Hello Summer!

This morning I woke up to see these lovely little rain lilies cheerfully blooming -- the summer rains have begun! As another school year comes to a close, it's time to think about my plans for the next few months. Every year, I make a list of projects I hope to complete. And every year, the summer flies by with only a few things checked off. But if I don't make any plans at all, then nothing will get done! At least this way, I will (hopefully) accomplish something, and have some fun, too! So without further ado, here is a list of ideas I have for summer:

• Revisit the list I made back in September in my post, Come Along With Me. Now that berries are in season and more reasonably priced, perhaps I'll try making those mini fruit tarts!
• Lose ten pounds. Last week I started working on this, as described in my post, Going on a Diet. I found the four-day jumpstart very difficult to do this time. The first time I did it, I was pretty run down by the last day. But this time, I had absolutely no energy and just felt drained the first three days. By the fourth day, I was feeling a little better. Perhaps part of the problem was eliminating caffeine  (I do like my coffee and tea!). I certainly wouldn't recommend doing this jumpstart when one has a lot of physical work to do! But I am happy to report that I lost 2 pounds during those four days. Now on to phase two!
• Start walking again. My husband and I used to walk 2 1/2 miles several days a week, but with his busy work schedule we haven't kept up with it lately. I suspect that has something to do with our weight gain. So now that school is out and he has more time, we want to get back into our exercise routine. 
• Finish tiling the master bathroom. This project was started last summer, and we just haven't gotten it finished yet. We are using larger tiles than we used in our guest bathroom, and they are heavier and harder to work with.  But if we keep plugging away at it, I am confident we can complete the job!
• Work on baking the perfect loaf of bread. This is something I have attempted from time to time and, for some reason, I usually do it in the summer. I know what I am aiming for -- a healthy, flavorful bread with a tender crumb and a crispy, but not hard, crust. I have made some delicious loaves, but I still haven't come up with that elusive ideal. I will be working with recipes from Peter Reinhart's books Artisan Breads Every Day: Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads, and The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread as well as In Search of the Perfect Loaf: A Home Baker's Odyssey by Samuel Fromartz. I may even look up Kathleen Weber's Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Levened Breads, or Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur. How can you eat bread while on a diet, you ask? The secret is in portion control -- plain and simple.
• Do something creative each day. Whether it's drawing, painting, sewing, or playing my flute, I would like to make art, even if it's only for 15 minutes (which may be all I can squeeze in after doing all these other things!). 
• Spend time with my sweet husband. He is my best friend and the love of my life. It's always nice to have him home for the summer!

This is certainly not a comprehensive list, but a sampling of what is on my agenda for summer. What plans do you have for the months to come?