Favorite summer cool-down

Need an all of the above. When I'm outside and it's hot I'll use the hose to mist and cool off, I always have a glass of iced tea outside with me, I run inside to the A/C about every hour for a few minutes...and if ice cream is handy I have no choice..I'm weak!

i leave all winter for these HOT summer dayz so we can use our POOL and play before the cold comes back!
I LUV THE DOG DAZE OF SUMMER! no complaints about heat from me!

Having had a heat stroke in my wild youth, I can't handle much sun or any heat to speak of.

I work when the sun comes up until the temperature reaches about 75 and then I am done for until it cools down.

I make short trips out to pull a weed or two and sit by the pond and waterfall.....but I love my a/c.......and a shower or two a day.

i like to take a nice walk with my fish in the pond:)

I take a trip to Alaska.....lol.....! No, really, I get a glass of cold ice tea, sit on the patio, and just listen to nature!

araness I agree with every letter you typed. You are so correct.

About that ice cream, I have a soft spot for fudge-sickles.

Linda

ahh a soulmate! *lol* Have you tried the sugar free ones? I can't tell a huge difference..so I buy those. Course I'm not seeing a major difference in my fanny either so I might splurge and buy some of the real ones next time.

My Absolute favorite summer cooldown is a nice tall glass of lightly sweetened mint tea. Actually I will take iced mint tea anyway you give it to me! hmm that reminds me.. I think my mint need harvesting........

Oh man! I can't take the heat at all. Just give me a good air conditioner and I'm in heaven. I do my gardening early in the morning or late in the evening for that very reason. I've been known to get in my car and drive around a little just to have the AC blowing right on me.

Well, since we rarely get above 70degF in the summer, I don't really have a need for a cool down time! After some vigorous work, however, when I do get sweaty and stuff, I do enjoy a good cold beer and a few moments of enjoying my handiwork & listening to the birds.

I love jumping in the lake on the few hot days we get around here. Last 4th of July was nice and hot... We took the boat out for the fireworks and jumped into Lake Washington to cool off.

Good times!

Have you ever had a heat stroke or sun stroke? Let me tell you I have had them and it is no fun, envy people who like th heat and can stand it. I like to see out of my eyes without salt dripping into them, hate being soaking wet from persperation, or waking up in the middle of the night due to the heat.
I do gardening first thing in the am or after sun downand enjoy the rest of the day in my central AC house, this is what I call being comfortable.
Maria

Besides a long float in a clean crisp lake, you can't beat air conditioning on a hot day. I'll be trying it out today. Supposed to be a scorcher.

I'm always up for some ice cream, and the heat of summer is such a good excuse to have some! My husband and I also LOVE going out on our sailboat during the summer. The cool breeze on the water feels so good, and it's a nice way to enjoy the nice weather outdoors. We don't get a lot of really hot days around here, so I treasure those days. I just go out and soak up the heat and hope I get enough to last me until the next summer! It's finally starting to warm up here...

My garden time has to be in the early morning hours and late evening. Getting the breeze off the lake (just across the back fence) helps a lot but of course in the "dog days of summer" there is just no movement in the air. On these days I gotta keep that iced mint tea nearby! I like really lightweight clothing & can spend no more than an hour outside before coming back inside for a cool down shower. The temps in June are 85 by 8:30 a.m. with near same humidity and in the evenings the temps have dropped only to the 90's at 9 & 10 p.m. Getting heat exhaustion & landing in the hospital is easy to do. The shower revives me and sometimes I'm back out going again!! Pearland is between Houston & the Gulf...lots of heat and humidity.

I soak a towel - hand towel size - and wrap it around my neck - that way I can keep on working. Now, mind you, I do NOT work in the sun for all the reasons already cited; but I do have plenty of shade garden work areas. The wet towel is the best thing ever. Air conditioning in a house might be nice - if I had it - but I would not be able to be "outside".

grins

Vicki

Hi Vicki! We're neighbors. :)

Watermelon--no question. It tastes like summer! : )

Rhonda

Water. I chug my annual quotient of water in the 90 days of summer, lolol. Holding the hosepipe somehow makes it seem coolor, and a dash through the sprinkler, a jump in the pool, a few minutes of splashing in the pond...it's all good!

I've learned to take a thermal insulated GIGANTIC mug o' cold water with me outside - I think it holds a couple quarts at least. I come in and enjoy a few minutes of A/C when it needs refilling (which is usually 3 or 4 times a day.)

I try to work in the shade, but if the job needs to be done in full sun, you'll find me there, sweating away.

I guess I'm one of the "lucky" ones - I can (and do) work outside unless it's EXTREMELY hot (which I define as 100-degree plus) weather...with our infamous humidity that's where I draw my line in the sand. The flipside to this ability is I can't stand being cold, so you'll find me indoors whenever the temperature gauge dips below 50s. (Wimpy wimpy me ;o)

It's interesting to see the responses here. Those of you up north would wilt away with the heat further south and many of us further south wouldn't be able to handle the northern winters. I guess that's one reason we are where we are, yes?

A little shade goes a long way. A cool breeze makes it even nicer. A glass of iced tea (sweet tea, of course) and I believe I'm set.

I'd vote for:

1) My outdoor shower...
2) Some frozen blueberries I got at the U-pick-'em farm on Saturday
3) A frozen magarita... blueberry of course
4) Blueberry ice cream!
5) Crashing on the couch after cranking the A/C down to 70!

Lots of iced tea and following the shade usually works for me. But if all else fails the airconditioner is the next option along with cold showers.

Brew. As in with hops. An ice cold beer will refresh any old hot, balmy 100 degree Texas afternoon in a jiffy.

=) MKJ

I voted ice cream, but really it's all of the above too! Seeing as I look like an oompaloompa (think Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) because I am pregnant, I would only go swimming if no one else could see (so far, I've just opted for a cool bath). I love, love, love ice cream--especially from those seasonal places because it reminds me of what a special time of the year it is. A/C is essential because heat and humidity makes me one cranky mommy! And seedless watermelon during summer is so good, I've been known to each most of it myself in a day or two! :-) Tamara

My & my ol' scooter hit the road in search of tree lined 2 lane country roads.
(not hard to find since I already live on one)

If I must stay put , I drown myself in iced tea w/mint leaves (unsweetened)

While I'm working, it's either ice cold water or lemonade (and hubby drinks hot tea! :D ) but once I've finished what I can do, it's got to be a nice big glass of a super chilled chardonay, with Soda Water....and if I'm feeling especially good, I will even add some borage flowers and mint leaves to give it some extra flavor....it's heavenly!

I just came in from the outside and I sat right in front of my AC duct. The dogs were already planted next to one. I had to find my own. lol Plus, the ice cold glass of lemonade just hits the spot. Right now, its 106 and climbing. YIKES!!!!

Oh, and ice cream is good. I like that Nestle Cafe Mocha squeezed into a big glass with crushed ice. Then pour ice cold milk over that. Sometimes I even blend a scoop of french vanilla ice cream with it. Those are my bad days.

icey cold root beer!

Araness, I'm with you. When I'm hot and sticky I'll hose off for awhile then go in for tea and AC. If it is really bad I hit the shower and don't go out till it is cooler. By the way we are almost neighbors since I live in Woodville. 80 miles maybe? Jenny

I just had to choose "other", because I love them all! There's nothing like a run through the sprinkler when you've gotten hot and nasty out in the garden. And, in the south ... you just gotta have your sweet tea! Of course, let's don't forget that homemade peach ice cream from way down south ... and I certainly can't live without the AC! There's just one more thing I love, and you'll think I'm crazy. I've got to have my coffee. Yep, it doesn't matter how hot it is, I just love coffee! So, that's how I cool off in the south.

I chose other. We don't have a/c, but our place is called 'Breezedale' for a reason. We have misters hooked up on the ramada, and if it's real hot and still, we'll turn those on and jump in the hammocks. Plus, our screened in patio will be finished soon, which will help, too.

On a Colorado river raft trip (in August!), we used those bands that go around your neck -- like a kerchief rolled up with water crystals sewn inside. They work great for gardening and will keep you cool for quite some time.

Kathleen

I put other, cause i do them all...watermelon..yummy, have to do that, A/C well that is just a given, and water, lemonade, tea....that to is a given in summer...lol and well the last thing is a pool,even if i just stick the tip of my toes in..hehehehe


Char :o)

We like to come in before dinner and have a smoothie made with whatever we have in the house: fruit juice, margarita mix(or fuzzy navel or...) strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, ice cream, anything really.

During the day, I would say watermelon and a big glass of lemonade.

walk to the creek (it isn't far), insert arm to the elbow is a swift moveing section of water - instant chill

To many to pick just one.

Cold Cold glass of Lemonade
Slice of Ice Cold Watermelon
Frozen Margarita
Cool Shower
Crashing on the Couch after the Cool shower
walking through the sprinkler
Just to name a few..............

I mix sherbet & gingerale.
That REALLY cools me down & is just plain refreshing!

Nancy

I'm British and not used to Maine's 90F+ temps and humidity. I don't have AC at home though, but my living room is on the shaded side of the house and so feels cool when you come in from outside.

I garden early in the morning and later on, although it can still be 90F at 5pm.

I drink hot tea to cool down! I like iced tea but without the ice :)

I'm taking two weeks vacation now before it gets really hot in July & August. Then my garden has to take care of itself!

But when it's -20F I remember this :)

No A/C? *gasp* I'd die...

Having lived in Oklahoma, Texas. and Connecticut I can say with some assurance that if you didn't have AC in Texas you would literally die. It is soooooooooo hot. The difference is that in Ct., if it's 90 degrees, you feel miserable because of the humidity, but you would be O.K. In Texas it can be 107, and you would simply drop dead without knowing it, because it is dry as a bone.