I’ve been assured by several native New Yorkers that a sure sign summer is here is when they turn the fountains on in Columbus Circle. As I was leaving Central Park a few evenings ago, I heard several people squeal in delight and exclaim “It’s summer!” I looked around and sure enough, there was the fountain, illuminated, bubbling and gurgling away, welcoming summer with graceful arches of water shimmering and dancing in the dark.
I took a seat in the centre of the circle and watched as passersby acknowledged this harbinger of summer; their steps suddenly lightening and broad smiles breaking out on their faces as they glimpsed the dazzling display. And as I sat there, I started to think about what summer means for me. My answer, oddly enough, was bicycles. You see, growing up in Ireland, the only feasible time to ride our bicycles (without getting utterly drenched by rain) was summertime. During the summers, my brother and I would take off on our bicycles down winding, leafy lanes, exploring the countryside, stopping along the way at tiny little cafes for a cup of tea and some homemade scones. Sometimes we’d stay overnight in a youth hostel so we could venture further afield the next day. I can still remember the heady scent of the gorse and meadowsweet that lined the lanes we biked down on those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. To this day, when I think of summer, I think of bicycles.
Last week’s impromptu ‘Reflections‘ challenge was so much fun, could we do it again? There are many other photo challenges out there, but how about one with a travel theme? I love finding out about great places waiting to be discovered, and it doesn’t have to be an exotic location, either. What’s everyday in your part of the world is exotic to someone who doesn’t live there.
So if you’d like to join in, create your own post about summer, title it “Travel theme: Summer” and put a link to this page in your blog post to make it easy for others to find your post.
What does summer mean to you?
xxx Ailsa
Where's my backpack? 
Pingback: Weekly (Unofficial) Photo Challenge : Summer « Mystiic
here’s my summer second 😉 Guess… Summer is all about getting in the liquids!! :)) Love how much water… summer is all about… in absolutely amazing colours!!! :))
http://mystiic.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/weekly-unofficial-photo-challenge-summer-2/
Gotta keep hydrated! 🙂
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on the sidewalk: http://yichinglin.com/2012/05/19/leo/#comment-9972
Aww, such a sweet dog, he looks very hot and bothered on the city sidewalk. Fun entry, yi-ching.
thank you!!
Summer of mine: http://mothergrogan.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/additional-weekly-photo-challenge-summer/
Perfect summery field shot, that beautiful gold giving away to the vast expanse of sky. I love the shade in the foreground too. xxx
Thanks Ailsa!
Hi Ailsa, I posted a summery post last night and thought it might ‘pingback’ if I put your url in it, though I’m not really sure what that even means… You can see it here: http://soundslikewish.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/ailsas-photo-challenge-summer/
Hi Trish, it did pingback’ – if you look in the comments stream right after my comment, you’ll see a little link in italics that says Pingback in grey – when you post a link to this page in your post, it automatically sends that to the comments stream here. That way, if people want to skip reading the comments and just see the entries, they can skim through the comments and just click on the pingbacks, makes it easier to see all the entries. Really enjoyed your take on summer, such lovely colours! xxx
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Oh yeah, here’s my link to see mine 🙂
http://missperfectlyimperfect.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/travel-theme-summer/
I have got to see this for myself, simply spectacular scenery. Where exactly were those red rock formations? Looks like you had quite a remarkable honeymoon!
Sure! It’s nearly winter here – overnight temperatures going down to 9 or 10 degrees Celsius (50 F) but here’s a summer pic for you! http://framtonstreet.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/lunch-time/
Keep warm, Martin, and watch out for those crocs. It’s weird, I never think of crocodiles in Australia, even though Paul Hogan kind of made them famous 🙂 Thanks for joining in the summer fun! xxx
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What a great memory of summer… everytime you see a bike you must remember all those travels.
Here is mine for the week… my childhood memories of summer. Thanks.
http://canadiantravelbugs.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/travel-themesummer
I had so much fun going down memory lane to the summers of your childhood. This is a wonderfully-written piece, just lovely! xxx
Thanks so much… I was going to do a totally different thing and then I started to think about our yearly travels and it just flowed…
Loved it. You have to check out justanotherwakeupcall’s entry too, beautifully written memories of childhood. xxx
Pingback: Travel Theme: Summer (I wish I Had My Camera!) « Spiritual World Traveler
Hey, Alisa! Here is my entry…
http://spiritualworldtraveler.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/travel-theme-summer-i-wish-i-had-my-camera/
What a wonderful day, Weeki Wachee Springs is now on my must-see list! 🙂
Pingback: Summer « colderweather
Okay … here it is now http://wp.me/s2aCUH-summer 😀
Here’s my look at summer, Ailsa: http://heartrenovation.com/2012/05/19/travel-theme-summer/
Summer Pennsylvania-style looks like a ton of fun! 🙂
It was/is lots of fun!
What a great idea. It’s late, so I won’t post anything new tonight, but this photo says “summer” to me. http://fourdeeroak.wordpress.com/2011/09/16/photo-friday-glow/ Hardly a hidden place, this is Millenial Park, Chicago. The best part of this very public and well-known gathering place is always the smiles on the faces of the people having a great time. I think you don’t need to see the faces of the kids in this photo to know that they were smiling!
Lovely, evocative photo, really enjoyed it! Thanks for joining in the summer fun, Anne xxx
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H there challenger.. here is something http://bopaula.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/weekly-photo-challenge-hands-another-one-summer/
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Lovely pics as usual 🙂 Here’s mine! http://someunfamiliarplace.com/wherefore-art-thou-summer/
Loved it, dreaming of Positano while dodging puddles in rain-soaked London. Hope it stops raining soon. I have to admit I enjoy the rain, it was the height of summer in London that I found hard to deal with – especially on the Northern Line – hotter than the Gobi desert!
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Stunning photos Ailsa, especially the fountains! Here is my interpretation of summer fun 🙂
http://theurgetowander.com/2012/05/20/sunday-morning-on-ipanema/
Ahh, a summer Sunday morning on Ipanema beach, heavenly! Pass me an agua de coco. 🙂
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a way of separating: http://yichinglin.com/2012/05/20/street/#comment-9979
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Love your photos and your theme idea. Will you have a weekly theme from now on? Here’s mine http://thebestyearsare.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/alisas-photo-challenge-summer/
Really enjoyed your Alaskan summer adventure. I’m thinking I might do a weekly theme, at least for a while, it’s turning out to be an awful lot of fun getting to know so many bloggers and seeing such wonderful parts of the world. Thanks for joining in this week and hope you join in again next time! 🙂
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Hi Ailsa,
Vlad adn Rebekah lead me to your challenge and I just posted. Summer on!
Love it, welcome to the summer party, Robert. Your shot of the Midsummer Night Swing at Lincoln Center is brilliant. xxx Ailsa
Oh, I am definitely in! just have to find a favorite to post…:)
Looking forward to your entry, Debbie! xxx
And I just checked again, The Daily Post is still getting a violation of terms message when I look for it 😦
Oh no, I don’t know what’s going on there. The theme they posted this week was Hands and the link (that worked for me) was this: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/weekly-photo-challenge-hands/
Well, I’m glad you’ve got this challenge to be keeping you busy. xxx Ailsa
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Thank you for inviting me to take part here is my take on summer – http://thegingerbreadcafe.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/unofficial-summer/
Medieval festivals and flower shows, yes, bring on summer!
Here is my entry! I’m loving it!
http://thirdeyemom.com/2012/05/20/sunsational-summer/
Today is not like yesterday’s amazing summery weather…but tomorrow will be again!
Pingback: Weekly (Unofficial) Photo Challenge : Summer « Mystiic
Here’s my fourth entry for the summer 😉
http://mystiic.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/weekly-unofficial-photo-challenge-summer-4/
Blue cocktails in the sun, love it. 🙂
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Thanks for the invite Ailsa. Your shots are lovely. Here’re mine. I decided to go with an Irish summer!
I’m impressed you found sunny photos, they’re lovely. I really really want a 99 ice cream now 🙂
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Thanks again for the invite! I hope you like tomatoes.
http://pirancafe.com/2012/05/21/summer-festivals-and-tomatoes/
Like? How about LOVE. This is a brilliant photo, Bob. xxx Ailsa
Pingback: Summer « Pictures in living color
Thanks for including me in the Photo Challenge! I like yours Ailsa. 🙂 Those bikes are so colorful and certainly remind me of summer. By the way here’s my entry: http://picturesinlivingcolor.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/summer/
Sunflowers make me happy, love your memories of childhood. 🙂
summer time on the Atlantic coast http://wp.me/p2kyhh-8i
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Thanks for letting me know the challange. And congrat for your “start-up” photo challange ailsa. Here is my share http://albadrln.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/travel-theme-summer-monas/.
Jumping in the air trying to get a photo of everyone walking on air is the perfect summer photo, Albadr. Fun 🙂 xxx Ailsa
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