What ho, readers all!
Cecilia of Craft, Coffee and Cake has kindly tagged me for this Summer Blog Tag! I know I have several Sunshine Blogger Award tags waiting in the wings that I was tagged for much earlier than this, but seeing how this is a fairly time-sensitive tag, I figured I’d push it up to the front of the line. (It’s also an absolutely gorgeous early-summer day today, so it seems like a very fitting time to do this one.)
Here are the rules:
1. Acknowledge who tagged you!
2. Answer the questions!
3. Tag friends!
4. Have fun!
I think I can just manage those, so let’s go!
1. What’s a book you read with summer vibes?
Once upon a time I wrote a post about summery books and movies…let me go look at that for inspiration.
And after looking at it again, my answer is still the same as it would have been before: Secret Agents Four by Donald J. Sobol. It’s a retro-ish (I don’t remember when it’s set, but it feels like the 196os to me) teen spy story set during summer vacation. It’s a very fun light read, and it just reeks summer to me.
2. If you could travel anywhere this summer, where would you go?
Anywhere at all? I would love to visit England some day (Oxford in particular) but I don’t have a burning urge to go as a summer visit. (I think I’d rather see it in spring, in fact.)
Honestly, I think I’d enjoy just staying in a quiet little cabin by a lake for a few days.
3. What’s a poem or quote that reminds you of summer?
This bit from Wodehouse’s short story Jeeves Takes Charge:
“It was one of those still evenings you get in the summer, when you can hear a snail clear its throat a mile away. The sun was sinking over the hills and the gnats were fooling about all over the place, and everything smelled rather topping – what with the falling dew and so on – and I was just beginning to feel a little soothed by the peace of it all…”
It just oozes the feel of a quiet July evening.
Speaking of Wodehouse, now’s as good a time as any to show off this mug I obtained – designed on Canva by yours truly – which arrived last week:
FEAST YOUR EYES ON ITS BEAUTY. (And it showed up with very serendipitous timing, since today is Hugh Laurie’s birthday! Don’t worry, we’ll either be watching J&W or something else similarly fitting tonight in honor of the occasion.)
4. Describe your favorite summer memory.
There are a lot! Spending huge amounts of time playing outside when I was a Wee Tyke…helping to film the homemade movies my brothers came up with…long workouts while listening to Les Mis cast albums that last year or so of high school when I was trying to finish up my phys ed hours…making (and drinking) tall glasses of homemade, stevia-sweetened iced coffee…
5. Your ideal summer is filled with _______, _________, and _________.
Relaxation, reading, and plenty of time outside. We can dream, right? 😉
6. What is your favorite summer food?
Well, it’s not a food, but as hinted at above, I do love iced coffee. And while some kinds of grilled food are too greasy for me to really list them as favorites, grilled chicken tends to be fantabulous!
7. Favorite summer activities?
Going to the beach, playing badminton (though I don’t get to do it often – sadness), enjoying those gloriously quiet sunny summer mornings, and sitting in the sun and trying in vain to get my arms to tan evenly. The right one usually gets more tan, and it BOTHERS me. I feel like Ransom in Perelandra.
8. How do you usually celebrate 4th of July?
Back in the Olden Days of my Youth, we lived close to a hillside which was a perfect spot for watching fireworks, so going there was a 4th of July tradition. A bunch of other families would go there too, and we’d all sit on blankets and bring snacks and make a grand evening of it. Nowadays we don’t go out to watch fireworks, but we usually watch the 1942 film Yankee Doodle Dandy (that’s a tradition we’ve had as long as I can remember), we play a lot of patriotic music, we make sure to wear red, white and blue, and we’ll sing the National Anthem and/or recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
9. What’s a song that reminds you of summer?
“Vintage Wine” by The Moody Blues. (Don’t worry, it’s not a drinking song.) There was one summer some years back that I was constantly singing this while making sand castles at the beach, and it is now inextricably linked with that in my mind. And it’s a very light, nostalgic, summery sort of song, too.
10. What are you most excited for this summer?
Hmm, let’s see…we usually make a point of visiting the beach a lot, which should be fun. I’m taking summer classes and thusly won’t have much more free time than usual, but I’m hoping to get more work done on various projects and endeavors in any case, including some fun crafting things. Summer always has a vacation-y feel to it even when you’re not actually on vacation, and that’s always nice.
Alrighty, now to tag a few people! Let’s see if I can tag people who haven’t already been tagged while still leaving a few bloggers for other people to tag….
Eva at birds, sky, and stars
Iona at Story Blossoms
Megan at Only Mildly Mad
Stephanie at Stephanie’s Ninth Suitcase
…and anyone else who wants to grab it! Let me know if you decide to fill it out, because I’d love to see your answers.
What are your favorite things about summer? Any summer plans you’re especially looking forward to?
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What fun, Lizzie! I’m not familiar with the reference, but congrats on the Canva mug. I so appreciate the ease of designing and ordering through Canva! The cabin looks delightful and that summer quote was evocative! I’m not familiar with that author either, haha!
That mug is amazing!! I didn’t know about Canva… I spy a good website for Christmas shopping! Happy birthday, Hugh Laurie.
I loved reading about your summer memories – they seemed very nostalgic, somehow. I don’t know if that’s just a Thing about summer memories. (I completely relate to trying to make up PE hours for high school – I have had similar experiences!)
A good website for Christmas shopping indeed, I must say.
*clinks celebratory mugs of tea*
I think that *is* just a Thing with summer memories. Perhaps it’s partly because summer is such a carefree time when you’re a kid, so when you aren’t a kid anymore you look back wistfully on how fun the summers of the past were… (Heh, I guess it’s an all-too common predicament xD)
Stephanie, yes, I’ve used Canva for design purposes for years, but this was my first time ordering from them, and it was such a smooth easy experience!
Heh, the summer quote is from the 20th century British humorist P.G. Wodehouse, one of my favorite authors…the mug is also referencing Wodehouse’s ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ universe, both the books and the TV show. 😀
Oh, interesting! My first “Wodehouse” association is Emma Woodhouse haha. Thank you again for the tag! I just shared my answers 🙂 https://stephaniesninthsuitcase.com/2025/06/15/chasing-sunbeams-summer-blog-tag/
Haha, that is funny xD I actually read P.G. Wodehouse before Emma, so that association worked the other way around for me!
Oh lovely! I’ll go check them out right now. 🙂
That wasn’t meant to be a specific reply, by the way – sorry!
No worries! I’ve done that before too 😛
What a fun post, Lizzie! I espcially enjoyed reading/seeing quotes and references to things I am not familiar with. And the photoes you added in are so nice! I’m going to have to listen to that ‘non-drinking’ song 😉
Any Summer plans I’m looking forward to? Well, having people over for potlucks, brunches outside, and beach bbqs with family for sure!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 (It can be fun peeking into other people’s ‘fandoms’ sometimes, can’t it?) And that sounds like a lovely summer! <3
I need that cabin by the lake, too.
That mug is so fun! And a happy belated birthday to Mr. Laurie!
The long highschool workouts while listening to Les Mis … Are we twins? 🧐 I mostly listened to Adventures in Odyssey during my workouts, but I definitely went through a Les Mis obsession towards the end of highschool…
“I feel like Ransom in Perelandra.” This made me giggle a little too much.
Summer does have a vacation-y feel, and summer classes ruin that feel 😛 I am glad I am not taking any this year. I hope your classes are somewhat enjoyable? And that your summer is too! <3
Isn’t it perfect? I’ll pass on the address to you just as soon as I find it.
*shoots belated celebratory firework*
Hmm, we may be. This requires further research. (Speaking of further research, I was about to ask which cast albums of Les Mis you’d listened to, then seemed to remember talking about that with you before…and therefore just dedicated more time than I probably should have in going through old comment conversations on your blog trying to find that conversation. (But procrastination is apparently to be rewarded, because I did eventually find it, and saw that you also like the 10th Anniversary recording best, so yay. :D) (Also, reading old comment conversations is fun. I should waste time like this more often.))
ANYWAY. I still have not ventured into AIO! Perhaps it would make good background audio for hanging laundry?
;P
My summer classes are ancient philosophy and chemistry classes…which I’ll admit, aren’t really my strong suit, but I suppose that means it’s all for the better that I’m studying them. I hope you have a very enjoyable summer as well! <3 Do you have any fun plans?
Reading old comment conversations IS fun. 😀 I don’t do it often, either, but it is excessively diverting. And the 10th is superior 😉
AIO goes very well with chores! The most accessible way to listen would be their club subscription, which gives access to the entire library, if you don’t want to invest a lot of money in manifold albums. Though said albums are going out of print (SORROW AND RAGE). There is . . . a lot of story, so I imagine it would be overwhelming for a first-timer. I genuinely don’t know the best way to get into it. Maybe we can get Emi’s opinion ;P
Ooh, those do sound rough. Thank you! We are getting ready for VBS next week, so that’s exciting. I don’t have a lot of plans (well, I do have a lot of reading plans ;P), but I’ve been working and spending lots of time with my family. Do you have any fun plans?
Oh wow, I was just doing a little research – there are now 1,000 episodes? That *is* rather a lot of story. (Aw, that is indeed sorrowful and rage-ful. It’s always cool when things come in albums.) Heh, maybe if we keep saying ‘AIO’ often enough it will magically summon her to the conversation ;D
Ooh, how cool! What are some of your reading plans? 🙂 I don’t really have many plans either…we’ll probably get to visit some family/friends, and I hope to watch/re-watch a few movies if I get the time (including finally watching the 1935 David Copperfield, which I’ve been meaning to do for MONTHS, and showing Noddy the 2019 one that I reviewed).
You can also sign up for a free trial of AIO on their website/app that lasts two weeks, I think? With no credit card or anything like that required.
The Sagas are AIO at its peak imo, so if you do ever listen, I recommend any of those. (Except for the Rydell saga. It’s just… Not good.)
Oh, thanks for the tip, Lynn! (Sagas=good, Rydell=bad. Got it. Mental note made.)
Oh, I forgot about that free trial, Lynn! I agree that the Rydell saga is–well, I probably shouldn’t talk about it. 😛 And personally, I wouldn’t start with anything after album 50, or even with any saga, because neither exactly conveys the classic AiO feel (in my ‘umble opinion). I mean, some of the sagas are classics, but they tend to be high-stakes and a little lacking in that lovely small-town charm. I guess the beginning is “a very good place to start” after all? (Emi??)
As for reading plans, I recently finished re-reading The Lantern Bearers by Rosemary Sutcliff (<3 <3 <3), and I am currently reading The Codebreaker's Daughter by Amy Lynn Green. I have lots and lots of books I still want to read during the summer (including research for DP), but I probably won't get to half of them . . . Oh, and I'm (ever so slowly) making my way through Nicholas Nickleby and LotR. 😀 I would be very interested in your thoughts on that DC! I would like to see a movie of it, but am too lazy to actively hunt any down. 😛 😛 Do you think your brother will like the 2019? Do you share similar movie tastes?
So, sagas=good, but not as a starter if one wants classic cozy AiO vibe. Good good. *nods sagely*
Ooh, how lovely! Slow re-reads of LOTR are always a good idea, and how are you liking Nicholas Nickleby? I haven’t read it before – have you? I guess I wouldn’t say we have the *same* tastes, but our tastes do overlap a good bit…we actually finished watching the 2019 DC the other night, and Noddy – hasn’t yet quite been able to decide what he thinks of it. He was especially impressed by all the villains, funnily enough. 😛 I found I liked it better this time around – maybe it’s the kind of movie that you need to see a few times for it to really click. (Though we both agreed in the hour-long jaw we had about it afterwards that Agnes was a BIG problem, and that David’s arc is kind of just gone…which are both Concerns, to say the least.) I’m getting that itch to watch a bunch of different DCs, so hopefully I’ll be able to find a good version for you 😉
This is my first time reading Nicholas Nickleby! I am 200+ pages in, and am still not entirely sure what is happening. But. These poor children. Someone *please* help them.
Hm, yeah, if the villains are impressive and the leading characters are not, that’s a problem. XD “Hour-long jaws” are always a welcome outcome of movie-viewing with a sibling, aren’t they? Oooh, yay! I’m excited to see what you dig up! ;D
That sounds like Dickens all right. ;P
I actually would say (speaking personally; I can’t speak for Noddy) that I WAS impressed with Dev Patel’s David taken as a whole – truth be told – *whispers* I find David a little boring in the book and found him a more interesting character here. Don’t tell anyone. 😛 I thought they did a great job of getting across his book-character while making him feel fleshed-out and vibrant and such. But I do wish we saw more character growth as well. (I think they were making the ‘narrative arc’ more about David becoming an author – and that combined with the run time perhaps just made it so there wasn’t enough time to do the character arc too. Which was a shame.)
I’ll let you know! I’ve started the 1935 version and am so far finding it fine but not stupendous, but time will tell. 😀
Hm, I don’t know if I would call David “boring,” but I do see what you’re saying. I was very attached to child-David, but as he grew up he became less compelling. 😛 And it seems we have a trend here, of actors that are splendid in the role and writers/directors that need to step up their game. (Also. I totally forgot that David became an author . . . XD)
😀 😀
Yes, precisely – he was such a cute child, and then when he grew up he was still endearing but nowhere near as much so. 😛 (Haha, I can understand that. The whole becoming-an-author part is mentioned very nonchalantly in the book – he pretty much just says “oh yes, and then I wrote this book and it made a lot of money and I became really famous, but ANYWAY, to get back to what I was saying…” which is so dorky and David-like xD)
(Okay, but does that mean he was able to write a famous book no sweat? Like there was nothing interesting about the process? Or it was just not connected enough to all the other plotlines? Because if it’s the former… 🧐)
I suppose it could be some of both…though since all the rest of the book pretty much *is* everything interesting in his life, I guess maybe it’s mostly the former? If it is the case that he’s able to just knock off famous novels without a thought…please, tell us your technique, David!!
What a fun post!! I might have to steal the tag…
Please do; I’d love to see your answers! 😀
Just dropping in to say how much I admire that mug! Wodehouse is so quotable, I don’t understand how he isn’t on more mugs.
Also, as a farmer who often works with back to the sun, I sympathize with you over the struggles of Perelandrian tans.
Wodehouse really is so quotable! It’s such a shame he isn’t better-known than he is.
And it is a struggle, isn’t it? Especially when you’re doing something (like you are) where you really don’t have much flexibility to try to prevent the Perelandrian tan…
Ahhh I was so excited to see you had done this, Lizzie!! And I love your answers so much; they give me summer vibes through and through! <3 Also, love your blog!!
Aw, thank you so much! <3 And thank you again for creating the tag :D
This is such a fun tag – and I enjoyed reading your answers, Lizzie!
My favorite things about summer are new books, time to relax, and Independance Day celebrations.
A summer plan I am especially looking forward to is spending time with my sister and re-watching a bunch of our old favorite movies/TV shows.
Thank you! 🙂 And ooh, that sounds like a lot of fun. What are some of the movies/TV shows you plan to watch?
We plan on re-watching some classic/nostalgic Disney and Barbie movies such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Three Musketeers” Barbie movie. In terms of shows, we used to love Ninjago as kids and have been watching some episodes for comedic relief. 😂
Ah, that sounds like fun! xD
Ahh, your summers sound so fun!! The mug is splendid!!
My family and I have been watching the 1995 Pride and Prejudice and it’s been quite relaxing and entertaining.
Thank you for tagging me!
Oh, how fun! I’ve been thinking I might want to re-watch the 1995 P&P – especially since this year is its 30th anniversary!
You’re welcome; I look forward to seeing your answers!
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