The Dog Days of Summer Edit
Why August Is My Reminder Not to Rush the Season Away
There are only so many summer evenings. I'm learning to treat them accordingly.
Editor's Note
August has a way of making me aware of time.
Maybe it's because I live in New England, where summer never feels quite long enough. By August, the hydrangeas are full, the days are hot and golden, and we're finally settling into summer just as the first hints of fall begin appearing in stores.
It's tempting to start looking ahead.
I'm trying not to.
Summer has always felt like permission to loosen our grip a little. Take the vacation days. Stay outside after dinner. Meet friends at the beach. Eat ice cream from the farm. Go somewhere simply because you've never been there before.
This August, I'm reminding myself that we don't have to rush into the next season.
There is still plenty of summer left.
A Long Weekend in the Berkshires
My husband and I recently escaped to the Berkshires for an extended weekend.
"Escaped" may be slightly generous.
Our Friday getaway didn't exactly begin according to plan. A work priority followed me into what was supposed to be a vacation day, and I ended up working for much of it.
Sometimes real life refuses to cooperate with the itinerary.
But we had tickets to Tanglewood that evening, so eventually the laptop closed and we headed to Lenox.
The Magic of Tanglewood
We've been to Tanglewood before, and returning reminded me that the experience is about much more than what's being performed.
Not every musical selection this year was to our taste. That's part of seeing live music. But my husband and I agreed that it's difficult to beat the atmosphere.
There is something wonderful about spreading out a picnic on the lawn with Monument Mountain in the distance.
People wander the grounds carrying picnic baskets and folding chairs. Families play lawn games. Children explore. People talk to strangers. The gardens are beautiful. Everyone seems to collectively exhale.
Then evening settles in and you make your way toward the Shed to listen to world-class musicians.
It's hard not to feel lucky to be there.
A Saturday Without Much of a Plan
Saturday was my favorite kind of vacation day.
We explored. We did a short hike at the Mass Audobon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and even saw a crawfish. Next time, we plan to do a day hike.
We found a local lake and decided to go canoeing. It was hot and being in the water cooled us off considerably.
Onota Lake was a completely different boating experience from what we're accustomed to on Cape Cod. We paddled among pontoon boats and jet skis, past a friendly marina and lake houses, with the rolling Berkshires surrounding us.
There was something delightfully novel about it.
No ambitious itinerary. No list of attractions to check off.
Just a canoe, a lake and a beautiful August afternoon.
The owners told us about a great lunch place in Pittsfield called The Roasted Garlic. It was nothing fancy, a pizza place but the food was good quality and they even offered grass-fed burgers.
From there, we headed back to High Lawn Farm.
We’d met the Jersey cows earlier in the day and, naturally, had ice cream made with milk from the farm. There’s nothing as fresh on Cape.
That's the kind of luxury I've come to appreciate more as I get older.
Not necessarily something expensive.
Something genuine.
Local ice cream eaten at the farm where it was made on a warm summer afternoon qualifies.
A Very Good Dinner and a New Friend
That evening we discovered 51 Park Restaurant & Tavern in Lee, MA.
While we were waiting, we met a local woman and her Golden Retriever, Hazel.
I love those little encounters when traveling. You talk to someone you probably never would have met otherwise, pet a friendly dog and get a tiny glimpse into life somewhere else.
Dinner was excellent.
I ordered pan-fried salmon with forbidden rice and roasted carrots. If you've never tried forbidden rice, I highly recommend it. It has a wonderfully nutty flavor and chewy texture that made the dish memorable.
My husband had a fabulous hamburger. The grass-fed burger was so good he didn’t even mind that he’d forgotten to order cheese.
Then came the rain.
We'd already had one storm that day, but the second was a wallop. The drive back to the hotel became unexpectedly hairy for a while, and I was grateful for my husband's quick reflexes behind the wheel.
Not every vacation memory needs repeating.
Back to Tanglewood
Saturday evening brought us back to Tanglewood.
We had less time before the concert, but still managed a quick picnic. The crowds were enormous.
And then the music began.
The first half was stellar. Yo-Yo Ma is truly a gifted cellist and we were fortunate to see him play live.
One of the pieces was Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, which has long been one of my favorites.
Hearing music you love performed live by exceptional musicians is one of those experiences that reminds you why we still need to leave our houses and experience things in person.
A recording can be beautiful.
Being there is different.
The Luxury of Doing Very Little
Sunday morning, we slept late.
Instead of feeling guilty about wasting part of the day, we decided that was exactly what vacation was for.
Our hotel wasn't our favorite part of the trip, but it had a pool and hot tub, so we used them.
We relaxed.
We went back to 51 Park for another good meal.
And we didn't try to squeeze one more attraction into the schedule.
Sometimes the best vacation decision is deciding you've done enough and letting yourself relax.
Taking the Long Way Home
On Monday, we started the drive back across Massachusetts.
Instead of taking the main highway, we chose the back roads through the mountains.
It took longer.
That was the point.
We passed through beautiful little towns that made me think, I'd like to come back here.
We eventually stopped in Shelburne Falls for lunch at Hotfire Bar & Grill, a place we'd discovered on our Western Massachusetts trip earlier this summer. Their sandwiches alone are worth the stop.
Knowing we were so close to Hinata Retreat made me a little wistful. We loved our previous stay there and are already talking about returning for my birthday next year.
But there was something lovely about slowly making our way home.
The back roads gave us one last day of vacation instead of simply turning Monday into a travel day.
Summer Doesn't Require a Vacation
The Berkshires were wonderful, but some of my favorite summer memories this year have happened much closer to home.
Recently, I met friends for an impromptu dinner followed by a walk on the beach.
Nothing elaborate.
We ate. We walked. We talked.
It was so much fun.
Those same friends and others joined me for another quintessentially summer experience: Yachtley Crew at the Cape Cod Melody Tent.
If you're unfamiliar with them, they play the soft-rock and cruising favorites of the 1970s and '80s.
It was joyful, nostalgic and slightly ridiculous in exactly the right way.
And that's summer.
It doesn't have to involve a resort, plane ticket or elaborate itinerary.
Sometimes it's deciding at the last minute to meet your friends for dinner.
Going to an outdoor concert.
Swimming after work.
Eating outside.
Walking the beach as the sun goes down.
Taking the long way home.
Ashley's August List
This week, instead of Ashley's Picks, I'm giving you something different.
A challenge.
Before summer slips away, choose a few things that you want to do simply because they feel like summer.
Not because they're productive.
Not because they'll photograph beautifully.
Because they're fun.
Mine would look something like this:
Have dinner outside somewhere you love.
Go swimming, hiking, canoeing or kayaking.
Find a farm stand and buy whatever looks good that day.
Eat really good ice cream or gelato.
Invite friends somewhere at the last minute.
See live music outdoors.
Take an evening walk without your phone in your hand.
Visit a town you've always driven past.
Sit outside after dark.
Take the scenic road home.
You don't need to do all ten.
Pick two.
For Those Who Don't Have Four Seasons
I recognize that not everyone lives somewhere where August carries this same sense of urgency.
If your summers stretch well beyond Labor Day, create your own marker.
Choose a weekend and decide that you're going to celebrate the season you're in.
Maybe that means a picnic.
A day near the water.
A backyard dinner.
A road trip.
Fresh flowers on the table.
Friends gathered outside until late.
The point isn't really summer.
It's noticing.
Ashley's Take
I spent many years treating summer like every other season.
Work continued. Responsibilities continued. There was always something that needed to be done.
There still is.
Our Friday in the Berkshires was proof of that.
But I'm increasingly aware that life doesn't automatically make room for the things we enjoy.
We have to make room ourselves.
August feels particularly precious because we can see the end coming.
Perhaps that's useful.
It reminds us that seasons don't wait until our inbox is empty.
Neither does life.
From Ashley's Journal
There was a moment on Sunday when I caught myself thinking that we should probably go somewhere.
We were away, after all. Surely we should be doing something.
Then I looked at the hot tub and the pool.
The sun was out. We had nowhere we needed to be.
So we stayed. My husband fell asleep in the sun, napping is something he rarely does.
I've spent enough of my life measuring a good day by how much I accomplished. I'm trying to become better at recognizing another kind of good day.
One where I slept late.
Sat in the sun.
Had a long lunch.
Talked to my husband.
And didn't accomplish very much at all.
I think August is a wonderful month to practice.
Until Next Sunday...
Before fall arrives with its schedules, sweaters and renewed sense of purpose, I hope you'll give yourself permission to enjoy what's left of summer.
Take the vacation day if you can.
Call your friends.
Get near the water.
Listen to live music.
Eat the ice cream.
Take the back road.
And every once in a while, do absolutely nothing.
Summer will end soon enough.
There's no reason to rush it.
If you want to retrace our steps, here are some of the places we visited:
See you next Sunday,
Ashley Goosman
Editor
The Polished Reset