Favorite Seasons + Throwback Thursday

After two very hot and humid days here in Ottawa, it looks like things will finally be cooling off a bit thanks to some much needed rain! I love summer, don't get me wrong, but it's actually not my favorite season. If I had to rank them all in order, I would say my favorite is spring, followed by fall, then summer, and finally winter. I know it's early, but I am kind of looking forward to fall already! Since I'm such a visual person, I think spring and fall appeal to me so much because they are such visually stunning seasons. In spring, buds and blossoms appear, and an otherwise dreary landscape becomes full of life again. Comparatively, in fall, the leaves change color from green to shades of yellow and red, and the air becomes cool and crisp. What's not to love? 

In any case, I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of July! We still have a whole sunny month of summer left, but it's already starting to feel like it's slipping away so quickly! I remember when I was a child, how much I used to hate how summer seemed to go by too fast. Even though I was fairly good at my studies, I never much cared for school, so as you can imagine, I lived for long summer days! 

I'm sure a lot of my nostalgia for summer comes from the fact that it usually meant some kind of vacation (since my mum is a teacher with the summer months off from work), and I LOVE vacations. Who doesn't!? Anyway, for today's Throwback Thursday photo, I picked one of me and my mum in a swan boat at Rainbow Valley in P.E.I. As I mentioned in a previous post, we actually went to P.E.I on two separate occasions, and I loved it both times!  

It's Almost Patio Season

After what's felt like an interminably long winter, I've been inspired to write about decorating your patio since it's finally getting warm enough to actually sit outside. Here in Ottawa, the sun is out and the temperature is above 15 degrees, which essentially translates to t-shirt and shorts weather for most people. In addition to picnics and days at the beach, warmer temperatures also signal the beginning of patio and backyard BBQ season. Considering how much time you'll (hopefully) be spending outside, it's absolutely worthwhile making your outdoor spaces pleasant and enjoyable. 

Most patios and decks are fairly open and exposed to the elements, so it's important to take that into account when decorating. Generally speaking, it's always smarter to decorate your outdoor space with pieces that won't be completely ruined if they were to say, accidentally be forgotten outside overnight and unexpectedly rained on.  

Aside from that, the two main points to keep in mind when you're decorating your patio are to 1. Keep in cool, and 2. Keep it comfy.  

1. Keeping it cool

Considering how hot and humid it can get in the summer, it's incredibly important to make sure your outdoor space provides a sanctuary of cool, refreshing shade. You don't have to completely block out the sun entirely, but you're probably going to want to designate at least one section of your patio as a "sun free zone". After all, if your patio gets too hot and bright, you're not going to want to spend nearly as much time enjoying it. Generally speaking, either you'll be lucky enough to have a patio in an area that is naturally shaded, or you'll have to invest in creating your own shade. There are a number of ways you can do that, with the most obvious and popular option being patio umbrellas. These are always a great choice and are easy to move around depending on where you want the most shade. Alternatively, trees provide a natural shade, and are a beautiful addition to any garden patio. 

2. Keeping it comfy

The second thing you're going to want to remember when you're decorating your patio is to make your living space as comfortable as possible. A patio is a place for you to relax and enjoy the outdoors, but it can always be a place to entertain guests, so you're going to want to make it comfortable. Think about it..hot plastic chairs don't exactly sound like something you would willingly want to sit on in shorts right? Instead, opt for the wooden ones and use soft pillow covers to make a seat worth sitting on. When it comes to what fabrics to use, you're going to want to keep it light and airy. Think linens, gauze, and cotton in refreshing colours like cool blue. Finally, it's important to make your patio feel like your own personal sanctuary, so feel free to add your own personal touches to make it feel like your own.

Getting Fit For Spring

To be completely honest, shopping for athletic clothing at the beginning of April can actually be quite a challenge. By now, most places have gotten rid of their winter gear and have started to replace it with a variety of brightly coloured, summer pieces, that as great as they may be, really aren’t realistic until the weather warms up at least another 15 to 20 degrees. For athletic gear, I like to have a good mix of high end and low end gear, because let’s be honest, we’re just going to be sweating in it anyway! 

My current shopping list for spring athletic gear consists of a few pairs of crops, some basic sports bras, a handful of racer-back tanks, and hopefully a new gym bag and water bottle. Once it gets closer to summer I’ll add in a few pairs of shorts (I’m hoping I’ll get a pair  of Lululemon Run: Speed Shorts for my birthday in June), but for now, I’m sticking with crops.

In terms of finding the perfect racer-back tanks, I haven’t had very much luck yet, but I have come up with a few simple DIY ideas that I might try instead. Essentially, what I’m looking for are simple, relaxed fit cotton racer-back tank tops in a few specific colours.

Since it’s still a bit cold to be outside jogging in crops and a tank tops alone, I’ve also looked into a few lightweight jackets to help block the wind. 

I currently own two pairs of running shoes, my Nike Free Run 4.0 V3 in black and white, and a pair of bright blue and neon orange Saucony Excite 6 runners. At first I was resistant to coloured running shoes, but to be honest, they have really grown on me! There are so many fun styles out there! If some of the more expensive brands are a bit out of your budget, you can get the same look from the Champion brand sneakers available at Payless. The Champion Atlas Runners in pink are actually really cute and the Champion Gusto Runnerscome in 25 different colours online!

To complete your spring athletic gear, you absolutely can’t forget about the accessories. I’m currently pining after a new gym bag and water bottle so I can drink my lemon and cucumber water on the go. After all, it’s important to stay hydrated!