I have a knack for passing time. For keeping myself busy in my own little corner of the house. For spending all day in the kitchen. Creating unnecessary to-do lists. And missing out on opportunities I didn’t know I had. You learn this about yourself when you move. The last 3 weeks of life in Chicago were filled to the brim. Every last meal, every last moment, spent with friends. I lived more in those 3 weeks than I did in our 4 years there. Some people say live with no regrets. I say learn from your mistakes.

So I made a promise to myself—to keep summer simple. To spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside. To explore our new town and find a sandy beach and stake our claim.  To toss aside my perfectionistic ways and take joy in the scribbles. To keep lengthy recipes at bay and celebrate the short and sweet ones.

I may have to force myself out of the house on a Saturday morning, paralyzed at the thought of leaving a full day of baking behind. I may have to bookmark those long winded recipes I seem to thrive on. And save my unnecessary to-do lists for those cold winter months that will inevitably arrive too soon. But this summer, I vow to keep it simple and live with at least one less regret. Suggestions, tips, advice, recipes welcome. How do you simplify summer?

My first attempt at a simple summer—pavlovas. Light as air meringues. Make these in the morning, pick berries in the afternoon, and dessert is on the table by evening.

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Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook.

PS—check out my post over at Mint today. 
PPS—I’ll be writing once a month over at Spirituality and Health Magazine with a couple of my favorite bloggers. Super excited.