start until next week, so if you haven't done any of the things you want to do this summer, you aren't behind!

Try to focus on a few things:  books you'd like to read, craft projects you'd like to finish, parties you'd like to throw, trips you'd like to take, cleaning projects you'd like to complete, etc.  If you try to do everything, you'll typically achieve nothing. 

So give yourself a break, choose a few things, and enjoy!

Memorial Day

Next Monday we'll celebrate Memorial Day -- the unofficial beginning of summer.  That makes this weekend a great time to

• invite a few friends over for a cookout
• visit a farmers' market and make wonderful dishes from the fresyh fruits and vegetables
• plan a quick getaway
• play tourist in your hometown
• spend some time looking for fun and free events to participate in over the summer
• spend time with loved ones
• break out the summer clothes and outdoor furniture

What will YOU be doing this weekend?

 

The Illusion of Summer

Yesterday, I blogged about how much I love the longer days of summer.  Today, I want to blog about a necessary caution.

With summer on the horizon with its slower pace and long days, it seems like there will be time for everything. It's really easy to tell yourself, "I can do that over the summer, when there's more time."  But summer days, sunny though they are, still have only 24 hours and we should be sleeping 8 of those.

I thought of this today as I accepted three new projects to complete "over the summer."  Those are in addition to the travel I have planned and in addition to the chores I want to get to -- things like cleaning closets -- and the skills I want to learn -- like canning and weaving.

Taking on too many projects can lead to stress and disappointment. It can also leave you unable to enjoy the slower pace of summer and spending time with family and friends.

Don't let the illusion of an endless summer become a planning trap.

The Illusion of Summer

Yesterday, I blogged about how much I love the longer days of summer.  Today, I want to blog about a necessary caution.

With summer on the horizon with its slower pace and long days, it seems like there will be time for everything. It's really easy to tell yourself, "I can do that over the summer, when there's more time."  But summer days, sunny though they are, still have only 24 hours and we should be sleeping 8 of those.

I thought of this today as I accepted three new projects to complete "over the summer."  Those are in addition to the travel I have planned and in addition to the chores I want to get to -- things like cleaning closets -- and the skills I want to learn -- like canning and weaving.

Taking on too many projects can lead to stress and disappointment. It can also leave you unable to enjoy the slower pace of summer and spending time with family and friends.

Don't let the illusion of an endless summer become a planning trap.

Longer Days

One of my favorite things about this time of year is that the days get so much longer.  I don't know about you, but when I have more hours of daylight, I feel like I can accomplish a lot more.  I can run more errands, do more after work, take care of a few things before work, etc.

When it's dark by the time I leave the office, I just want to go home and delve into a good book or a craft or do some cooking.  But in the spring and summer, I don't feel the need to be in the house until 9.

Of course, that can make keeping the house tidy a bit more of a challenge!

Rainy Days (Even if they aren't Mondays)

Spring and summer have their fair share of rainy days (at least in Washinbgton, DC).  So it only makes sense to plan for the inevitable.

• For rainy weekend days, it's not a bad idea to keep a list of indoor chores you can tackle.  A rainy day is a great day to clean out a drawer or cabinet or closet.
• Keep a basic stock in your craft area so that you don't have to go out in the rain to work on your latest projet.
• I always like to have a few DVDs or a good book or a few magazines handy to read away a rainy day.
• Perfect a few rainy day recipes that take a little longer to cook.
• If you general workout outside (running, etc.), make sure you have an indoor alternative.

 

Summer Entertaining

Now is a great time to start thinking about summer entertaining. 

There are lots of events you can plan your entertainments around: Memorial Day, July 4th, wedding showers, Father's Day, graduations, reunions.

But the great thing about the summer is that it's so much easier to entertain informally.  Throw some meat and/or veggies on the grill,put some beverages on ice, buy a watermelon, and you have a party. No need to plan elaborate menus and "tablescapes" (oh,how I hate that word).  You don't even have to clean the house (apart from a bathroom) since you'll be outside.

Take advantage of the longer days of summer and the often less-harried pace to invite a few friends over for dinner or drinks or dessert. Take the stress out and just enjoy.