How I Spent My Summer Staycation

Remember when we were kids . . . and our teachers always assigned that How-We-Spent-Our-Summer-Vacations paragrah when we started back to school in the fall? Well. Here's my grown-up version for you: How I Spent My Summer Staycation.

When I decided to take last week off, I just felt like I needed a little break. Tom flew out to Wyoming to visit his parents, so I thought it would be a good time to take some "me time" while I was holding down the fort at home. I made a list of a few things I wanted to do/accomplish during my "solo" Summer Staycation -- but it wasn't overly ambitious.

I kicked things off with a visit to the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids after I dropped Tom off at the airport. I've never actually been there on my own, but I'm just gonna say . . . going solo is a great way to visit a botanical garden! You can wander wherever you want. For as long as you want. At your own pace. I took my time and lingered. It was wonderful!

I meandered along the wetlands boardwalk . . . 

and leisure-d my way along the paths in the lovely Japanese garden (one of my West Michigan "happy places") . . . 

And I lingered for a long while in the Michigan Farm Gardens. They're so charming and whimsical. . . 

(The Meijer Gardens are really wonderful. If you're ever in Grand Rapids, it's well worth a visit -- in any season.)

On the other end of the activities spectrum, I cleaned out and organized my refrigerator and pantry.

Hoo. Boy. It just doesn't get any better than the excitement of a newly ordered refrigerator, does it?

And in between, I caught up on some tasks I've been needing to take care of. I read a lot. I watched White Lotus.  I knit a little. I cut out a top, but didn't sew at all. I also didn't do much gardening (because it was such a hot sauna of a week last week), but I did play around with my art supplies in air conditioned comfort. . . 

It was the perfect kind of Staycation. I took care of some things. I rested. I filled my tank.

Ready to get going again!
And happy to be back.

Comments

[Vicki]

Oh wow. Those gardens look amazing! I would love to visit the Michigan Farm Gardens... I bet they're a lot like those in Wisconsin! On my list! Your staycation sounds lovely. (My fridge task is still on my "spring cleaning" to-do list! heh)

[Debbie]

I'm glad you had such a nice week!
One of my tasks this week is to shop for a new fridge. The one I have is really old and I want to get one that is more energy efficient and get it before this one stops working!
Those gardens look wonderful!

[Dee]

Welcome back!!!!

Isn't it amazing how knocking off a few chores feels really good.

I've been mopping ............even moving furniture to get underneath and in back. It's so much easier to do these things when I'm the only one in the house.

Steve got his cast off last week and he is at P.T. for at LEAST an hour. Time to read some blogs and then knock off the next little project.

[Helen Mathey-Horn]

Sounds perfect and cleaning the fridge is a BIG thing to have done!

[Bonny]

The gardens look lovely, especially to enjoy by yourself. I would have to keep opening the refrigerator to admire my organization skills (if only mine was half that organized), and your art is mesmerizing!

[Jane]

Just perfect Kym. The gardens are so beautiful. I may be odd but a clean orderly fridge makes me happy. For now I'll enjoy yours because mine is in dire need of cleaning but as long as I'm storing cucumbers from the garden and other fresh veggies from neighbors' gardens it is going to be a little dusty.

[Patty]

Welcome back. Looks like a wonderful few days Kym and that spinny thing in the fridge is brilliant! (It’s the simple things! xo)

[Sarah]

Looks like it was a productive and relaxing staycation! I really love that watercolor you did -- very Kandinsky-esque! You're also reminding me that it's probably a good time to clean out the fridge. We did some reorganization when we had a big power outage earlier in the summer, but it could do with a wipe-down.

[Chloe]

Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Literally just cleaned my fridge two days ago. Took company coning to get it done:). And now I admire it all the time.

[Kat]

I love the Meijer Gardens and agree, wholeheartedly, that solo journeys there are simply divine. A lovely way to just meander in the beauty with your thoughts. Good for you! (I hope Tom had a good visit, too!)

I had a "forced" fridge clean out over the weekend as well... nothing like 19 hours without power to percolate that task to the surface! I can tell you that it gave my week staycation the best start!

[Carole]

This is a great post - I'm glad you had that time to yourself to relax and recharge. (I could use some of that myself right now!)

[Mary]

Your week sounds delightful. and feeling good about being back is the sure sign it was!

[Margene]

The gardens were a perfect place to begin your staycation and recharge to tackle a big job (we all hate). You created a perfect way to enjoy your time and have that since of accomplishment that feeds the soul. Beautiful, Kym.