Summer Bucket List, 2020.

Hello friends! 

It’s that time of year again though, what a doozy of a year we find ourselves in.  I won’t call it ‘unprecedented’ and I won’t use the word ‘uncertain’.  Enough of that.  We’re living through everything all at once. Truly. But we always have – we’re just feeling it more.  We can take it and we can make moves from it. In all that – we have summer. A time for sunning and reflecting and playing and being in love. We’re going to do it all, or exactly as much as we can handle, in masks, washing our hands. 

This is my fifth year of Summer Bucket Lists.  If you aren’t familiar with our tradition: 

BUCKET LIST buck•et list (noun): a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have accomplished during their lifetime.  Also, a 2007 comedic film featuring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.  

SUMMER BUCKET LIST sum•mer buck•et list (noun):  a list of things that a person would like to accomplish and experience during the summer months.  If done correctly, should involve water-guns, pool time, and roller-skates.  

Here’s my Summer Bucket List.  Please please write your own and share it with me on Instagram @joythebaker.  We’ll get through this season together and maybe even dare to thrive. 

1 •  I’m going camping. I still not sure I want to be around a bunch of folks at the beach but I’ll tell you what – I know how to pitch a tent :), build a fire, and I’ll tell you now that I make the best campfire breakfast around. #GirlScoutForever 

2 •  Mississippi blueberries are so close but I’ve never gone picking!  I’ll fix that soon. There will be pie:  Peach Blueberry Pie. 

3 •  My friend Katalina just moved to Florida which is a tremendous excuse to go Florida cave swimming.  

4 •  I’m absolutely making peach cobbler over a campfire and I’m going to make it into a whole little IGTV summer show for you.  I’ll tell you more about that soon but just be ready to dig a hole in your backyard, line it with bricks, build a friend and make a peach cobbler? Are there easier ways to peach cobbler? Yes. Are there more fun ways? No. 

5 •  Ginger beer. I’m sure this has been on previous Summer Bucket Lists but honestly, I’m too embarrassed to look. Sometimes you write something down on a summer list and you don’t know which summer you’ll get to it.  It might be three summers from now. That’s cool – go easy. 

6 •  Oh honey we are out here glowing this summer! Why? Because we drink almost a gallon of water a day and our shine comes from the inside. There are no mistakes with this shine. 

7 •  The Bakehouse is having a New Orleans Bake Sale on June 20th to benefit MiNO and Grow Dat Youth Farm. More details will be found on The Bakehouse site soon and Instagram next week. 

8 •  I add a pep talk to every list I make these days. Just a reminder that we’re doing our best and wow – that’s a solid something. 

9 •  Love – we’re always going big with it. No rationing. 

I’m also 100% making a pot of Root Beer Baked Beans and we’ll have summer water on tap (I mean… I don’t have a tap but ya know).  We’ll do good. We’ll be good. We’ll take it all! 

Summers past are here: 

Summer Bucker List, 2019. 

Summer Bucket List, 2018, 2017 (I finally got the piano), 2016, and 2015. 

I can’t wait to see your lists.  

My love to you.

xo Joy