Beat the Heat!

Has this been a scorcher of a summer or what! I've searched the web for ideas to endure the rest of this season. I'll share them with you. We can get through this! 

In previous blogs as the seasons have changed, I have written bucket lists for each season and shared them here. But this bucket list is rather different. It's how to transition from this summer's oppressive heat into the cool of the fall--it will happen. So here's my "Beat the Heat" bucket list or "How to Survive Till Autumn."

Ideas of things to do RIGHT NOW!

• ​Watch a football game on TV (Yes, the pro games have started.) Plan some treats just like you do for the Super Bowl, but give them a summer theme. Make lemonade pie and sandwiches with cold cuts. No need to cook!
• Go to a Farmer's Market and reap the benefits of late season crops. 

Cantaloupes I found at a local farmers market. Link at the end of this blog.

More fresh produce to be found at a farmers' market.

• School has started. Take a gift to a teacher or bake some goodies and take to the school to be placed in the teachers' lounge. 
• Now is a great time to volunteer at a local school. Kinder and first grade teachers always welcome volunteers to read to students.
• Freshen the stale summer air in your home. Check out this recipe:

And while we're talking about freshening the air in your late August home, how about a bouquet of fresh flowers for the house. If you've got the summer doldrums from weeks of triple-digit heat, nothing can cheer you like adding a bouquet of cheery flowers to your home!

A great heat-of-summer pick-me-up--fresh flowers for the home. Most grocery stores have a flower mart inside their store.

Buying a fresh bouquet for your house? Try some sunflowers!

I took my own advice and bought fresh flowers for my house.

Two more items to add to your end-of-summer survival plan, 

• Declutter and donate old clothes or home items.
• Make blessing bags for the homeless. There are lots of websites with ideas for these or check with your local Salvation Army for needs.

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Things to do to prepare for the eventual arrival of fall:

• Create a list of crockpot meals to try. 
• Plant a tree or fall garden. My husband, the gardener, is already removing the dead summer stalks and preparing the ground for his eventual fall garden. 
• Plant fall flowers. You'll probably want to wait until later in September, but here are some flowers my husband planted because the flowers that were there had fizzled out in the heat.

We found these zinnias at a local nursery to replace the wilted summer blooms.

• Make camp reservations for an autumn camping trip.
• Buy wood for your chiminea. You want to be ready when it does get cool.
• Break out the fall decor and fall scented candles for your home. Or go shopping for some!
• Buy fall throws and pillows and other Hygge items for your home or patio.

Buy some autumn scented potpourri for your home or make your own.

How about an end-of-summer shopping trip to buy a scented candle for fall. That can get you out of the summer doldrums.

Get started on your plans for fall. Refurbish your patio and launder your throws that you use in the house or patio for cool autumn nights.

Or buy some new throws for the house or garden.

Start getting out your fall decor. You'll want to have them at the ready.

Or go shopping for new autumn decor. I found these cute pumpkin frames at a home furnishings store. Great for photos of your grands or great-grands.

​I think that should about cover it! Hopefully I've given you some ideas for things to do to beat the heat. We all could use some tips that we can employ in the cool of our homes that can help us survive this record-setting summer of high temps. As I always say, none of these are my ideas. I just surf the internet or Pinterest to get ideas. And here's hoping these ideas have put you in mind for AUTUMN. It's going to happen. Maybe if I start preparing, it will come sooner! 

Happy end-of-summer to all!

Website for a local farmers' market:

​theissfarmsmarket.com