What are your favourite summer activities?

[Fake Sully]

Getting ready for the summer? (Except those who live upside down )

Let's make a list of your favourite activities during the summer.
(Unusual activities preferred)

Who knows, maybe you'll find your new best hobby!

List:
* "going to baseball games"
-> added by moonbeam
* "watching late night thunderstorms"
-> added by Wind12 (-arguably on of my favourites too : P-)
* "growing fruits and veggies"
-> added by ahoragi
* "[...] play games, read books, watch movies, make courses, go out with friends, go to interesting conferences and events at my university [...]
-> added by tulkunbrother

 

[moonbeam]

I like going to baseball games. I go to a Phillies game at least once a year.

 

[Wind12]

Watching late night summer storms.

 

[tulkunbrother]

Now I honestly just work and study, when I have some free time I often do not even consider it free, because I always end up doing what other want... But back in the good old days I used to play games, read books, watch movies, make courses, go out with friends, go to interesting conferences and events at my university, wow, a lot of stuff, just amazing!

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Watching late night summer storms.

Got to agree with that. When you get a really good summer downpour, and it lights up the sky with thunder and lightening. That's a sight to behold... And the smell of the forest just after a summer downpour - it's absolute magic

We've been blessed with a mild winter so far... still getting temps in the mid-20s on a good day so it's like an extended summer for me right now, even though we had the "official" start of winter a week ago. The sea is getting cooler now though. I was in a few days ago and you could still enjoy it, but without a wetsuit it was a little bit.... nippy. I was very brave though, there was no screaming - honest!

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Now I honestly just work and study, when I have some free time I often do not even consider it free, because I always end up doing what other want... But back in the good old days I used to play games, read books, watch movies, make courses, go out with friends, go to interesting conferences and events at my university, wow, a lot of stuff, just amazing!

I see you. I remember how before university I could read and focus on any seminar for ages... Ironically, uni definitely made me less learned. It pretty much killed my joy in reading! Now I find it very hard to get through a book, and when I watch seminars or talks online, unless it's *really* interesting I often find myself turning the playback speed or, or skipping. Weirdly, at the other end of the scale I can sit outside and just watch the trees for hours. It's definitely not normal, but hey, I'm happy with it

 

[Fake Sully]

Now I honestly just work and study, when I have some free time I often do not even consider it free, because I always end up doing what other want... But back in the good old days I used to play games, read books, watch movies, make courses, go out with friends, go to interesting conferences and events at my university, wow, a lot of stuff, just amazing!

The reason I asked is (besides making the forum active ) that I do not like the transition from super busy semester to loads of free time (as soon as you have your exams written of course and after work, etc. etc). Weirdly, I feel better now during semester than off semester during winter.

 

[ahoragi]

Growing fruits and veggies. Unfortunately we have a long drought here which is rare at this time so my plants are struggling. Not only that, the fellow wildlife has taken to our gardens to feed and quench themselves. This has been quite a struggle to grow anything when bird, raccoons, squirrels, mice, etc are giving you the middle finger while munching down on your crops.

Still trying to find a balance between all of us and I will keep doing so.

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Growing fruits and veggies. Unfortunately we have a long drought here which is rare at this time so my plants are struggling. Not only that, the fellow wildlife has taken to our gardens to feed and quench themselves. This has been quite a struggle to grow anything when bird, raccoons, squirrels, mice, etc are giving you the middle finger while munching down on your crops.

Still trying to find a balance between all of us and I will keep doing so.

Droughts are harsh. we've had three very wet years here, but they broke a long and brutal drought that was forcing other animals into fields, barns and water sources used by humans and causing lots of friction. All life needs to survive and thanks to both our ability to provide those resources we do have an obligation to help, so it is so conflicting to see your hard work and joy gobbled up like that. I'm fortunate enough to be in a wet enough area to have avoided the worst of it, but I can't imagine it's much fun

 

[ahoragi]

I set up bird feeders and a bird bath for the mini ikrans that keep digging up the garden mulch for worms and these guys decide to raid the feeders and knock them all off. Hard to win here.....

 

[Fake Sully]

mini ikrans

We have had a bird in our neighbourhood recently that sounds exactly like the house alarm that false activates every Thursday on 1pm : D

 

[Yrel]

i give myself manicures in the summer bc it's the only time of year my nails are long enough lol. otherwise i'm biting them into stubs because i'm anxious about school work.
i also like to sit in the yard w the pets and just chill, assuming it doesn't feel like the inside of a convection oven outside

 

[Fake Sully]

This summer, I discovered Beach Volleyball is really fun!
You have to be a bit more social, but I think y'all can do it too : )

 

[Andronico]

Lately, to avoid boredom I bought a basket ball and start praticize it, more for fun actually, I don't care if I miss 90% of the hits lol. I play at the old park where I used to play as a child with my friends. For now I will play alone, because there isn't many people around here, mostly are too busy with stuff and other leaved the town. I asked to two friend, one said he will come in future, the other didn't replied yet.

The thing I do the most during summer is bycicle. I don't have a garden even if I would love to have one.

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Lately, to avoid boredom I bought a basket ball and start praticize it, more for fun actually, I don't care if I miss 90% of the hits lol. I play at the old park where I used to play as a child with my friends. For now I will play alone, because there isn't many people around here, mostly are too busy with stuff and other leaved the town. I asked to two friend, one said he will come in future, the other didn't replied yet.

The thing I do the most during summer is bycicle. I don't have a garden even if I would love to have one.

That's a real shame about your friends. Building and holding community is hard. But do stick in there and build those bonds even when you feel like your making no headway. It gets easier the more it becomes ingrained, and it's always worth it

The last six months or so I've been putting a lot of concious effort into putting myself into the community, and to make sure that at least once a week I've got some communual activity. It's hard as I'm innately antisocial, so I have to consciously work at it - but I do as I know it's important, and my values and ideals are ironically communitarian and communualist - a tribal mindset in someone who dislikes being around people(!)

For me, I've got involved in my local archery group. Going out together into the forest and practicing, introducing kids to the discipline and getting them in touch with traditional skills, tools and environment is really rewarding and I enjoy it. I've also been doing some stuff with a Nature Therapy group for women, doing forest therapy and traditional Earthskills, which is lovely to see and be part of. I'm really hoping it takes off and we can make something permanent out of it.

Funny you should mention cycling as someone recently we suggesting it to me, and I love the idea, but I've got absolutely zero sense of balance on two wheels and just cannot get comfortable on them for the life of me! Totally jealous.... get out there and enjoy your summer - we expect pics! Soak in the freedom of two wheels and the wind on my behalf!

 

[Andronico]

That's a real shame about your friends. Building and holding community is hard. But do stick in there and build those bonds even when you feel like your making no headway. It gets easier the more it becomes ingrained, and it's always worth it

The last six months or so I've been putting a lot of concious effort into putting myself into the community, and to make sure that at least once a week I've got some communual activity. It's hard as I'm innately antisocial, so I have to consciously work at it - but I do as I know it's important, and my values and ideals are ironically communitarian and communualist - a tribal mindset in someone who dislikes being around people(!)

For me, I've got involved in my local archery group. Going out together into the forest and practicing, introducing kids to the discipline and getting them in touch with traditional skills, tools and environment is really rewarding and I enjoy it. I've also been doing some stuff with a Nature Therapy group for women, doing forest therapy and traditional Earthskills, which is lovely to see and be part of. I'm really hoping it takes off and we can make something permanent out of it.

Funny you should mention cycling as someone recently we suggesting it to me, and I love the idea, but I've got absolutely zero sense of balance on two wheels and just cannot get comfortable on them for the life of me! Totally jealous.... get out there and enjoy your summer - we expect pics! Soak in the freedom of two wheels and the wind on my behalf!

Yep go on with bike, you will not regret. I have a Gravel and I used it to travel a lot around the world, but actually also the mountain bike is fun if you live near mountains or in a hilly place
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Good work with that, perhaps you share the same love for Nature I have (even if sadly, I have severe pollen allergies between January-March), personally, I made some research and wanted to reconnect to the toughts that Avatar movie firstly gaved me, love and respect for Nature and why it's important. Perhaps you have read stuff like Fritjof Capra Tao of Physics? There is many of these people, even Sheldrake and his son made some interesting works about Nature. I think that people that love the Avatar movie should read more about Sheldrake, Capra and friends, not forcing them, just saying that they would surely like it if they liked the movie.
-
Yeah for me there is maximum effort for minimum result about friends. Mostly of my school friends are not very good or healthy, they just smoke, drink, ecc.. This kind of stuff never interested me since it is boring. But when I rejected all this stuff (we were like 15-16 years old), I've seen a changement in them, they just end up being addicts, some of them actually went on mushroom or other stuff, but even the mere smoking and drinking has bring me far from them automatically. Neither I like what they talk about, their interests, ecc...they are mostly bland and boring. So what I'm saying is that when they started doing these things, I've seen them going away. There is a lot of people like me, but mostly of them just wrap themselves in their own virtual worlds and barely quit their room. So outside you don't see many of the people that should share your same toughts.
I'm not saying I'm antisocial but I have my degree of misantrophy, not hate, but just a disrespect of humans because they can't respect themself first.

But I need to admit that when I was in North America people looked pretty different compared to the people we have where I live, mostly of them here are closed minded and seem always depressed, doing their own business in egoistical way and don't care about their ''neighbour''.

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Yep go on with bike, you will not regret. I have a Gravel and I used it to travel a lot around the world, but actually also the mountain bike is fun if you live near mountains or in a hilly place

We have some great mountain bike trails around my local community, which the council and local TAFE but a lot of trouble into really setting up well and trying to get people to get out and make use of. We've also got the fire trails through the state forests are lovely, as there's some great opportunities for bike camping. So yeah there's definitely incentive - but also my property is only about 3km from town, so being able to use a bike to do errands and stuff rather than having to drag out my super appreciated and valued but horrendously polluting car out for a drive.

What kind of travels have you been up to with yours? I imagine European summers must be glorious for cycling there - and I think just a healthier relationship with low-impact ways of being out in the real (natural) world. I'm seriously thinking I should take the plunge and give it another go... maybe on something soft - just fall off and learn from failing till I figure it out!

Good work with that, perhaps you share the same love for Nature I have (even if sadly, I have severe pollen allergies between January-March), personally, I made some research and wanted to reconnect to the toughts that Avatar movie firstly gaved me, love and respect for Nature and why it's important. Perhaps you have read stuff like Fritjof Capra Tao of Physics? There is many of these people, even Sheldrake and his son made some interesting works about Nature. I think that people that love the Avatar movie should read more about Sheldrake, Capra and friends, not forcing them, just saying that they would surely like it if they liked the movie.

I see ya I love the land I belong to, am part of, and the first movie had deep and lasting impact ony life goals, ethics, cosmology and religious sentiments that are still with me today... or to put it less poetically, like my mum once did, I'm a "stupid, Earth-worshipping savage"

I do feel your pollen allergy, for me it's mozzie bites - I don't know what it is about my knees that are so appealing to mosquitos, but damn they annoy me. Gaia may not have any favourites or preferences among her children, but between me and mosquitos, genocidal sibling rivalry is very much on the cards

But yep, I it had hte exact same effect on me, though must admit I didn't hear of Capra... I need to look them up! Some of the things that really had an effect of me more recently was Robin Kimmerer's "Braiding Sweetgrass" - If you haven't had a look, I'd strongly recommend it. I got it as a birthday present for my mum, and helped us really reconnect. I've also been a big fan of Lynn Margulis' "Symbiotic Planet" as well as James Lovelock's earlier writings on Earth Systems / Gaia Hypothesis, though his later work was.... well... yeah. I'm currently working through Henry David Thoreau, but honestly I'm not really bonding with him. This makes me sound *so* much more cultured and well-read than I really am lol.

I've been recommending them a lot recently as well, but three books I'd definitely recommend work that more directly and explicitly relates to themes from Avatar would be Bron Taylor's "Avatar and Nature Spirituality" (2013) and his 2010 "Dark Green Religion" (the later German language only 2nd edition incudes an additional intro specifically referencing the movie, as the 1st ed. was written just before the movie came out). Reading DGR for me was weird, as I only discovered the book last year, but reading it was strange, as it pretty much someone climbing inside my body and having a rummage round my thoughts. It is freakily accurate! But yep, strong recommend

YI'm not saying I'm antisocial but I have my degree of misantrophy, not hate, but just a disrespect of humans because they can't respect themself first.

That's relatable content, right there my friend... Yep I understanding, the belief in the importance of socialisation and the desire to belong to community running straight into the "urgh, humans... why so... I dunno... this?!"

But I need to admit that when I was in North America people looked pretty different compared to the people we have where I live, mostly of them here are closed minded and seem always depressed, doing their own business in egoistical way and don't care about their ''neighbour''.

I have American friends who have commented on observing this after visiting Europe or Australia/NZ. It's just a personal hypothesis more than anything, but I wonder if it's due to the unique religious/spiritual trajectory America took in the mid-19th century? Their embrace of Protestantism seems to be been very fervent, and had a specifically anti-cultural-Catholicism we didn't see elsewhere... not just in terms of doctrine, but in terms of culture... rejecting the Catholic focus on good works, charity etc. in place of personal salvation through faith alone, the "protestant work ethic" (i.e. grind culture), "self-reliance" (i.e. castle doctrine). Add that together with dominion and you have the recipe for a really corrosive culture. I'm just thinking out loud really, but it does seem like it's part of the picture, if not the only thing that was going on, for sure.

We don't have that to the same extent here, but Aus. can be somewhat isolating due to just being either dense cities full of recently arrived migrant communities (something like half our people have parents born abroad, including yours truly). I think Europe's generally done a better job of having a less self-concious but better integrated and more organic multiculturalism - though that might be "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" thinking???

 

[Andronico]

We have some great mountain bike trails around my local community, which the council and local TAFE but a lot of trouble into really setting up well and trying to get people to get out and make use of. We've also got the fire trails through the state forests are lovely, as there's some great opportunities for bike camping. So yeah there's definitely incentive - but also my property is only about 3km from town, so being able to use a bike to do errands and stuff rather than having to drag out my super appreciated and valued but horrendously polluting car out for a drive.

What kind of travels have you been up to with yours? I imagine European summers must be glorious for cycling there - and I think just a healthier relationship with low-impact ways of being out in the real (natural) world. I'm seriously thinking I should take the plunge and give it another go... maybe on something soft - just fall off and learn from failing till I figure it out!

Yep, do it if you like it. I just have a rackett behind with Bags, you can use them to go to shop. Don't be so harsh with cars, today is raining a lot and car was very useful lol.

It's pretty good, but laltely it was invadeb by bike touring people. I use to do wild camping mostly of the time, but last time I was in a camping near Starsbourg and there was like 15 people. Very uneducated people that spoke till 00:00am, I went half sleep for four times and four times they woke me up and then a german dude started snoring so I couldn't sleep till a certain time. It's all about being nervous. This is why I'd rather to do wild camping and stay on my own. In Canada wasn't a problem.

I see ya I love the land I belong to, am part of, and the first movie had deep and lasting impact ony life goals, ethics, cosmology and religious sentiments that are still with me today... or to put it less poetically, like my mum once did, I'm a "stupid, Earth-worshipping savage"

I do feel your pollen allergy, for me it's mozzie bites - I don't know what it is about my knees that are so appealing to mosquitos, but damn they annoy me. Gaia may not have any favourites or preferences among her children, but between me and mosquitos, genocidal sibling rivalry is very much on the cards

But yep, I it had hte exact same effect on me, though must admit I didn't hear of Capra... I need to look them up! Some of the things that really had an effect of me more recently was Robin Kimmerer's "Braiding Sweetgrass" - If you haven't had a look, I'd strongly recommend it. I got it as a birthday present for my mum, and helped us really reconnect. I've also been a big fan of Lynn Margulis' "Symbiotic Planet" as well as James Lovelock's earlier writings on Earth Systems / Gaia Hypothesis, though his later work was.... well... yeah. I'm currently working through Henry David Thoreau, but honestly I'm not really bonding with him. This makes me sound *so* much more cultured and well-read than I really am lol.

I've been recommending them a lot recently as well, but three books I'd definitely recommend work that more directly and explicitly relates to themes from Avatar would be Bron Taylor's "Avatar and Nature Spirituality" (2013) and his 2010 "Dark Green Religion" (the later German language only 2nd edition incudes an additional intro specifically referencing the movie, as the 1st ed. was written just before the movie came out). Reading DGR for me was weird, as I only discovered the book last year, but reading it was strange, as it pretty much someone climbing inside my body and having a rummage round my thoughts. It is freakily accurate! But yep, strong recommend

I also have tons of mosquitos that rather to come and take my blood instead of other people blood. It has nothing to do with sugar or what you consume, they simply know that my blood is so tasty for them, so, I definitely see you!
About the living earth, that seem pretty obvious. Human isn't different than Earth or Universe, it's all living organisms. In ourself we have many micro organisms that we will never notice. Same for Earth or Universe.

Nice findings about books. I have read many books by Thoreau and I like him. He made a book about him on the Merrimack river for 1 weeks, the book is like 400 pages and mostly of it he doesn't explain about the journey on the river but doing poetry. So pretty heavy author. Goethe (know mostly for poetry, but not many knows that he was also a scientist) was very good on plants, animals, and other stuffs and for him nature was not a mere battlefield. When I was a kid and watched the movie I knew that Earth was not a dead body, and that everything, even the universe had its purpose, so we do.
On the Internet there is so much nihilistic and HIDDEN nihilistic theories. We have our purpose and our Destiny.

That's relatable content, right there my friend... Yep I understanding, the belief in the importance of socialisation and the desire to belong to community running straight into the "urgh, humans... why so... I dunno... this?!"

My friend invited me to his baptism at the Adventist church. I went for curiosity, and had to argue with a old dude that claimed I was a calvinist because I didn't agreed with what he said. I never believed that going to a church would gave me a sense of community or whatever anyway.

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Personally I think the multiculturalism doesn't work that well in Europe, in fact all the old rivalries and hidden hate still persist. French and Polish still not trust Germany, In the balkans, Serbs, Croatians and Bosnians are far from ''friends'', same for Kosovo question. But it's full of these in Europe mostly, isn't really that unite.

I think the Canadian friendship is just an Anglo-Saxon thing honestly. Couldn't say if it's just Lutherianism. Neither I'm a fan of Catholics because ''we'' think to be the real religion like everyone else think and then I must admit that catholics aren't very good or friendly with their next mostly.

 

[Sopyu ftu äo]

Yep, do it if you like it. I just have a rackett behind with Bags, you can use them to go to shop. Don't be so harsh with cars, today is raining a lot and car was very useful lol.

It's pretty good, but laltely it was invadeb by bike touring people. I use to do wild camping mostly of the time, but last time I was in a camping near Starsbourg and there was like 15 people. Very uneducated people that spoke till 00:00am, I went half sleep for four times and four times they woke me up and then a german dude started snoring so I couldn't sleep till a certain time. It's all about being nervous. This is why I'd rather to do wild camping and stay on my own. In Canada wasn't a problem.

Oh, that's relatable! This is one thing where New South Wales is great - the wild camping rules in NSW national parks and state forests are great in that within them you have almost complete freedom to camp wherever you want, but in Queensland you *have* to camp in a designated site, no matter how insanely remote the park is. Technically you're extremely unlikely to get caught, and most rangers are genuinely decent people - but there's always the risk of an asshole. End result is everyone from teenage groups of bros with batteries and bluetooth boom boxes and lumped together with the rest of us seeking some communion and down time.

That said, nothing compares the the sublime beauty of a wild camp in some forgotten valley

I also have tons of mosquitos that rather to come and take my blood instead of other people blood. It has nothing to do with sugar or what you consume, they simply know that my blood is so tasty for them, so, I definitely see you!

Every creature has their cravings.... and in their case, it's for your blood But, hey it's nice to be desirable, right?!

About the living earth, that seem pretty obvious. Human isn't different than Earth or Universe, it's all living organisms. In ourself we have many micro organisms that we will never notice. Same for Earth or Universe.

You summed up my entire belief system in a nut shell right there Exactly that - I could ramble on that topic all night lol... and indeed I probably will over the weekend. Equinox is here so shall do what I traditionally get volunteered to do and help lead the celebration, and give some verse of gratittude and devotion to that effect, to revere our beloved parent and our beloved mosquito siblings. Given we've had nearly 300mm of rain this month, they're having a damn field day right now

But yeah that is a thought is the heart of my worldview and a big part of why I am the way I am, all things considered. Which is fine with me

Nice findings about books. I have read many books by Thoreau and I like him. He made a book about him on the Merrimack river for 1 weeks, the book is like 400 pages and mostly of it he doesn't explain about the journey on the river but doing poetry. So pretty heavy author. Goethe (know mostly for poetry, but not many knows that he was also a scientist) was very good on plants, animals, and other stuffs and for him nature was not a mere battlefield. When I was a kid and watched the movie I knew that Earth was not a dead body, and that everything, even the universe had its purpose, so we do.
On the Internet there is so much nihilistic and HIDDEN nihilistic theories. We have our purpose and our Destiny.

I did not know that about Goethe... I think I have some reading up to do... Any recommendations on where to start from his natural observations perspective, or good translations? I love that!

Purpose in the context of Earth is really interesting, and it's something I really want to cycle back too when I'm more awake as that's given me a lot of thoughts I really to put to words, as it's stuff that'll probably come up over Equinox too. Bear with me on that

 

[Andronico]

Oh, that's relatable! This is one thing where New South Wales is great - the wild camping rules in NSW national parks and state forests are great in that within them you have almost complete freedom to camp wherever you want, but in Queensland you *have* to camp in a designated site, no matter how insanely remote the park is. Technically you're extremely unlikely to get caught, and most rangers are genuinely decent people - but there's always the risk of an asshole. End result is everyone from teenage groups of bros with batteries and bluetooth boom boxes and lumped together with the rest of us seeking some communion and down time.

That said, nothing compares the the sublime beauty of a wild camp in some forgotten valley


Every creature has their cravings.... and in their case, it's for your blood But, hey it's nice to be desirable, right?!



You summed up my entire belief system in a nut shell right there Exactly that - I could ramble on that topic all night lol... and indeed I probably will over the weekend. Equinox is here so shall do what I traditionally get volunteered to do and help lead the celebration, and give some verse of gratittude and devotion to that effect, to revere our beloved parent and our beloved mosquito siblings. Given we've had nearly 300mm of rain this month, they're having a damn field day right now

But yeah that is a thought is the heart of my worldview and a big part of why I am the way I am, all things considered. Which is fine with me



I did not know that about Goethe... I think I have some reading up to do... Any recommendations on where to start from his natural observations perspective, or good translations? I love that!

Purpose in the context of Earth is really interesting, and it's something I really want to cycle back too when I'm more awake as that's given me a lot of thoughts I really to put to words, as it's stuff that'll probably come up over Equinox too. Bear with me on that

Sorry for the broken answer I will gave you, I don't have much time right now

Yep yep I love wild camping. You know I will probably go in Colombia to a friend that invited me there in 2026 and I will make photos of planets, flowers, animals, ecc..this is what I hope. Anyway I never had problems with wild camping, except one time that I tried to camp in a cemetery near a church, just to discover it was not a church anymore but a private property. The dude had a security camera so he arrived (but at that moment I was leaving) but he was not mad with me, because he couldn't claim I was camping there. Pretty rude honestly. It's a commont thing for Lutherian christians to sell their churches, I actually seen a church converted as a Ice Cream store in New Brunswick.

After I suggested you Goethe I just discovered that he had a friend called Alexander Von Humboldt that was a titan of Science, even if he has been forgot by the modern Science. He traveled a lot in South America and Russia, and discovered a lot of plants and animals. He was also know to see the natives in a good way, talked with them, ecc...and was against colonialism, while mostly of the people of his time didn't seen the natives that well. Book is Andrea Wulf ''The invention of Nature''. Even if it's 700 pages seem very interesting, The funny thing is that I discovered him recently and when I went to the book store I found it and bought it, because it's not casual.
Honestly I would suggest you this biography (that I've start reading). The Goethe books I was talking about are Metamorphosis of Plants and Metamorphosis of Nature. But you need to take care because he mix it a lot with philosophical opinions and it's difficult to read, this is why I suggest you that biography about Humboldt more than Goethe. Rudolf Steiner wrote a beautiful book about Goethe Scientific Vision (name is Introductions to Goethe's Scientific Writings).

I’m sure that you will love Humboldt, he said what Lovelock said but a century before, he talks about the Earth as a living organism. It’s funny how he wanred to call his book about this argument Gää. Would interesting to know if Lovelock actually took informations from him.

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Yeah just continue trought this way, Earth is beautiful.

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