***Update***

It’s been a rainy ol’ weekend in Vancouver town and the nonstop drizzle is like a constant reminder — summer is over, fall is here.

With that in mind, I’m reflecting back on my amazing summer. While I didn’t tick everything off my list, I’m pretty pleased with what was accomplished. Other things came up that didn’t make this list — picnics on the beach, Pemberton Slow Food Cycle, watching fireworks with friends, and camping shenanigans. And now I have items to tick off for next summer, or who knows, even this fall!

First posted July 26 2013

It’s amazing how quickly time passes. Clearly, this is a bit of an issue when trying to post regular blog updates, but it becomes a much larger issue when whole seasons pass before you have time to register the change.

We’re very much in the middle of summer here in Vancouver and the days are already getting slightly shorter — even if it is still light until well after 9.30pm. I’m sitting here, enjoying the view of over English Bay on my half-day Friday, cooling down with a “freezie” (essentially a Zooper Dooper/icy pole, for all you playing at home in Australia), and I’ve come to the very sad conclusion that as nice is it is to experience all four seasons, my favourite one is disappearing all too quickly.

The same thing happened last year, so this year I’m prepared. With the help of Mr Midday Musings, I compiled an agenda for the summer — a hit list of everything I’d like to do, if only the long days continue long enough to let me. Here it is:

• Visit Bowen Island (technically before summer, but I’m counting it!)

  

• Weekend at Sunshine Coast, BC (as above)

  

• Visit Lighthouse Park, West Van

  

• Try stand up paddle boarding (it’s harder than it looks!)
• Visit the Oregon coast

• Weekend at Salt Spring Island

• Joffre Lakes hike 

  

• Garibaldi Lakes hike
• Indian Arm kayaking/camping trip 

  

• Get Shakespearean at Bard on the Beach
• Attend Theatre Under the Stars at Stanley Park (although I’d like to go again!)
• Free movies in the park
• Island camping (Galiano Island)

  

• Pitch and Putt

• Food Cart Fest
• North Van night market
• Richmond Night Market (there’s two!)
• Fair at PNE
• Playland at PNE
• Visit Steveston

• Hike Cypress
• Trail riding at Whistler 

  

• Swim at Alice Lake

• Explore Cat Lake (bonus points for swinging into the lake!)

  

• Okanagan/Washington wine country weekend

• Try rollerblading
• Play tennis at Stanley Park
• Give downhill mountain biking a second chance (and yep, it’s definitely not my thing)

• Grouse Grind in under 1 hour 

  

I’m sure there’s more to do but I’m already fast running out of weekends! Hoping to tick paddle boarding and maybe mountain biking off the list this weekend, but summer, please stick around to help me out.