5 Midwest Side Quests for Summer
Cancer season, fresh produce, and five side quests to embrace the long, hot days of summer
Summer (June 19 - September 20)
It feels like, culturally, summer is the favorite child. Family vacations for some, no school for most, long days in the sun.
Unfortunately, summer is not my jam. Maybe it’s the fear of a nasty sunburn or sweating through every article of clothing I own. It’s most definitely the mosquitos.
The best personification of summer is in an episode of Broad City, when Ilana and Abbi are trying to track down an AC so Abbi and Seth Rogen can get freaky in the heat. Just so, so much sweating and running around and unbearable hot pavement trapping every ray of heat to the Earth.
Cancer ushers in summer in the Northern Hemisphere—the sign of caring and nurturing your own tide pool. In my neighborhood, I’ve become the Popsicle Woman. I walk outside, and suddenly seven kids are standing before me asking if they can pretty please have a popsicle. My weekly grocery runs include grabbing three bags of frozen rainbow syrup wrapped in plastic.
Oddly enough, it’s given me purpose. I can do so little within the context of impacting the greater world, but that’s now what Cancer asks of us. Cancer asks us to focus on our immediate, concentrated environment.
With that in mind, along with the astrological signs Leo and Virgo, here are five summer side quests for you. As always, I’ve included a phone wallpaper to act as a vision board for each side quest. Choose to do one or all five mini summer adventures.
Side Quest #1: Re-pot Your Houseplants
The first day of Cancer starts a season of nurturing your own tide pool. Wipe down leaves, re-pot root bound houseplants, and add nutrients to their water.
Honestly, this is more for me than anything. I need to re-pot my plants. I have done the bare minimum in keeping them alive for the last two years. At the height of my plant parenthood, I had 60+ houseplants. Now, I can barely manage eight. By making this collage and writing it down here, I’m making a promise to finally re-pot my houseplants this summer. Please hold me accountable.
Side Quest #2: Visit a Local Food Market
I may not love the heat and humidity of summer in the Midwest, but the food almost makes up for it. Between the weekly farmer’s and public markets and the endless food festivals, summer’s food scene does reign supreme. So while my snarking brain reads food market and goes “like a grocery store,” she’ll shut up pretty quick when surrounded by the best smells and tastes in the city.
Side Quest #3: Host a Pizza Party
Every season feels like maybe this is the time to host a dinner party of some kind. I still have yet to, but it looks fun. So I’m going to keep making them a side quest. Plus, the fresh food you can find in the summer elevates any dinner party. My sister is always my inspiration for these hosting-inspired side quests. She has that way of welcoming people in her home, where it becomes a part of you. If there’s anyone I would ideally like to host a dinner party with, it’d be her.
And while not technically for pizza, this risotto playlist cultivates the vibe. Play it while cooking, during dinner, or just to jump start the jams.
Side Quest #4: Visit a Renaissance Faire
Another personal goal for me. I grew up near a famous state fair, one with a butter cow and a nauseating amount of politicians. While I don’t miss going, I do miss a turkey leg and a beer tent. A renaissance faire feels like the best parts of a state fair with the bonus of fantasy and medieval elements. Feels like a win-win for a girl who watches too many period dramas, reads too many fantasy books, and is loving this season of D20, Cloudward, Ho!
Side Quest #5: Catch a Baseball Game
I went to a Cubs vs. White Sox game back in May, days after they announced Pope Leo as the successor to the papacy. It was surprisingly fun. And a hot dog at a baseball game really is next level. It was hot, loud, and kind of boring, but I love a shared experience that sporting events and concerts offer. You could definitely amend this side quest to fit for an MLS or NWSL game (or whatever sporting event you’re into), but unfortunately, baseball is quintessentially summer, and I hated the collage where I combined them all together. Had to take my own advice and edit down.
If you missed the spring side quests, find them below, and save them for next year!
