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:
December 17th, 2009 at 2:46 am · Link
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”.
December 17th, 2009 at 2:51 am · Link
Sounds wonderful! I love eating fresh from the garden.
December 17th, 2009 at 3:13 am · Link
I’m green with envy too! Flip flops are my ultimate favorite summer item.
December 17th, 2009 at 3:24 am · Link
hit it on the head exactly sandy
December 17th, 2009 at 3:41 am · Link
I 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.
December 17th, 2009 at 4:21 am · Link
For 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!!
tm
December 17th, 2009 at 5:10 am · Link
It’s such a beautiful time in your part of the globe. no. 12 – from the garden to the kitchen how wonderful!
December 17th, 2009 at 5:10 am · Link
I 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.
December 17th, 2009 at 5:18 am · Link
Traffic going to the beaches characterize summer.
Have a great christmas
December 17th, 2009 at 5:38 am · Link
Sweat and Santa just don’t mix in my head!
December 17th, 2009 at 6:17 am · Link
WOW … that is so wild that it’s summertime where you are.
Great list! Happy Thursday! 
December 17th, 2009 at 6:52 am · Link
That 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.
Winter means hunting down the hat and mitts.
Happy Holidays
December 17th, 2009 at 7:49 am · Link
YAY Summer!!!!!
I always love to read your blog this time of year when you talk about the Christmas Barbecue.
Very cool.
December 17th, 2009 at 7:50 am · Link
I almost forgot about all of that :)
Have a great day!
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/12/do-you-work-huh.html
December 17th, 2009 at 7:51 am · Link
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…
December 17th, 2009 at 7:51 am · Link
So I am thinking of warm mittens, long scarves, boots, slippers socks, blankets and plenty of hot chocolate.
December 17th, 2009 at 8:38 am · Link
I wish it was summery here in the US! It’s cold as all get-out! Happy TT
December 17th, 2009 at 8:39 am · Link
I 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/
December 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am · Link
Although 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 ;-)
Hugs and blessings,
December 17th, 2009 at 9:13 am · Link
Bare feet and strawberries win for me.
I’m dying for fresh strawberries.
Happy summer.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:06 am · Link
I 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!
December 17th, 2009 at 11:29 am · Link
It’s -6C here today. I WANT TO COME VISIT. For the season.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:40 am · Link
I 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.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:50 am · Link
Food fresh from the garden, wearing t-shirts and shorts and going bare footed are some of the things I love about summer.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:37 pm · Link
I 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.
December 17th, 2009 at 1:11 pm · Link
Sounds 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.
December 17th, 2009 at 3:31 pm · Link
I wish it was summer! Fresh strawberries in the garden is a favorite of mine as well.
December 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm · Link
Winter – Cold and ice.
Summer – Hot and tornadoes
That about sums it up.
December 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm · Link
Here I sit with glove on, typing away shivering and your talking about buying suntan lotion?
Humbug, to you warm, sunny Christmas.
Happy TT.
Janice~
December 17th, 2009 at 7:52 pm · Link
I’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.
December 19th, 2009 at 4:39 pm · Link
I’m located just slightly above the equator! It’s summer year round here! =) I would love to have a white Christmas…