
Poetry Friday: Summering
Ruth is our host this week. Hop on over to her blog for the roundup.
The Art of Summering
Last week I was really struck by Carol Varsalona’s post about “The Art of Summering.” With my summer starting on Friday afternoon, I have been making a list of what I’d consider “The Art of Summering.” I’m sure everyone has their own ideas. Gretchen Rubin often talks about “Designing Your Summer.” If you are a list maker, she has a great list for designing your summer.
Summer is my favorite season and is my most relaxed season. So, I made my own “Art of Summering” list. I actually made two lists. One is full of boring stuff that needs to be done. With one big list, I can make sure those closets get clean.
But I also made a more writerly list containing what my “Art of Summering” might look like. Here are a few things:
- Read on the porch during rainstorms
- Sit in the moon garden in the dark
- Visit DC museums (to go with my 25 Museums in 2025)
- Fresh food for the garden and farmers market
- Take photos
- Reading
- Writing several hours a day without a hard stop
Some of these things will have to be spontaneous (like the reading on the porch during a storm), but some things I will need to plan. When I sit down on Sunday evenings to plan my week, I am going to try to plan out some of the plannable things.
What’s on your “Art of Summering” list?
Haiku of the Week
rocks tell a story
surviving through twenty-five
presidents
Photo Taken: May 18, 2025 at Rock Creek Park
Haiku Written: June 12, 2025
RECREATE
It has been a very busy last week of school with almost no down time. However, I was able to attend the Children’s Book Guild event with Katherine Paterson–who is 92 years old and just amazing as ever.

12 Comments
Rose Cappelli
I think I will put reading on the porch in the rain on my list, too, Marcie! Sounds like a wonderful summering activity.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
We’ve had a lot of rain this week, so I’m putting my porch reading to good use! 🙂
Irene Latham
Marcie, your list sounds wonderful! One thing I have to always remember to put on my calendar, whatever the season, is time and space to “do nothing.” That’s the hardest thing for me! xo
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I agree! So hard. I tend to want to fill up the empty space with all the things.
Mary Lee
Oh, SWOON! Katherine Paterson! Lucky you.
I am summering with sketchbook and watercolors, fabric and floss, bike and garden, reading and listening.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Your summering sounds AMAZING!!!
Patricia Franz
Our Spiritual Journey group did a reflection on “summering.” It brought so many memories of what summers were for me as a child, what they became when I had my own kids, and what they look like today. I miss baseball in summer (not much access from the Sierras). But ice cream, sunburns, and best of all — sitting on my deck and watching the days summer the mountains… with no hard stop!
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
I realized after I wrote the post that there were a number of you that wrote to this prompt! I love baseball in summer too!
Carol Labuzzetta
Being retired, every day can seem like summer. However, I enjoy lists, so perhaps I’ll create one.
On it would be:
Relaxing on our deck in the afternoon sun.
Fishing off our dock at least once a week.
Having friends and family for weekend/weekday visits.
Going to juried art shows (supposed to go to one in the Twin Cities tomorrow).
And dedicating time each day to write and finish writing projects.
Also, paying attention to when I might see the Northern Lights off our dock again.
Thanks.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Carol–what an AMAZING list! I love all of these!
Carol Varsalona
Marcie, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the Art of Summering. Yes, as an educator, summer is a relaxing event. Today, we went to the Children’s Discovery Museum in Winchester and had a wonderful time celebrating my oldest granddaughter’s 8th birthday. There were amazing settings and a garden with native flowers from VA. We strolled through Old Town Winchester and had a fabulous lunch followed by a new ice cream place. Thant marks the 2nd new ice cream place we have been to so Ice cream and flowers are on my summering lists. Oh, your haiku is beautiful.
Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Ooh! Old Town Winchester–I might need to add to my list. I don’t think I’ve ever been (not that I remember).