Summer Time!!!

I must admit that I am loving summer time.  I know that summer hasn't officially arrived, but someone please tell that to Coastal, NC.  It has been 100 degrees a few days already.  I admit that the heat is not my favorite part of the summer (heat makes me mean..which is another blog altogether), but I love the things that summer brings.

Jenny and I spent the day at the pool.  That is one thing that I love about summer time is spending time at the pool and the beach.  My ultimate feeling is coming home from the beach..taking a shower.  Lying on the sofa on a cool sheet while your body is soaking in all the kisses the sun left on your body.  Ahhh, what a great feeling.  I do love the beach, but not the sand.

The watermelon this year has been so yummy.  I bought 2 cantaloupes yesterday and they were so delicious.  I love all the fresh fruit and vegetables that summer time brings.  I forget just how much I love fruit and how it taste so much better when it is in season.  As of the writing of this blog, I have eaten 2 watermelons in 2 days...okay, they were small, but I ate them all.

Our bucket garden is really growing.  As I go near it, I can smell the pepper plants in the air.  I am hoping for a good yield on our little garden this year.

Our squash plants are blooming.  My mouth is already watering for some fresh squash on the grill.  I have found that raw little yellow squash and zucchini are great in a salad.

This bell pepper plant is blooming, but it smells like pepper when you get around it.  That is one of my favorite things in the garden.

A small banana pepper on our plant.

Our grape tomato plant is full of tomatoes.  These are so good in a salad or just to pop in your mouth.

I can't wait for these to get ripe.  I love a tomato sandwich with mayo...good summer time eatin'.  I have learned this past weekend that hummus is wonderful on a turkey sandwich.  I get the roasted red pepper hummus.

I love planting and harvesting a garden in the summer time, but I also love flowers.  I planted so many flowers this year (every thing that I have to dead head).  They are growing like crazy.  One thing that I love is all the flowering bushes in our garden.  They usually provide me with a beautiful bouquet for the house.

Our gardenia bush is in full bloom, and they are gorgeous.  I love how they make my house smell as well.  I have almost stripped this bush of all blooms as I have filled every vase I have with these fragrant flower.

I love Lantana...I planted 3 pots of this one.  Hoping that it will bunch out soon.

One piece surprised me by being pink...I love it!!

I love the laziness that summer brings with it.  The relaxing atomosphere and attitude that most have....I don't like mosquitoes though.  I love the long day and the thunder storms (as long as they are not severe).  I love the hummingbirds and watching the lightning bugs in the evenings.  I love hearing the frogs croaking and the different birds.  I love to hear the roar of the ocean and picking up shells.  I love making a splash in the pool to cool off during the day.  I love picnics and going for rides.  But just as much as I love summer (did I mention...I hate the heat), I love to see Fall arrive and all that it brings with it.