Summer's simple pleasures: When did you last...

Summer is the season of simple pleasures. A time for sweet, spontaneous — often spectacularly serendipitous — silliness such as those moments we remember from childhood. Our own childhood, possibly the childhoods of our children.

Simple pleasures we've set aside — perhaps even forgotten — in our ongoing pursuit of grand adventures, grand outings, grand activities to share with our grand kids. Simple stuff we've likely not done in far too long.

When did you last...

• jump rope?

• skip down the sidewalk?

• play freeze tag?

• sip root beer floats from a frosty mug?

• run through the sprinkler?

• have a water fight — with the garden hose, buckets, balloons?

• swing as high as can be?

• whistle with a blade of grass between your thumbs?

• pull petals from a flower, reciting "he loves me, he loves me not"?

• pull worms from a puddle?

• skip stones across water?

• splash across a stream?

• play "motor boat" in the kids' pool?

• blow bubbles with your face under water in a pool?

• see who can hold their breath longest under water? Or not under water?

• have a staring contest?

• attend a summer library session?

• attend a free concert in the park?

• give the dog a bath outdoors?

• pop caps with a rock on the sidewalk?

• play hopscotch on the sidewalk?

• lie on the lawn, stare at the sky, discover shapes in the clouds?

• catch (and release) fireflies?

• sit under the stars?

• sleep under the stars?

• take your feet of your bike pedals, splay them to the side, and shout for joy as you sail down a hill?

• lick a double scoop cone?

• or a triple?

• feed ducks at the park?

• have a bubble blowing contest?

• or a watermelon seed spitting contest?

• pick berries?

• or wildflowers?

• search for four-leaf clovers in the grass?

• logroll down a grassy hill (without worrying about grass stains!)?

• sing at the top of your lungs while snapping your fingers in time?

• sing around a campfire?

• while making s'mores?

Has it been a while for you?

Has it been never for the grands?

Then grab the kids and go! Go sing, splash, slurp, seek, simply be silly.

Because summer's fading fast — and kids are growing faster.

And because summer's simple stuff may one day be the big stuff grown and gone grandkiddos simply remember best.

Today's question:

What simple pleasures would you add to the list?