Can you believe that August is already upon us? The shock of this realization put me in a grumpy mood at first, but then I decided to savour what’s left of the summer by poring over the August back issues of all the magazines I’ve saved over the years. It was the perfect cure for my mid-summer blues, and a great reminder that hey, it’s not fall yet!

Summer’s best blooms are still filling my neighbourhood’s gardens with color, and a recent trip to the dahlia garden in Golden Gate Park convinced me to add a new flower to my list of favourites.

I’m still in summertime mode in the kitchen, too: turning on the oven as little as possible, and instead relying on the bounty of fresh picks delivered weekly in my CSA box. So much juicy corn and sweet watermelon to be eaten! A dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.

I’ve not found much time to read this summer–I recently went from being part-time to full-time at my job–but now that things are settling in I’d like to tackle something meaty before September hits. Any recommendations?

Another still-to-do? Summer entertaining! I don’t have a charming garden in which to host guests, but picnic in the park is a must. Or at the very least, a small gathering of like-minded gals to watch the finale of So You Think You Can Dance (this summer’s highlight for me!) Who’s in?

Check out lots more August pics at my personal blog! And tell me: how are you hanging on to these last days of summer?

Image credits: 1, 2. Martha Stewart Living, August 2007 3. Martha Stewart Living, August 2005 4. Martha Stewart Living, August 2008 5. Domino, August 2008 6. House and Garden, August 2007