A Summer of 'Would Like To-Dos'

A list of things not set in stone

I’m sure it’s something we all feel in the summer, that invisible pressure to squeeze the most out of every day and every drop of sunlight. But sometimes, with that pressure comes lingering feelings of guilt and FOMO. And because of that, I decided to create a list of ‘would like To-Dos’. Simply put, a list of things I would like to do, but with no pressure.

It’s not a bucket list per se, just more so a list of things I’d like to do that don’t involve too much planning or expense. Yes, there’s more I have lined up for my summer, such as going to a festival, visiting Mallorca, and celebrating my 30th birthday, but this list is more for the everyday. The softer side of summer that does not need to be loud or documented in order to be wholesome.

• Baking — Specifically, a simple peach cake and a peach galette. For the galette, I plan to use this recipe from the wonderful Marcia, one of my favourite souls on the internet, and swap the apricots for peaches.

• Go Salsa dancing.

• Soak up the sunshine.

• Take photos using my film camera.

• Wild swimming — Something I did in Tuscany and am desperate to do again.

• Read 3-5 books. My TBR list for this year is long.
  I’m taking part in

  Isabella Ann
  ’s 20 Books of Summer Challenge, and have a handful I’d like to tick off. Usually, I’m a pretty slow reader — it’s taken me a few weeks to get through some of the books I’ve read so far this year, but I’m making sure reading is a priority for my summer this year.
  
  Here are a few on my list:
  - One Golden Summer (Current read)
  - The Gentleman from Peru
  - The Sicilian Inheritance
  - Retreat to the Spanish Sun
  - The Santorini Writing Retreat

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Do you have a list of things you’d like to do this summer? No pressure, just peace. Let me know in the comments.

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Looking for the perfect summer companion? Why not check out my coffee table poetry book? For those of you longing for warmth and endless sunlight, fresh farmers’ market fruit, and sandy toes, for breakfast on the terrace and wine by the sea.