Sharing the Fun #Giveaway

Howdy y'all! Crystal here with more Friday Fun to share. Who doesn't like a bit of fun in the sun? Or maybe you prefer those lazy summer days propped up in a hammock with a good book? Or sittin' on the banks of a river with your toes in the water and a pole in your hand? Today, we're sharing our preferences and a new book for some blessed commenter.

What is your favorite summer activity and/or your favorite fiction novel?

Norma in Corkscrew Gulch, CO

Norma Gail: The photo on the left is of me in the Jeep Grand Cherokee I wrecked in June on one of my favorite 4x4 trails in Colorado. Because of my severe fibromyalgia I cannot hike, but I love the mountains, the higher the better. The red one was our third Jeep and I love nothing better than heading out on a high mountain trail. If my kids are along, it's even more fun! I am the one who drives, though my adult kids love it too. It has allowed me to go places I could never see any other way.

Heidi's Birdy view 

Heidi Main: Let me start by saying that I feel like I am in kindergarten for show and tell with all these "I remember when" questions . . . but I guess in kindergarten, and life, this is how we learn about others! So here I go: My favorite summer activity is anything to do with family. I love spending time with my little contingent. When the weather isn't too humid, we like to go hiking or simply for a walk around the lake. During these times, I find that since the electronics are gone, talk happens, many times real talk. Digging deeper is what life is about. We also like to bike. There is a frozen yogurt store a few miles away, so we usually bike for a treat (which kind of defeats the purpose of exercise, but we can't help it!). When my family is otherwise occupied, I love to read, of course. My favorite authors are Susan May Warren and Becky Wade, but so many others are a close second. I usually read on our screened-in porch and watch and listen to the birds. Cardinals are my favorite to keep an eye on. I get a kick out of adult looking juveniles that follow their parents around and chirp for food.

Amber Schamel's summertime fun

Amber Schamel: My favorite summer activity is playing outdoor volleyball with friends and family. I'm not real good, but I enjoy it anyway. In the picture, my family is playing at night in Florida at a church event.

Swan's at Myrtle Beach, SC

Carole Brown: Although we've visited the ocean several times, recently we've started spending time at Myrtle Beach, S.C., with the grandsons, and love making memories with them. The campground we stay at has everything, and there would almost be no reason to leave it unless one just desires to. Besides playing in the ocean, feeding the animals, water parks and more, they have church services and daily VBS programs for children, hayrides and parties for both young and old. I especially love that because I realize and have experienced being too busy on a vacation.

Linda Yezak: My favorite summer activity is my favorite activity in general--fishing. Ever since my crawfishing days during my early childhood, I've loved to fish. Sometimes, Mom would get the itch to go, and it wouldn't matter if school was in session and she'd ruin my attendance record, she'd spring me from class so I could go with her. We fished rivers, lakes, ponds. When I met my husband, one of the first things to check off my "list" was whether he enjoyed fishing. He did--and does. We've been saltwater fishing several times and still love pond fishing. Oh, the stories I could tell!

Terri Wangard 

Terri Wangard: Bicycles get used every summer day unless it rains. We even try to go for rides year round, although if the temperature is below 40°, I stay home. In the photo, I'm on a bypass that was under construction. A favorite novel? One novel? Are you kidding? How about a handful? There's All Through the Night by Davis Bunn, Sophie's Heart by Lori Wick, Crossfire by Jeanette Windle, Song of the Highlands by Sharon Gillenwater, Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin.

Caryl & her baseball-loving
family

Caryl McAdoo: Summer activity most of my adult life meant time at the baseball park. :) In Irving, Texas, that was called “The Riverbottoms” as the fields were adjacent to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River separating us from Dallas. I spent countless hours with my three baseball playing sons and little girl. She loved playing with her friends there, too. By the time my youngest got too old to play Pony Ball (our equivalent to Little League), my grandsugars started playing and so Grami would trek to the Riverbottoms several nights every week with O’Pa (still coaching)to watch them play ball! Fun memories, and the inspiration for my July baseball romance ONE AND DONE!

Catherine's Disney World fun

Catherine Castle: One of my favorite things to do in the summer is visit Disney World. As a gardener, I love seeing all the topiaries of the Disney characters. Favorite fiction novel--do I have only one? Nope, but here's a favorite of mine--The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I read it as a child and totally missed the Christian analogy until I became an adult. Fiction that crosses all boundaries. Gotta love it.

Deb sailing

Deb Garland: Sailing in the Pacific Northwest and as far north as our schedule allows.Favorite Novel “Gone with the Wind.” Christian novel? Janette Oke’s “Canadian West” series & Gilbert Morris “House of Windsor” series. Of course, I have lots of other favorites!

Panama City Beach

Elaine Manders: My favorite summer activity is going to the beach. Early morning walks along the shore, collecting shells, just lying in the sun. I used to ride the waves for hours on a raft, but since getting older, I prefer to sit in my sand chair in the breakers, listening to oldies and reading. I like to top off every day at the beach by eating out at a seaside restaurant. This picture [on right] was taken at Pineapply Willy's on Panama City Beach in July this year.
Historical romance is my favorite genre to read. Anytime in history, but prefer late 1800s.

Jenn's cherry fun

Jennifer Fromke: We love to go cherry picking up north in Michigan every summer. And then we make Cherry dump cake. Cherry cobbler. Cherry pie. Cherry jam. This year we added Cherry BBQ sauce. YUM! My favorite piece of fiction . . . well one of them . . . is A Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin.

Jodie Wolfe: My favorite summer activity is staying home in the air conditioning and reading a good book. :-) I'm not a summer person.... give me cold, snow, winter.... and I'm a happy girl. As for a favorite novel...can't say I have a favorite... it changes each time I read a great book. :)

Linda Matchett's kayaking hubby

Josette Downey: My favorite summer activity is going to the beach.

Linda Matchett: My favorite summer activity is kayaking with my husband.

Mackinac Island

Peggy Wirgau: Michigan summers are beautiful and my favorite summer activity is anything outdoors. My very, very favorite, though, is driving north to Mackinac Island. It’s a national park, a historic tourist destination, a former British outpost, and no cars are allowed. My favorite thing to do on Mackinac is bike around the whole island. Then its time for some famous Mackinac Island fudge!

Susan and her granddaughter

Tiffany's Chapel 

Susan Craft: I love, love, love visits from my 17-year-old granddaughter during her summer breaks from school. This summer we went to Disney World and visited the Morse Museum in Winter Park outside of Orlando. It is a fantastic art museum displaying Tiffany’s works: stain glass, pottery, paintings, drawings, and a magnificent chapel that he designed for the 1893 World’s Fair.

Shirley Raye Redmond: My favorite summer activity is going to the beach--any beach (which now involves leaving the state of New Mexico all together.)

Crystal's Road Trip thru Yellowstone

Crystal Barnes: My favorite summer activity in two words... ROAD TRIP!!! :) I love gallivantin' across the countryside, be it with friends, relatives, or both. Throw in some historical sightings, horseback riding, or just plain outdoor wandering, and it's even better. :) As for favorite books, anything by Lori Wick or Mary Connealy. You could toss in some Dee Henderson too. :)

How about you? What's your favorite thing to do with the days are long and hot? Would you rather do something outside or stay indoors and read a good book?

Commenters will be entered into a drawing for Catherine Castle's The Nun and the Narc. The winner will be announced in the Weekly Windup post on Monday.