I’ve been all over this town telling people I already miss summer. Like some crazed and delusional girlfriend I’ve leeched onto this season and my request is simple, “Summer, stay forever! Or at least take me with you.”

But the other day I sat down to think about why fall is going to have to drag me into its cooler months and I realized, it’s not summer I’m clinging to. The humidity? Um, bye! My hair is a very close friend of mine and she does not like you. You have got to go.

Speaking of hair, I saw this on FB this week. I die. Anyone know where this originated? Would love to give credit:

I mean, right?!

Ok back to summer. The bugs? Everywhere bugs. Mosquitoes. I go sit outside for 10 minutes and I am swarmed. Like I am the enemy of my own porch. You have got to go.

What I do not want to welcome is the shorter days. Why the shorter days?! I always seem to get less done. My body becomes sleepy like the sun is pulling me down with it. At 5:00pm. Ain’t nobody have time for that.

But in celebration of all that summer has been to us this year, a tribute. Here’s what’s around our table – it is inked with summer things.

Around Our Table

This past Tuesday Beau and I stopped at a farmers market by our house. We spotted these blackberries and my mouth watered at just the thought of them.

I popped a weighty berry in my mouth before we even got to the car. It was warm from sitting in the summer sun. The little bulbs of the blackberry exploded all over my mouth, coating everything in warm juice. I was delirious with happiness. We ate them by the handful on the ride home.

The rest of them? A nice fall Sangria. Coming soon 😉

Speaking of which August is almost over. Every August I read this poem at least 20 times. I wanted to share it with you:

When the blackberries hang
swollen in the woods, in the brambles
nobody owns, I spend
all day among the high
branches, reaching
my ripped arms, thinking

of nothing, cramming
the black honey of summer
into my mouth; all day my body

accepts what it is. In the dark
creeks that run by there is
this thick paw of my life darting among

the black bells, the leaves; there is
this happy tongue.

By one of my favorites, Mary Oliver. Poem found online here.

Something absolutely gorgeous was birthed this summer. The West Meets South blog. This blog is everything! My friend started it because of her immense love for the South, but she was born and raised a California girl. Here photography is beyond gorgeous, we’re talking eye candy here.

Here photos have been featured on Style Me Pretty, Inspired By This, Grey Likes Baby, 100 Layer Cakelet, and Lemonade and Lenses. You need some of her in your life!

And just look at this banana pudding that is on her blog:

 

Follow her blog and follow her on Instagram!

Videos! So, remember my obsession with So You Think You Can Dance (#teamvirgil)? This routine by the stage team just about did me in. In fact I get goosebumps every time I watch it. All 578 times. The song was written about depression. My sister and I analyzed this routine like we’re professionals.

Are you crying with me? I can’t even…

On a more lighthearted note, “S” is for selfies and sarcasm.

Treat yo self…to a friend.

Speaking of selfies. I tried to take one again. I don’t think I am very good at this but I wanted to show you this shirt I got for my birthday from Anthropologie. I have been living in it.

But seriously. It is so soft and loose. I’ve been waiting for Beau to finally bring up that I haven’t changed my shirt in 2+ weeks…

Another subpar selfie in the books. And also, there is a reason I take photos of food.

Lastly, the one question I get asked the most on my blog is, “What are your favorite paleo cookbooks?”

I have gone through my fair share of Paleo cookbooks. So many of them were disappointing which is actually one of the reasons I started my blog, but these two gems have never disappointed:

 

They have delivered time and time again on all around deliciousness.

You can get the The Paleo Kitchen here and Primal Cravings here.

So much love to you all on this quiet Sunday. Here’s to a new week of bright smiles, bold food and a table filled with hearts.