Look no further for your list of things to do in the summer!

Read
It’s been so long since I’ve stumbled upon a GREAT read. It sounds silly, but I almost didn’t think it would happen again. To my pleasant surprise, a friend suggested not just a book but a series that I could not put down. Literally, I stayed up all night, multiple nights, because I just couldn’t stop reading! A series like that is literary gold. What is this book I speak of? Drum role please……Francine Rivers’ A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion) . It can be classified as Christian historic realistic fiction. I guess historic realistic fiction is my thing. The fact that it had Christianity as a theme was a plus. It inspired me to turn to the bible for research, and it brought biblical times to life! Yet, it was thoroughly entertaining!

Watch
We don’t have cable. If you can fathom it, we still use rabbit ears! So, when my husband saw Game of Thrones: Season 1  on sale, he grabbed it. We seemed to be the only people around who hadn’t seen an episode. If you also happen to be one of those people, I highly recommend watching it. Many episodes are graphic, and it’s definitely rated R. However, the multiple story lines weave together beautifully, and we quickly ended up owning all the seasons. Now we are eagerly waiting for the next!

Eat
Last summer we took a vacation to Monterey Bay, CA. It was breathtaking! However, the best part of our trip turned out to be the grilled artichokes we discovered!! To make this scrumptious feast, trim the pointy ends of the leaves, and boil artichokes as usual. When cool, cut them in half, and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Then, marinate them in a bowl for 30 minutes to an hour (see below). Heat a grill very hot. Grill 5 minutes. Remove them, and drizzle with the left over marinade. Serve with a side of mayo with lemon juice. Heaven!!!

(Marinade for four artichokes: 2 tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. sugar, 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 minced onion, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, salt & pepper)

Do
If anytime should be “hammock time”, it’s summer! I recommend spending a minimum of 20 minutes daily in a hammock. And, don’t you worry. I don’t only preach it, I practice it!