10 Things To Do Before Summer Ends!

I have to admit that I am a summer girl. I grew up in north west country Victoria, where it is hot- really hot in summer and I love it that way. Last week was unseasonally cool for Melbourne and I was quite horrified to realise that there is less than 3 weeks until summer officially finishes for us here in the Southern Hemisphere. Argh!!!

This thought sent me straight into list mode, noting down things that I want to do before the days start to get shorter and cooler. (Daylight savings ends this year on Sunday April 6.)

(1). Go to the beach.
We have not traditionally been a big beach family, however we have had a couple of great times at the beach this year. A favourite site of mine, Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology tells me that this weekend is going to be fine and warm, so I think we will make the most of that.

(2). Have a BBQ at home with friends.
It is much easier to entertain multiple families, when the weather is good, so I will need to organise a BBQ for one of the remaining week ends.

(3). Tasks for the garden.
I am not naturally a green thumb, neither is Mr Infrastructure, but this summer we have been far more diligent about getting out there and looking after our garden. I came across this great list of Summer Tasks which we will use to help us finish of the remaining jobs.

(4). Go Camping.
We have planned to go camping with some fantastic friends at Easter. This activity is not so much for me, as I could probably live happily without doing this, but for our older boys just love it.

(5). Adventures (Walks) in State/National Parks.
What most people call nature walks, have been dubbed “adventures” in our house by Little Rascal. His idea of an adventure is walking around the bush with a stick and he loves it. Melbourne has fantastic State Parks within its urban boundaries. The website shows parks for all of Victoria and not only are they great places for walks and picnics, but some them offer free nature activities Check out these parks if you are interested in this sort of thing:
Warrandyte State Park
Silvan Reservoir Park
William Ricketts Sanctuary

(6). Dine out Al Fresco with the kids.
We actually don’t eat out very often with the kids, so it is a big treat to do so. As we still have two kids below school age, it is important that we find a place that has good food and has a casual environment, so we all can enjoy ourselves.

I am fond of a beer garden (outdoor eating area of a hotel) in this regard. We get there early and there is generally space for the kids to move around before and after the meal, which makes it all that more fun for mum and dad.
A couple of hotels that have great beer gardens are:
Grand Hotel Richmond
Kingston Hotel Richmond
Nash Hotel Richmond
(My roots are evident in my selections of beer gardens, all from the suburb of my former abode!)

(7). Eat at home al fresco with the kids.
I can remember hot summer nights when we would set up table and chairs and eat our evening meal outside. My sisters and I used to love it and I can now understand why mum would have liked it too. After some of our family meals the debris that is around and underneath the table is amazing. If we eat outside, Milli our dog can help herself to the scraps when we have finished.

(8). Evening Session at the Werribee Open Range Zoo
The older children have been to this zoo with other people, I haven’t been yet and would love to combine the tour of the zoo with the Rhythm of Africa experience which features:
“an exceptional line-up of traditional and contemporary performers, Rhythm of Africa is a soul-enriching experience that’s guaranteed to have you dreaming of Africa.”

(9). Make Tomato Relish
It always tastes better with in season tomatoes. I will be using the recipe here , unless I can get my girlfriend to share her delicious recipe.

(10). Finish reading my book outside.
I love reading and I love being outside, but I don’t always spend that much time doing either. I want to finish reading Advance Australia Where? by Hugh Mackay which I received as a Christmas gift from my dear husband.

What are you going to make sure you do before the summer sun goes down?