This evening, the air is pure.

It’s wonderfully cool. Not warm, but cool, which here in June isn’t the norm. I’m wearing a light sweater as I water our garden, dusk finally giving way to a few minutes to think. The lightning bugs are flitting by, glowing and dimming, glowing and dimming. I’ve long-since passed the time when I would’ve chased them, but I also know that if my children were out here with me, I might make an exception.

It’s been a long day. Not in a bad way, but a lot was packed into those few hours between waking and resting. A mother’s day is often filled this way, what with feeding and cleaning and rounding up and reading and snuggling. But a moment to myself? Now that’s a treasure of a different sort.

So as I stand in our garden, smelling the tomato plants… I am in heaven. Have you ever smelled a tomato plant? The branches and leaves have this particular fresh smell, especially after it’s rained. It’s a crisp smell, and it rubs off on your skin if you brush it walking by. It smells like… well, it smells like summer.

This moment of sniffing the air, beaming with pride in our accomplished garden, I am certain that this moment is perfect. A full day followed by the hush, crickets, and breeze in my backyard garden was just what I needed to ground myself. I needed to be reminded of something wholesome, something unbroken, something real.

Our world these days is packed with images that have been altered, for better and for worse. Moving pictures, filtered images, computer-generated colors fill our vision and crowd our minds. Yet as much as I appreciate a few minutes of being “unplugged”, I know that I don’t do it nearly enough. I’m not as “hands-free” as I’d like to be. But every time I just rest in a little bit of nature (near or far) I can tell my brain resets, my soul lightens, and my heart is prepared for another day.

I cannot believe June is here. The kids are out of school, the pool is open, we’ve been to the lake once already, and we are planning our summer routines. (Hint: the routine is non-existent!) We went to the new splash pad and also at ice cream pretty much every day this week, and I’m looking for a day to have a girls’ trip to a local winery with my tribe gals. In short, I’m glad it’s summer. So here I am, linking up with Anne In Residence and Erin of Love, Fun and Football for another monthly edition of Currently. 

Planning || a couple of summer trips. Every summer, I think we don’t have big plans. But really, our big plans are lots of small trips. We’ll get down to see my parents at least once, to the mountains at least once, to the lake at least once or twice (we just went this past weekend!) and maybe another little jaunt, too. But we don’t have a “big vacation” on the calendar. I think I like it better this way.

Browsing || through the “sale” bathing suits. I didn’t really need a new one this summer, but several of my tops are a little too big, and I’ve worn out a couple of pairs of bottoms. I might just stock up in August or September for next year. What are your favorite places to buy separates? Or a really special suit?

Wishing || that I wasn’t totally emotional about EK going to kindergarten next year. But that’s just life. She’s is growing up, and I am proud. She’s still my mini-me and I’m so in love with her that I’ll just move right along without too much sadness, I hope. I can’t wait for this new stage, and to see how she’s going to take it! She’s ready, and that makes it a little easier.

Learning || about podcasts. I know I’m late to that idea but I’m REALLY into hearing some sermons and writers talking about their process and their ideas. I wrote about that here.

Going || to be sleeping late as often as I can. Late for us is 8-8:30 and that’s a luxury with no school! Typically my boys sleep sort of late, and EK can semi-entertain herself for a little while before I get up. It’s actually lovely. 

Reading || I added this one because summer is the time I plow through books (just because it feels right). I have recently finished The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks (set in Winston and King!) which I read in the less than 48 hours we were at the lake, you know, because Nicholas Sparks’ books really lend themselves to be plowed right through. I also read Confessions of a Domestic Failure by the hilarious and awesome Bunmi Laditan. If you are not yet following Bunmi on Facebook, drop what you’re doing and follow her asap. She is continually sending humor and love from the mama trenches and I adore her. I just started The Fifth Wave (late to that as well, I know) and I haven’t decided yet how I feel about it. I’m not far into it, but I want sucked in quite like I’d hoped. 

And just for fun, here are some pictures from our first lake trip of the summer! 

Well now, tell me what YOU are doing this summer! What are you doing currently?