July – the quintessential essence of summer. The days are long and warm, the gardens are growing voraciously and vacation days are officially well underway. What is there to say about July that doesn’t evoke even the slightest of summer nostalgia. Catching fireflies, swinging hammocks, al fresco meals and just soaking up being outdoors more than any other time of year. July is that month we like to hold onto for as long as we can to savor all the goodness this time of year has to offer. We just recently finished jarring strawberries for the sweet memories they will bring during the bleak winter months. We had our annual Fourth of July BBQ featuring all the tried and true American classics – all recipes on the blog of course and are anticipating harvesting the first of our tomato crop. On another note, I have decided to make a minor change to the blog. I am no longer going to do monthly intro’s. As much as I love posting about the beauty each month brings into our lives, I have decided to simplify my life a bit as well and therefore going forward, I am going to post an intro for each season. And of course, there is always much to say about each one, especially when they are all so distinct here in the Northeast. As usual, check out my Amazon shop The Hive Shop, for products curated by myself and often have in my own home. See the link in the side bar. Have a fabulous July and summer, get out there and soak in the joy! Happy summer my friends.