June Bucket List
Happy June everyone! I don’t know about you, but I love this time of year. There’s so many things to do now that the weather is warmer. We string up backyard lights, start getting full swing into gardening season, and buy ripe summer fruits and vegetables at the farmers markets!
Although I love this time of year, I’m careful with how much time is spent in the sun. I’m always finding ways to stay cool with homemade lemonades and popsicles. Late June is also the official start of summer which means a solstice celebration. Let’s get into this June bucket list and the many ways to enjoy the month.
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June Bucket List
- Decorate your backyard or porch for those upcoming warm summer nights. Try stringing up these pretty outdoor lights. If you have outdoor furniture, get a big umbrella that has solar powered lights in the inside.
- Plant an edible flower garden! If you’ve ever wondered where to buy edible, food safe florals, this is a great way to do it! You’ll know where the flowers came from, know that they’re aren’t being sprayed with chemicals, and you can grow the exact flowers you want to decorate your treats with. Adding edible flowers onto your desserts is one way to make them rustic and pretty. Last summer we planted chamomile, lavender, calendula, sunflower, and nasturtium.
- Head to your local farmers market. I love this time of year because the farmers markets are all starting to open up again. There’s nothing better than browsing a farmers market on a summer morning with an iced drink in hand. It’s been my goal to shop local and small for the past few years, and shopping at a farmers markets is a great way to give your local businesses support.
- Make a fresh fruit tart! Fruit tarts are the perfect summer dessert (in my opinion). A rich buttery crust, filled with a mixture of pastry cream and whipped cream, then topped with fresh delicious fruits. It’s the best combination ever and they look so pretty! My recipe walks you through step-by-step on how to make a fruit tart. Berries are in season and I try to use them anyway I can!
- Today is national donut day! I have to admit that I love a good donut (I mean who doesn’t love a bite of fried dough and a delicious topping). Go and treat yourself to a donut!
- Take a trip to a botanical garden or local nature preserve event. The nature centers and gardens around my area will often have summer activities and if you check, some of them are paid and some are free. We’ve attended free concerts, nature walks, forest bathing, and bird walks. It’s a great way to see where you live from a different perspective. Check your local library for free day passes to museums (botanical gardens are living museums and may have free passes available).
- Get new serve ware for hosting your outdoor parties! If you like hosting BBQ’s and outside gatherings, add a cute pitcher or a serving tray to your collection. A pretty pitcher makes the table look elevated without much effort. I love using this Italian swing top glass bottle for lemon water or homemade mint lemonades. For larger pitchers, this 80-oz glass pitcher is useful for backyard get-togethers and under $20!
- Add a few things to your backyard to help with mosquitos. Try setting up tiki torches, getting citronella candles, spraying down the backyard before an outdoor party or event, or get plants that are supposed to keep them away. Try planting lavender, lemongrass, citronella grass, basil, rosemary, or catnip in the ground or in big planters around your seating area.
- Make homemade popsicles using this popsicle mold. Okay, technically you can make these year round but there’s something so nice about licking an ice cold popsicle on a hot summer day. The current way that I make popsicles is to use about 2 1/3 cups fruit, 1 cup coconut water, 3 tablespoons honey, and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (sometimes I add greek yogurt for creaminess). Add everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into the popsicle molds and let them freeze for 8 hours or overnight. If you have any trouble getting them out of the molds, run them quickly under warm water. It’s great to make and eat homemade popsicles because you can customize them however you want.
- Enjoy watching the lightning bugs (or fireflies) on a warm summer night. Here in Chicago we called them lightning bugs, and every June we start to see their return. I recently learned that in Navajo tradition, lightning bugs had originated from small pieces of quartz that were left over from the creation of the cosmos. I find something beautiful about that! These delicate nostalgic moments are what makes the summer so beautiful for me.
- Meet a friend to sit outside at a local cafe. The warm days are perfect for sitting outside, catching up over a drink, and enjoying a sunny moment.
- Attend a fair, craft market, or antique market! Last year I finally went to my first antique market. Although I didn’t make a purchase, it was fun to browse around and look at beautiful pieces. I know people who love attending craft fairs as well because you never know what little gem you’ll find.
- Try a new outdoor activity like kayaking, paddle boarding, or catch and release fishing. I’ve never been one for water sports but my own bucket lists are inspiring me to try something new each month! We want to try kayaking!
- It’s sour cherry season! Try making my homemade small batch sour cherry jam. We can usually find sour cherries at our local farmers markets around June and through July. If you’re a fan of sour things, you have to try sour cherries. They’re sour and while not maybe the best for snacking, they make great desserts and jams.
- Happy father’s day! On father’s day my family likes to get together and share a good meal. With the warm weather, we usually sit outside and catch up on everyone’s busy lives. Although we should celebrate our loved ones year round, it’s a great reason to bring everyone together.
- Head to the beach or pool. We’re very thankful to live near a lake and have the option of visiting the beach all summer long. Bring a book, go with a friend, or just sit and soak up that sunshine.
- If you’re not in the mood to turn on the oven because of the heat, try making my no-bake easy Oreo truffles. The days are hotter, the kitchen is hot, the oven is too hot – I get it. That’s why I’ve been working on more “no bake” recipes for when you want a sweet treat but don’t want to heat up the house.
- Plan a picnic with your significant other or friends or a solo date. I bought my picnic basket from Hearth & Hand by Magnolia last year but this woven picnic basket is back in a slightly different style. Bring a checkered picnic blanket, book, journal, and pack easy to eat food like sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables, and a sweet ☺️ Find a cute spot at a beach, park, or scenic area and enjoy a day of good weather, good company, and food. There’s something relaxing about eating outside and watching the world go by.
- Try brunch at a new restaurant! Get dressed up in a sundress and have a slow morning enjoying brunch, a great summer vibe 🙂
- Celebrate the summer solstice. This is the official first day of summer which means today is the longest day. Celebrating the solstice can look different for everyone. I like to go on a long walk to connect with nature and reflect on the goals that I made back at the beginning of the year.
- If you’re interested in a Midwest road trip itinerary around Michigan, check out my Midwest travel posts! The state of Michigan seems like a great kept secret. If you love exploring, nature, good food, kind people, and outdoor activities, you should check it out! I plan to expand this travel category as time goes on 🙂
- Try making homemade ice cream. Invest in an ice cream machine and make all sorts of homemade ice cream flavors. I have a huge list of ice cream flavors that I want to try like strawberry basil sorbet, vanilla bean, matcha, etc. What I like about this machine is that it’s easy to use and doesn’t take up too much space.
- Stay cool by using cooling herbs in your drinks. Some favorite cooling herbs are hibiscus, lavender, lemon balm, mint, basil, and lemon verbena. These are cooling herbs that will keep you feeling refreshed as the weather heats up. If you love homemade drinks, try making a lavender lemonade, or hibiscus iced tea. Delicious!
- Try adding flower embroidery onto a pair of jeans! I love the idea of adding flowers onto the pocket of a pair of jean shorts. It’s a fun activity and it makes your jeans unique. I used this Sunflower Pocket Embroidery DIY Kit from Etsy. It came with all the threads that you need, a dissolvable pattern, and instructions.
- Pick fruit at a U-pick farm! Pull on your rainboots, sunglass, sunscreen and get outside. It’s fun to pick your own fruit, get a little dirty, and enjoy the taste of your hard work. Fruit tastes the absolute best picked freshly from the vine or bush. If you pick enough blueberries, check out my blueberry crumble cookie bars, YUM!
- In true Midwest fashion, spend summer on the lake! Rent a boat, brings snack and drinks and enjoy a beautiful day of sunshine and sailing.
- Get yourself some cute press on nails or get your nails done at a salon. My favorite nails lately are from this Etsy seller and this celestial forest moon bunnies set in particular has received so many compliments.
- Host a BBQ for friends or family! It’s BBQ season and that means throwing a get together just because! I recommend making my fruit tart recipe or try my family favorite key lime pie recipe for a fresh and bright flavored dessert!
- Get a hummingbird feeder and watch the hummingbirds right in your backyard. We’ve had a feeder for a few years now, and sometimes when I sit in the yard to read or work, I look up and see hummingbirds. They’re really quite interesting to watch and it’s amazing how tiny they are!
- Read in the backyard or outside and enjoy a peaceful chance escape into a good book. For those of us who love this time of year, it sure does fly by. Remember to make time to slow down and look at the world around you. Whether it’s to read, go for a walk, chill by a beach, or to simply stop and notice the things around you, I hope something sparks wonder within you. See you in the next month!
Your site is so colorful!! Lots of great suggestions – I hope a lot of people take your suggestion to come to the Botanic Garden – lots going on there this summer!