Seasonal Acceptance Disorder

Not-Dumb Summer Reading + Stone Fruit Gazpacho

Another Monday, and somehow it’s mid-July. The world continues spinning on an ever-precarious axis. Everyone seems to be ‘summering’ in Europe. I too had a crystalized plan for my own version of European summering this August, which sadly fell through due to a very annoying hamstring injury: I was going to hike the South West Coast trail in Southern England, roughly 350 miles in 3 weeks. For someone like me, who thrives on movement and requires a lot of it in order to stay sane, letting go of this plan wasn’t easy. I lied to myself for multiple weeks before realizing I had to throw in the towel and accept my fate. Rather than abandon my plan fully, though, I’m going to spend the month of August in one of my favorite places (for hiking, ironically….maybe I’ll magically heal on my trip?!): Stinson Beach. There’s nothing better than a foggy Northern California summer (I was just alerted by my VRBO host that August is referred to as Fogust!), where temps rarely push 70 and the possibilities for outdoor adventure are endless. If you need me, I’ll be on every flat hike and walking path in a 50-mile radius. Like past Stinson visits I plan to go full monk (no podcasts, no music, as little phone as possible, definitely no Instagram scrolling), though I’ve never done it for this long. I’m aware it’ll be challenging but I am so looking forward to the respite, and to see where I end up mentally if I’m able to push through the resistance. I’m also hoping to write as much as possible; we’ll see where I end up! Wish me luck. This week, below the paywall: A case for “easy” reading, the books that are getting me through summer thus far, and my favorite gazpacho recipe.