Disclaimer: This post was about two weeks in the making. Internet troubles at the home base are not conducive for blogging. Or anything, really. Le sigh.
Happy Summer, y’all! The calendar says summer arrived earlier this month, but I feel like it’s been in full force in Chattanooga since May. I feel like I’ve already sweated out half my body weight. Thanks, humidity. Fortunately the humidity doesn’t bother me that much. Thanks, growing up in Atlanta.
Summer is a time for getting out and exploring, trying new things and pushing your limits. The great weather makes it easier and more enticing to get outside; that is, if the heat doesn’t bother you. Summer is a season of immense opportunity for growth and exploration.
I’m trying to be better about setting goals for myself and writing about them here on the blog. But I want to do something more than just a “monthly goals” roundup, because I’m not entirely sure if that will “work” for me. That’s why, instead of setting monthly goals, I’m setting goals by the season. And I’m starting now with summer.
Here are my summer goals for 2016!
Because summer is a time for serious goal-kicking.
Hike 3 new trails. There is an abundance of amazing hiking trails in and around Chattanooga. When I moved here last year, I went hiking with my coworkers pretty often, and I always enjoyed those hikes. We checked out Foster Falls and Blue Hole, and this past weekend my friend and I ventured to Edward’s Point on Signal Mountain. I’ve got Lula Lake, Cloudland Canyon, Fall Creek Falls and several other Lookout Mountain trails on my to-hike list. Who’s with me?
Make 2 new flavors of homemade jam. I’m pretty happy with how my strawberry jam turned out a few weeks ago. The Sunday farmer’s market usually has a bunch of fruit, and jam is best when made with fresh-picked ingredients. Bobby Flay has a recipe for blueberry orange marmalade that I really want to try. Now I just need some fresh-picked blueberries, which brings me to my next goal…
Pick fresh berries (or some kind of fruit). We used to go berry-picking frequently when we lived in North Carolina years ago, and I miss doing that. Last fall, I discovered a wonderful orchard down in North Georgia that I’d love to check out again.
What #goals do you have for yourself this summer? Click To TweetGo paddle boarding on the Tennessee River. Okay so I’ve technically already done this, but I’d like to do this regularly. The rental shop downtown has several discount nights that help make this a bit more affordable. I’ve gone twice already, and it’s been a great way to decompress after work and get my zen time. It’s also a really great (and somewhat underrated, if you ask me) workout, between balancing on the board and paddling through the water. Killing two birds with one stone, for the win!
Cover a(nother) really cool event. In addition to Riverbend Music Festival, I mean. Covering this week long music festival was an amazing experience, and I’d love to keep covering bigger local events. We’ve got a few events later this summer that may be calling my name. Look for me at these events downtown – I’ll be there!
Go to a Chattanooga Lookouts game. I’m admittedly not a huge baseball fan, but going to games is always a good time. The Lookouts are Chattanooga’s minor league team (associated with the Minnesota Twins) and they play from April through about August. Tickets are super affordable and Lookouts games are some of the best social events in the city. Or so I’ve heard.
Summer 2016 is going to be a heck of a season. Best summer yet? I think so. I’ve still got a couple months to make it all happen.
What do you have on tap for your summer? What are some of your summer goals?
