Summer bucket list

Bucket.

Lists generally stress me out. But when it comes to short-term bucket lists (and I am talking extremely short-term here, especially compared to the life-long style), I'm all about them. They also tend to be all about food.

Oh well. This is who I am.

I love summer, at least the idea of it. (I am still dreading the nasty summer Kansas heat that is undoubtedly coming our way very soon). But that ice coffee, cotton skirt, relaxing in green grass kind of summer? Yeah, sign me up for that.

It is often hard for me to know when to create these seasonal lists, especially the summer one. Back when I was a student it was obvious when summer "started." Now, things feel fairly anticlimactic compared with the feeling that comes with being done with another year of school. Since my 8-5 job does not bring about the same feeling, it's up to me to pay attention and realize that, yep, summer is here. (Also, let's not kid ourselves here and say that the first day of summer is June 21st. Sure, it is the longest day of the year, but summer has already started way before then. Don't be ridiculous).

For me the start of summer is not all at once. It sneaks up on me and then suddenly I realize that I only want to wear skirts. Suddenly all of my coffee drinks are iced. Suddenly, I want ice cream all. the. time.  Yep, it's time for summer. It's time to make my yearly summer mix to burn onto a cd and listen to on loop in my car.

Can't even wait.

I like these types of lists because they are the good kind. They don't stress me out. Who cares if I don't check all the boxes. The point of it is to help me enjoy a particular season of life (and get around to some of my cooking and baking goals). This summer is important too. It is the last one I will share with my sister in Kansas before her family moves to Raleigh, NC in July. I want to make the most of our time together and make it joyous, not sad.

So without further ado, here is the 2013 summer bucket list.

1. Go to the Wichita Farmer's Market with my sister.

2. Eat brunch as much as possible.

3. Make popsicles.

4. Go to Kansas City with my sister

5. Make homemade ice cream

6. Try all the half-priced sonic milkshakes that I think sound appealing. (There has to be limits on this. They have a peanut butter and bacon one. No thanks).

7. Go to the beach with my family

8. Go to some type of outdoors music event

9. Can a lot of produce

10. Paint something

11. Make ricotta cheese

12. Jump on the bandwagon and make a cauliflower crust pizza

13. Try a new vegetable from the Farmer's market

That seems like a good start. I am sure I will add more as I go.

Here's to a great (and apparently dairy-filled) summer!