The calendar may say it’s still summer, but with the evenings getting darker earlier and back-to-school shopping well underway, there’s no denying we’re inching toward fall.
So, we asked a timely question: What’s the one thing about summer you wish lasted all year?
From garden-fresh veggies to long daylight hours, and from bonfires to bird songs, here’s what you told us.
Fresh from the garden
If there was a winner for “most common answer,” it would be fresh produce.
Ashley Garand dreams of a year-round cucumber supply, while Joy Lorette, Melly Em, and Susan Stahl all said garden veggies top their list. Wendy Wieler and Rebecca Bergen both gave a shout-out to tomatoes, and Brenda Thompson wishes we could grow tropical fruit outdoors all year.
Melissa Bilous loves her flower garden and fresh peas, and Gail Horobec summed up the joy of garden season perfectly: “Garden goodness! Made borscht today!”
The sights, sounds, and smells of summer
Several listeners mentioned the natural soundtrack of summer evenings. Katie Martens treasures the sound of frogs and crickets at night, while Sara Klassen and Faith Slywchuk both love the smell after a summer rain.
For Fredd and Bertha Shastid, nothing beats “the sounds of all the birdsongs, and the smells of the forest,” while Sheri Lynn said the warm summer breeze and fresh lilacs are what she would keep forever. Annie Hudson had a more specific summer pastime: “Watching hummingbird wars on my porch.”
Late sunsets and longer days
Claude Plante might have been joking when he first said “mosquitos,” but he quickly clarified his real wish: longer daylight hours. That’s a sentiment many echoed, including Evelin Isenschmid Kornelsen, Rhonda Falk, and Erika Willow, who isn’t ready for earlier sunsets.
Carrie Soderberg wishes for light until 10 p.m. every night, and others, like Karyn Leigh and Audrey Rempel Wiens, simply want more daylight all year round.
Making summer memories
Some of your answers reminded us how summer brings people together. Gladys Graboweski loves bonfires with family and friends. Rhonda Penner enjoys camping and outdoor gatherings, and Sheri Merritt said she’d miss “all the smiles on everyone’s faces.”
From fairs to festivals, many of you would happily keep the community events going through the winter. Amanda Low said she’d keep all the fairs and rodeos, while Travis Rempel would hang on to Hanover Ag. Marion Heinrichs went with “outdoor festivals,” and Yvette Reimer simply said, “Outdoor concerts.”
Simple pleasures
For some, it’s the little daily rituals that make summer special. Leona Dueck Friesen loves sitting out on her deck with her morning coffee. Janelle Chartrand enjoys lake days and her vegetable garden. Meaghan Hofer cherishes camping and bonfires, and Johnny Kehler just wants to keep golfing.
There were also a few creative responses. Therma Clyde said she wishes volunteering at Bible camp could happen all year. Eddie Saindon’s wish? “June, July, August, September, October—the longest summer.” And Russ Ell Mason might have put it best: “The one thing about summer that I wish would last all year… is summer itself.”
Savour it while it’s here
We might not be able to make the days longer or keep our gardens producing in January, but we can take these last few weeks to soak in the sunshine, eat fresh produce while it lasts, and enjoy those warm evening breezes.
As one listener, Krista Friesen, put it: “Everything! The weather and not having to wear a snowmobile suit and boots to go outside.”
That’s as good a reminder as any—before we know it, we’ll be digging those boots back out. So let’s enjoy every summer moment we have left.
-With files from Carly Koop