Nilson Tales Guimarães
For those living in the Pacific Northwest, summer arrives with a specific sense of relief. After months of gray skies and drizzle, the sun appears and the heat is gentle. The light lingers until 9 pm, and the mountains become visible on the horizon again. One writer from Portland makes a summer bucket list every year for this reason. She notes that summer in Portland is too good to sleepwalk through, and she has a habit of finding herself in September wondering where July went.
The list is designed to help people pay attention to the season. It includes 30 ideas across several categories, from food and drink to exploration and creative pursuits. The goal is to make summer feel lived in and intentional.
Eat & Drink
These ideas focus on slowing down and making the most of seasonal ingredients. Suggestions include visiting a local farmers’ market with one rule: buy whatever looks best and figure out dinner from there. Another idea is to make a signature summer drink. Hosting a dinner party with a specific theme, such as all dishes from a country you have never visited or a menu built around one ingredient, is also recommended. Trying a menu item you have always been curious about is another way to discover new favorites. Cooking something from scratch that you usually buy, like a vinaigrette or a simple jam, is also on the list. Finally, eating at least one meal outside every week is encouraged, even if it is just regular dinner on a blanket or porch.
Move & Explore
These ideas are about getting outside. They include driving somewhere within two hours of home that you have never been, with no itinerary. Swimming in a natural body of water, such as a lake, river, or ocean, is also suggested. Another idea is to find a new trail and hike it at golden hour, bringing something to sit on at the top. Exploring your own city like a tourist, by visiting a museum or neighborhood you have never wandered, is another option. Taking a walk without a phone at least once a week is recommended to notice how different the world looks. Waking up early enough to watch the sun rise, with coffee and a blanket, is also on the list.
Read & Create
These ideas are about making time for creative activities. They include reading a book so good you lose track of time. Starting a summer journal to collect things like a pressed flower or a ticket stub is another suggestion. Trying a creative activity you have always been curious about, such as watercolor or pottery, is encouraged, with the note that being a beginner is the whole point. Writing a letter to someone you love and actually sending it is recommended over a text or voice memo. Reading outside whenever possible, even for just 10 minutes, is also on the list. Making a summer playlist that captures how the season feels and listening to it on the last day of summer is another idea.
Connect & Celebrate
These ideas focus on making time for people. They include planning something to look forward to with someone you love, such as a picnic or a movie night. Calling someone you have been meaning to call while walking is suggested so it does not feel like a chore. Saying yes to something you would normally talk yourself out of, like a spontaneous road trip or a last-minute invitation, is also recommended. Throwing a gathering with no occasion, such as a midweek backyard party where everyone brings something, is another idea. Taking someone somewhere that matters to you and letting them see what you see in it is also on the list. Telling three people who made your year better that they did is encouraged.
Romanticize the Ordinary
This category focuses on small moments. It includes wearing the nice dress or perfume you are saving, even on a Tuesday. Setting the table properly for a meal you are eating alone, with a candle and music, is suggested. Keeping fresh flowers in your home all summer, even a single stem in a jam jar, is another idea. Giving the summer a name that captures the feeling you are reaching for is recommended. Wandering into a bookstore with no list and buying the book whose cover stops you is also on the list. Finally, on the last day of August, sitting somewhere quiet and writing down everything you want to remember about the summer is suggested.
The writer states that a summer bucket list is a permission slip to pay attention. She notes that none of the ideas requires a flight or a major life overhaul. They just ask you to show up with your eyes open. The magic of summer, she concludes, is not something that happens to you but something you decide to notice.
