Post updates by email:


Last week the weather here in Philly was fantabulous. We had just come off the previous month where temperatures had already reached 96 degrees with 80% humidity (in late MAY), which truly made me want to lose my mind. We pretty much had no spring this year because it lasted approximately 15 minutes and then went directly into summer. Have you noticed how autumn and spring are fading away to nothing; leaving us with two seasons, winter and summer?

As you all know, I'm not a fan of summer, however, I do try and make the best of it by focusing on the enjoyable things that the season brings, such as: making and eating the most a-mazing salads, iced mint tea, the smell of freshly cut grass, summertime music, and Rita's Italian Lemon Ice.

On one of my days off, I headed down to the Delaware River Waterfront and took some photos. This is the time of year when urban dwellers start spending more time outside enjoying the parks and partaking in the city's summer activities. 

You'll see from these photographs that it was a cloudy day, which made the sun go in and out. Some of the photos look bright and sunny, while others look overcast. But that didn't matter to me because the temperature was flawless -- it was only in the high 70's with 0% humidity. Alleluia!

And what I loved most about that day was the energy. You could feel everyone enjoying themselves, happy to be outside socializing after a year of being restricted.

So, I got out there like everyone else and decided to seas the day!

Please enjoy...

A view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and Delaware River...









Spruce Street Harbor Park consists of colorful hammocks, floating gardens, trees draped in technicolored lights, local craft beers, and food from some of Philly's most popular restaurants...


Instructor giving a floating yoga class, which is done on paddle boards. This is something I had never heard of, so I did some online investigation and found the health and wellness company, Aqua Vida. Very cool!...






This next photo reminded me of when I was a kid and the ice cream trucks (Good Humor) would slowly drive through our neighborhood playing music over a loud speaker that was attached to the truck. All us kids would run over to curb and wave our hands for him to stop so we could get an ice cream treat with the money that our parents gave us...



Yup...a taste of summer!...


Hope you're enjoying a tasty summer, everyone! 🌞💗


28 comments:

  1. Seaside SimplicityWednesday, June 23, 2021

    Fantastic collection of photos Ron. Everything is beautiful and it looks like such a fun and festive place. What perfect weather you had that day too. Now I want to have a funnel cake and take a spin in one of the little flamingo boats. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I had no idea that Philly had such a vibrant waterfront area. That looks like a fun place to walk around and grab a treat. Are those apartments on the water in that first photo? It reminds me of the Ellis Island area. The river boat cruise looks like fun, but no thanks to the Ferris wheel!

    Guess where my son and his wife were this past weekend? Philly! They had gone to Hershey Park and then spent weekend in Philly. They sent me a pic of a cheesesteak…….omg, so gross!!! I was of course thinking of you! Lol! I haven’t talked to them, but the pics they sent looked like they had a great time.

    Thanks for sharing some summer pictures! I really enjoyed seeing more of Philly. XO

    ReplyDelete
  3. How I love looking at your neck of the woods, Ron! It's sooo different from land-locked Central Illinois, and I truly appreciate all that water you've got.


    The images of those people sitting on swan and flamingo boats are cool, as are all the shots of the carnival rides and food trucks. We had an ice cream truck here, too, and they made the BEST shakes!


    Thanks for sharing some pretty parts of Philly for us to enjoy. Have a wonderful week!xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. OMG Ron, what FUN photographs! Like many others have said in their comments, I had no idea how close Philadelphia was to all that water! What a fun place the waterfront looks! Is it always like that, with the amusement park, or just for summer? The pink flamingo paddle boats are so CUTE!

    And yes, I have noticed how spring and autumn are fading to nothing. And that's been going on gradually for the past several years.

    Ron, what kind of music do you like to listen to during the summer months?

    Happy Summer! xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aw...thank you, Martha! It's funny because whenever I go down to the waterfront during the summer months, it reminds me of my time living in South Florida along the intercoastal waterway because of all the boats.

    Aren't those flamingo boats FANTASTIC? I have such a love of flamingos and their color. PINK!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Hope you're having a great day!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, the waterfront area is so cool because during the summer months they install a colorful amusement park, and then during the winter months they install a huge ice skating rink with food and beverage booths. And being that I like water, I enjoy going doing there and just hanging out. And it's cool because you can look across the river and there's New Jersey!

    "Are those apartments on the water in that first photo? It reminds me of the Ellis Island area."

    Yes, you are correct...those are apartments, aren't they fabulous? I would love to have an apartment that overlooked the water. And yup, it does resemble Ellis Island!!!!

    "Guess where my son and his wife were this past weekend? Philly! They had gone to Hershey Park and then spent weekend in Philly. They sent me a pic of a cheesesteak…….omg, so gross!!! I was of course thinking of you! Lol! I haven’t talked to them, but the pics they sent looked like they had a great time."

    OH....MY....GOD, you're kidding me!?!? And yes, don't cheesesteaks look so GROSS!?! That's why I wrote that post several years ago about how I can't stand them. However, anytime people come to Philly, the first thing they ask me is, "What's your favorite place for cheesesteaks?" And my answer always is, " NO PLACE, BECAUSE I HATE THEM!" LOL!

    And yes, Philly is one of those places that people seem to have a nice time when they're here. However, it's a much different story when you actually LIVE here. HA!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. I thought of you when I post these photos because I know how much you love summertime!

    I have more city photos that I will be posting soon, so stay tuned.

    X

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello there Debbie!

    Aw....thank you, glad you enjoyed seeing my neck of the woods. Isn't it fun to see where we all live? Yes, the cities here on the East Coast (Philly, NY, NJ, MD, Boston) are very close to the water, which I love because I like being able to go to the water when I feel the need. Water for me, is very calming.

    Aren't those swan and flamingo boats ADORABLE? What fun, hu? I enjoy going down to the waterfront, particularly summer and winter because they have so many festivities.

    "We had an ice cream truck here, too, and they made the BEST shakes!"

    YUM-MY! I love shakes!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Have an AWESOME rest of your week!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello there Candic!

    Thank you...glad you enjoyed! :) And yes, Philly is very close to the water, as is New Jersey, which is right across the river. That's why I like the North East, we have both water and mountains.

    Yes, they only offer the amusement park during the summers months. Then in the fall/winter, they offer an outdoor ice skating rink with food and beverage booths. VERY fun!

    Aren't the flamingo boats the BOMB? Sooooooooo cute!

    You're right, I have noticed the gradual change in weather over the past several years. And the season I miss the most is Autumn, because of all the color!

    My favorite kind of summertime music is anything from The Beach Boys, Sade, Anita Baker, Seals & Croft. For some reason, whenever I hear them sing, I think of summer.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Hope you're enjoying grrrrrrrreat week!
    X

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow Ron, that closeup shot of the ferris wheel is so great! I love all the bright colors you captured in these photographs. Like you, I'm not a big fan of summer but I try to enjoy it by looking at the positive things. Nice shots of the boats on the dock. I'm a Pisces, a water sign, so I like boating, cruises, and being by the water. Have you ever taken a cruise, Ron? So much fun. It's like a floating city.

    I like the look of those salads! Thanks for sharing summer in your city.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey there, Daniel!

    Thank you! I took that shot of the ferris wheel from the water while I was walking along the pathway along the Delaware. I used my zoom lens.

    I used to love summer weather, but I think after living in Florida for 20 years, I just got tired of it. I also don't like to be hot. It makes me crazy. But there are things about summer I do like.

    "Nice shots of the boats on the dock. I'm a Pisces, a water sign, so I like boating, cruises, and being by the water. Have you ever taken a cruise, Ron? So much fun. It's like a floating city."

    You're a Pisces!? How cool! No wonder you like the boats, cruises, and the water. I had a boss in Florida who was a Pisces who actually lived ON A BOAT in Sanford, Florida. He LOVED the water too!

    No, l've never taken a cruise, but would like to one day. I would love to take a cruise to ALASKA! I don't know if you know of it, but there used to be a TV show called, The Love Boat, that took place on a cruise liner. Oh, how I loved that show!

    Always great reading your comments, Daniel. Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great rest of your week!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ron, fun and festive photographs! My husband and I had no idea this place was down by the waterfront. How did we not know this? Did they have this last summer? Oh, probably not because of COVID. We have GOT to get down there sometime soon, before it gets too hot. How colorful everything looks. I love the swan and flamingo boats.

    You and I feel the same about summer because we're not fans of the heat. But like you, I do try and embrace the season and find the joy. And speaking of weather, hasn't it been gorgeous these past couple of days? Not a drop of humidity and it's actually cool. I would love for it to stay like this, but I already saw that this weekend it goes back to be HOT and HUMID.

    Thanks for sharing this, Ron. I always learn different things about Philly from you. Your photos, as always, are so GREAT! xox

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ooops, forgot to say in my first comment that your photo of the ice cream truck and talk about the Good Humor truck made me instantly remember my own childhood. That was one of the best things about summer when I was a kid!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hellooooooooooo there, Elaine!

    Yes, they do this every summer, but as you said, not last year because of the pandemic. And they also didn't do the ice skating rink that they normally do during the fall and winter months. I love going down there, during the different season because it looks different. This year they REALLY went all out, which I think was due to not having it last year.

    Aren't the swan and flamingo boats awesome? I really enjoyed watching the people paddle around in them. So festive!

    " And speaking of weather, hasn't it been gorgeous these past couple of days? Not a drop of humidity and it's actually cool. I would love for it to stay like this, but I already saw that this weekend it goes back to be HOT and HUMID."


    OMG...it's been gorgeous the past few days. In fact, I spent a lot of my time outside today, savoring the cooler weather. I walked a lot today. And yes, I saw that this weekend returns to hot and humid. OY VEY!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, neighbor. Hope you and your husband get a chance to get down there.

    Have a great week!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  14. Meeeeeeeeeeee too! I am sooooooo happy to be part of the Baby Boomer generation!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Boy, Ron, for a guy who doesn't care for summer, you sure take some great pictures of summer fun.

    I can actually feel the energy you describe thanks to your incredible photographic skills. The City of Philadelphia should hire you as its official photographer!

    You keep this up and you might actually forget about your love of winter and join the rest of us summer-holics!

    By the way, floating yoga?!? That's a thing? Gosh, downward facing dog is gonna get mighty wet!!

    Great work, buddy, as always! Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ron, I love how even though you're not a fan of summer, you look on the bright side by finding things you LIKE about it. I wish I could do that when it comes to winter because I am not fan. All I do is bitch and moan to my girlfriend. I've got to learn to be more like you!

    Fantastic pics! The one first one of the Benjamin Franklin bridge is fantastic. I love the jet skier! And I clicked on the Aqua Vida link because I was curious to what it was. Very cool. I never saw yoga done that way.

    Those two summer salads look so good. Did you make them?

    Have a great rest of you week, dude!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ron, what a fun and enjoyable post! By the sound of it (and your photos) I would never be able to tell that you weren't a fan of summer. I feel the same way. I prefer spring and fall, but as you said, they are fading away, hardly lasting at all. They come and go so quickly. I take yoga classes where I live, but I have never heard of yoga done on a paddle board?! I have to check out the link you highlighted because I want to read more about it.

    Funny you mentioned salads because that's what I eat a lot during the hotter summer months. I can't eat anything heavy when I'm hot. Where do you get your salad ideas? They look so delicious. I love garbanzo beans.

    Wonderful photographs, Ron!

    ReplyDelete
  18. This post was so much fun, Ron.
    Who knew Philly could look so good by the waterfront?

    Thanks for taking us along on what really looked like a fabulous weather day. It was wonderful to see people out and about enjoying warm weather, summer activities and being out and about. We all missed out on so much life last year.The swan flamingo and duck boats looked like fun and they must all be paddle boats. We would definitely give one a try.

    I too am not fond of really hot and humid summer weather and unfortunately we will be getting 90+ temps starting next week and then rain follows. Like yourself, I would like to take a cruise to Alaska, so it's on our bucket list as well. I would never go on one of those mega cruise ships that look like they could topple over.

    ReplyDelete
  19. "Boy, Ron, for a guy who doesn't care for summer, you sure take some great pictures of summer fun. You keep this up and you might actually forget about your love of winter and join the rest of us summer-holics!"

    HA! I know, Rob, you would swear that I LOVED summer, hu? No way. However, I do try and find things that are enjoyable about it. And it's not "summer" that I don't like, it's the heat and humidity that comes with summer. Where cold makes many people feel miserable, heat does the same thing to me.

    "By the way, floating yoga?!? That's a thing? Gosh, downward facing dog is gonna get mighty wet!!"

    HA! I know, can you believe that? Even being someone who practices yoga, I had never heard of floating yoga!? But when I found the website and started reading it, it actually looked really interesting.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy. Have an AWESOME rest of you week! Gosh, I can't believe it's already Friday tomorrow!?

    X

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hiya Matt!

    I know, and it's the only way I can get through the summer. And it's not actually summer I don't like, it's the heat and ungodly humidity that comes with it. And the summers here in the North East are hideous with humidity.

    It's much more comfortable for me to be cold (during the winter) than deal with the heat of summer. Heat to me is torture.

    Thanks! I didn't even see that person on the jet ski until I uploaded the photo and saw it on my computer monitor.

    Doesn't Aqua Vida look so interesting? I didn't even know there was such a thing as yoga on the water!?!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Enjoy the rest of your week and summer!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi there, Clair!

    Thank you. Happy to hear you enjoyed!

    It's not the season of summer I don't like, it's the heat and humidity that it brings. I HATE being hot. I'm weird, I know, but I would much rather be ice cold than deal with heat. The cold doesn't bother me at all.

    " I take yoga classes where I live, but I have never heard of yoga done on a paddle board?! I have to check out the link you highlighted because I want to read more about it."

    I know, me neither! I do a bit of Hatha yoga and studied other forms of yoga, but I had never heard of water yoga. If you visit the site, it goes into more detail about it.

    "Funny you mentioned salads because that's what I eat a lot during the hotter summer months. I can't eat anything heavy when I'm hot. Where do you get your salad ideas? They look so delicious. I love garbanzo beans."


    Meeeeeeeeeeee too! In fact, I made a HUGE Mediterranean salad tonight for dinner and it was HEAVENLY! If you look on the sidebar of my blog, you'll see several You Tube foodies who I follow. Check out The Domestic Geek and The Mediterranean Dish, because they share a TON of great summer salad recipes. And they are simple to make and delicious!

    Thanks so much for stopping by, Clair. Hope you're enjoying a terrific week!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  22. Aw....thank you, D! And I'm happy to hear you enjoyed.

    I know you lived in Philly at one time, but I don't if you ever visited the waterfront. It's a really cool place that offers things to do during the summer and winter months. And I love that it's on the water and that there are always boats. It kind of reminds me of the Intercoastal waterway in Florida.

    "We all missed out on so much life last year."

    I know, didn't we? Last year, particularly the summer, was completely different. It's wonderful to see every open and people enjoying themselves, isn't it?

    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE those swan and flamingo boats! They had them a few years ago too, but I never tried one. I may need to do that this summer. I have a friend who I think would really enjoy it, I'll have to ask her if she wants to rent one and go for a ride!

    Isn't the summer heat and humidity (particularly here along East Coast intense? I lived in Florida for 20 years and it was hot, however, I feel like it's more intense here. We just got a break from the heat for a few days, yet this weekend it's going back into the 90's -- YUCK!

    Doesn't a cruise to Alaska sound INCREDIBLE? And I know people who have done it and they said that the view of Alaska from the boat is breathtaking.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, D! Hope you're enjoying a fantastic week so far! Gosh, I can't believe it's almost the weekend!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  23. Ron, I've seen those on your sidebar but never thought to click on them. I will most definitely check them out. Thanks for the recommendations!

    ReplyDelete
  24. You are so welcome! Budget Bytes is a good one too. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Looks like a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Love the harbor pics. Definitely a good way to Seas the Day! Sorry, I've been MIA to your place. June was stupid crazy busy and I'm still recovering. 😎 I'd like to recover floating in our pool, but we're busy having storms and wind. We've had 10" of rain this week alone!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hey there Lisa!

    No worries, my friend. I know that summer is a busy time for most people. I hope you're doing well and taking time to enjoy the season. As you know, I'm not a fan of summer, but I do try and find the things about it that I enjoy.

    " I'd like to recover floating in our pool, but we're busy having storms and wind. We've had 10" of rain this week alone!"

    OMG....10" of rain?!?! We haven't had much rain, but it's been extremely hot an humid. And I heard that next week is going to be even more intense. OY VEY!

    Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. Have a faaaaaaaabulous rest of your weekend!

    X

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi, Ron!! Wonderful pictures! Can you believe we have not been back to Philly yet!? It's been soooo long. I guess it's just a matter of time before we start venturing out again. Honestly, we just got so comfortable getting takeout and chilling out in front of the t.v. that we haven't been to restaurants, movies, etc. at all yet. We'll get back to it eventually. It's just tooooo hot right now to do anything. Oh, I know how you just want to scream this week. It's 90 right now, and the humidity is creeping up too. While I do enjoy the patio, fan and hose to cool things off a bit, it's just too much right now so the a/c is on constantly.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hellooooooooooo there, Mary!!!! So great to see your comment!

    And I yes, I do believe it because I haven't been back to NYC in over a YEAR! However, I have been out and about throughout the year because I need to stay active. I don't mind spending time along in my apartment, I actually enjoy it. However, I need time outdoors. Plus, I went back to work last fall, so at least it got me out of my apartment 4 days a week.

    But you are so right....it is TOO DAMN HOT right now to do anything. I just got home from work and I was sweating like a pig. It's over 90 here today, and the humidity is over 50%....OY VEY! I am so over summer already.

    Thanks so much for stopping by, dear friend. Hope you and your family are doing well. Stay cool!

    X

    ReplyDelete

I moderate all comments before publishing. Thank you for stopping by.