Summer

Contents

Introduction 13

50 Fun Things to Do This Summer 16

the summer house and garden

How to Make Your Summer Rental Shine 24
Stocking the Kitchen 26
Hosting Weekend Guests 28
What’s for Breakfast? 29
How to Be the Perfect House Guest 30
The Fourth of July 31
Flag Etiquette 31
20 Easy Appetizers 32
The Adirondack Chair 34
How to Line-Dry Summer Linens 36
The Outdoor Shower 37
Growing a Kitchen Herb Garden 38
Flip-Flops 40
Flowery Flip-Flops 41
How to Arrange Flowers 43
How to Grow Sunflowers 43
The Porch Swing 44
Bird-watching for Beginners 46
Creating a Bird-Friendly Backyard 47
Attracting Hummingbirds 48
How to Lure Butterflies to Your Garden 49
The Hammock 50
How to Hang a Hammock 52
The Tire Swing 53
Make a Backyard Tire Swing 53

the great outdoors

How to Throw and Catch a Frisbee 60
How to Pack for a Picnic 61
Hawaiian Tropic Scent 62
How to Protect Your Skin from the Sun 62
How to Play Beach Volleyball 63
The Bikini 64
How to Do a Flip Turn 66
How to Do a Handstand Underwater 66
Beach Cruisers 67
How to Ride a Boogie Board 68
How to Fly a Kite 69
Reggae 70
Surfing 72
How to Use a Skim Board 73
The Jalopy 74
The Beach Towel 76
How to Make a Beach Towel Pillow 76
How to Make a Sarong 78
How to Build a Sand Castle 79
Boating 80
How to Tie a Sturdy Knot 80
How to Paddle a Canoe 83
How to Get Up on Water Skis 84
How to Track the Tides 85
How to Take a Day Hike 86
My 8 Rules for Safe Hiking 87
How to Build a Campfire 88
How to Build a Lean-to 89
Identifying Common Leaves 90
Identifying Clouds 91
Identifying Animal Tracks 92
Toasted Marshmallows 94
Campfire Songs 96
How to Catch Trout 98
How to Clean a Fish 99
The Hoodie 100
The Perseid Meteor Shower 101
How to Identify Stars and Constellations 102

games, indoors and out

How to Play Horseshoes 111
How to Play Croquet 112
How to Make a Rope Swing 113
How to Play Bocce 114
How to Play Badminton 115
Baseball 116
Rainy Day Movies 118
Backyard Movies 119
How to Play Checkers 120
How to Play Solitaire 121
How to Play 5-Card Draw Poker 122
How to Play Dominoes 123
How to Play Charades 124
Fictionary 125
How to Up Your Scrabble Score 125

the summer table

Drinks and Cocktails 130
The Margarita 132
The Beachside Bar 134
Summer Treats 134
The New England Clambake 136
Digging for Dinner: A Guide to Clamming 138
How to Shuck Clams and Oysters 139
Seafood Sauces 142
How to Have a Traditional
New England Clambake 144
How to Have a Backyard or
Indoor Clambake 145
How to Catch Crabs 146
Baja Fish Tacos 149
Lobster 150
Barbecue 152
How to Light Charcoal 154
Making Perfect Burgers 155
How to Grill the Perfect Steak 158
Corn 159
Enjoying Tomatoes 160
Watermelon 162
Ice Cream 166
Homemade Ice Cream Toppings 168

for kids

Tie-Dyed Fabrics 174
How to Tie-Dye 176
Fireflies 178
Scavenger Hunt 178
How to Use All Those Seashells 180
Car Games 182
Pool Games 184
New-Mown Grass 186
Backyard Fun and Games 186
How to Play Hopscotch 188
How to Whistle on a Blade of Grass 189
How to Skip Stones 189
Jump Rope Games 190
Jump Rope Rhymes 191
Other Things to Make and Do 192
Amusement Parks 194
How to Set Up a Lemonade Stand 197

how to fix or cure just about everything

How to Remove Mold and Mildew 202
Removing Summer Stains 203
Curing What Ails You 206
Basic First-Aid Kit 208
Creature Control 212
How to Repair a Hole in a Window Screen 215
Caring for Wicker Furniture 216
The Road Warrior Survival Kit 217
Two Final Recipes 217

Acknowledgments 218
Index 219
Photo Credits 224