My Summer Bucket List

Garden victories & this season's dreams. 🌾

It finally feels like summer!

I spent last weekend—Memorial Day Weekend—in my garden, six hours straight, every day. It was absolutely glorious, and I got to tackle everything I'd been dreaming about through those last weeks of spring. Now, looking out at my little patch of Montana earth, I feel this deep sense of readiness. Ready to host people outside this season, ready to watch the magic unfold as everything I planted with such intention begins to flourish.

I've always been a gardener. Growing up in Oregon, my parents had my sister and me working alongside them in the garden practically every day. And they still maintain the most incredible garden - it's where I learned that working with your hands in the soil isn't just about growing things, it's about growing yourself. But it's really been in the past decade that I've truly honed my skills and discovered my own gardening voice.

My garden in Marin County was four times the size of what I have now. There was absolutely no way I could keep it up on my own, so I hired Nick, a gardener from Guatemala, and that man taught me more about coaxing life from the earth than I ever imagined possible. Ten years ago, when I made the move to Montana, I had to start completely over—learning to garden in this different climate with its gloriously short but intense growing season that gets blazingly hot so fast. But I still use many of Nick's tricks, and honestly, some of my greatest gardening victories have happened right here in Bozeman.

We'll see what the fruits of my labor bring this season! The anticipation is half the joy.

This garden weekend got me thinking about all the other things I want to enjoy this summer. I've created my little summer bucket list (something I've done before), and I'm so excited to share it with you:

My 2025 Summer Bucket List:

• Host sunset dinners in my garden – I want to gather friends around my table as the Montana sky puts on its evening show…

• Take a solo camping trip to Banff National Park – I've been craving some deep wilderness time…

• Complete a sunrise hike every month. - Anyone want to join?

• Read books from a new genre (to me) - Romantasy. Quicksilver and the Fourth Wing series are my list for the summer

• Figure out a fishing routine for myself - make it a habit to spend time on a river. - There are such amazing fisheries around Bozeman, I have no excuse.

• Explore different parts of Montana - Be a tourist in my own state!

The beautiful thing about bucket lists is that they're invitations, not obligations. Some of these will happen exactly as I imagine, others will evolve into something entirely different, and a few might not happen, but I’ll go down completely unexpected Detours instead. And you know how I feel about those—they're often where the real magic happens.

Speaking of adventures and exploration, my team and I are putting the finishing touches on our new Dare Guide for June—a complete guide to Santa Fe! It goes live next week, and I cannot wait for you to discover some of the hidden gems I've uncovered over the years visiting this city. There's something about Santa Fe that feels like art embodied: vibrant, creative, full of surprising corners and warm, welcoming spaces.

Whether you're planning your own summer bucket list, dreaming of travels near and far, or simply looking for ways to add more intention to your season, remember this: the best adventures often start with paying attention to what makes your heart sing.

What's on your summer list? I'd love to hear what adventures are calling to you this season.

Here's to a summer full of growth, discovery, and beautiful detours.

xo,
Sheryl

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