I know many of you live in the Northern hemisphere and are shivering with the cold, but it’s summer here in New Zealand. I like summer, so my list today is about things that typify summer for me.
Thirteen Things That Indicate Summer
1. Hunting out suntan lotion or buying a new bottle.
2. The pohutukawa trees start flowering. (Pohutukawas are a native New Zealand tree. In December they flower. Our street is lined with trees bearing scarlet pom-pom sized flowers)
3. The Christmas lilies bloom (large white flowers – I’m not sure of their correct name but I’ve always thought of them as Christmas lilies)
4. Shorts and T-shirts
5. Bare feet
6. Long walks after dinner
7. Eating alfresco
8. Barbeques
9. Daylight saving (Our clocks go forward an hour at the beginning of October and back an hour at the beginning of April)
10. Picking fresh strawberries in the garden
11. Passionfruit start forming on the vines
12. Salads – all the ingredients picked straight from the garden
13. Christmas, which brings me straight to my freebie story Turning Point. It’s a Christmas themed story and is a prequel of sorts to my upcoming Samhain Publishing release, The Bottom Line. Download your free copy today.
What things characterize summer for you? Or winter, if you prefer?
Related posts:
Call me green with envy…I wish it were summer here too. Year ’round!! LOL
My 13 is HERE
[scroll down a bit to “Just the Facts Ma’am”.
by HOOTIN' ANNI December 17th, 2009 at 2:46 amSounds wonderful! I love eating fresh from the garden.
by Ella Drake December 17th, 2009 at 2:51 amI’m green with envy too! Flip flops are my ultimate favorite summer item.
by Nancy Henderson December 17th, 2009 at 3:13 amhit it on the head exactly sandy
by sandySANDYAKESSLER@GMAIL.COM December 17th, 2009 at 3:24 amI actually like the changing seasons. For me summer means sun block and mosquito repellent. But right now, I’m praying for a white Christmas.
Mine is here.
by Clara December 17th, 2009 at 3:41 amFor me summer means gardening, morning coffee on the porch rockers, lots of green everywhere, and higher electric bills! It does seem strange to be thinking summer right now, I am just hoping our winter is as mild as the summer was! Happy TT!!
by Orneryswife December 17th, 2009 at 4:21 amtm
It’s such a beautiful time in your part of the globe. no. 12 – from the garden to the kitchen how wonderful!
by Hazel December 17th, 2009 at 5:10 amI can’t imagine Christmas in the summer since I’ve always lived in the U.S. You guys should get to do it in June!
Great TT.
by CountryDew December 17th, 2009 at 5:10 amTraffic going to the beaches characterize summer.
Have a great christmas
by Journeywoman December 17th, 2009 at 5:18 amSweat and Santa just don’t mix in my head!
by Inez Kelley December 17th, 2009 at 5:38 amWOW … that is so wild that it’s summertime where you are.
Great list! Happy Thursday! 
by Stephanie Adkins December 17th, 2009 at 6:17 amThat settles it. I’m going to stay here for our summer and come live there for yours lol Yah right, and then I woke up.
by Adelle Laudan December 17th, 2009 at 6:52 amWinter means hunting down the hat and mitts.
Happy Holidays
YAY Summer!!!!!
by Jennifer Leeland December 17th, 2009 at 7:49 amI always love to read your blog this time of year when you talk about the Christmas Barbecue.
Very cool.
I almost forgot about all of that :)
Have a great day!
by Harriet December 17th, 2009 at 7:50 amhttp://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/12/do-you-work-huh.html
Yeah, as much as I love my fleece, I like shorts and bare feet better.
I’m going to try to download the freebie (I love freebies), but might be on the wrong computer. Let’s see…
by Susan Helene Gottfried December 17th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hard to think of summer when you are buried under snow and dealing with frigid temperatures.
by Penelope Anne December 17th, 2009 at 7:51 amSo I am thinking of warm mittens, long scarves, boots, slippers socks, blankets and plenty of hot chocolate.
I wish it was summery here in the US! It’s cold as all get-out! Happy TT
by Lil Ms Snarky December 17th, 2009 at 8:38 amI like summer because I love being barefoot. However, winter makes for fun evenings of cuddles, hot cocoa and fires in the fireplace.
Happy TT.
I’m at http://maryquast.blogspot.com/
by Mary Quast December 17th, 2009 at 8:39 amAlthough I’m in the Northern Hemisphere, because I live in Southern California near the beach … I’m barefoot almost all the time and enjoy long walks with my lab Molly most evenings (mornings too). Thanks for sharing the link. Happy T13 ;-)
by storyteller December 17th, 2009 at 8:50 amHugs and blessings,
Bare feet and strawberries win for me.
I’m dying for fresh strawberries.
Happy summer.
by Elise Logan December 17th, 2009 at 9:13 amI have to say that summer in Arizona is not my favorite and I can’t imagine having Christmas in summer. However, I love your list!
by Julie December 17th, 2009 at 11:06 amIt’s -6C here today. I WANT TO COME VISIT. For the season.
by A. Catherine Noon December 17th, 2009 at 11:29 amI use the sunscreen year round. This part of Montana is around 4,000 feet in elevation. Just enough to make the sun a little on the harsh side. People age fast here.
by Alice Audrey December 17th, 2009 at 11:40 amFood fresh from the garden, wearing t-shirts and shorts and going bare footed are some of the things I love about summer.
by Sherry S. December 17th, 2009 at 11:50 amI know it’s normal for you, but I can’t imagine celebrating Christmas in summer. Much as I hate the cold sometimes, I need the white Christmas, lol. I googled Pohutukawa and they do look pretty.
by Heather December 17th, 2009 at 12:37 pmSounds lovely as I sit here with my cold toes. Although I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around the idea of Christmas in the summer.
by Calico Crazy December 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pmI wish it was summer! Fresh strawberries in the garden is a favorite of mine as well.
by Jaime December 17th, 2009 at 3:31 pmWinter – Cold and ice.
Summer – Hot and tornadoes
That about sums it up.
by Linda Henderson December 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pmHere I sit with glove on, typing away shivering and your talking about buying suntan lotion?
Humbug, to you warm, sunny Christmas.
Happy TT.
Janice~
by Janice~ December 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pmI’ve never had a white Christmas, although hubby and I had some winter Christmases when we lived in London. Maybe one year we’ll manage a white Christmas. It’s certainly a better temperature to eat a big dinner. Salads and a BBQ is much better during our summer.
by Shelley Munro December 17th, 2009 at 7:52 pmI’m located just slightly above the equator! It’s summer year round here! =) I would love to have a white Christmas…
by Betty December 19th, 2009 at 4:39 pm