Jennifer Bonn

Enjoy Outdoor Living This Summer

BY JENNIFER BONN

There is something about life in the summer that seems lighter. The warm weather is here; the sweaters are packed away; and shoes often are nowhere to be seen. It also feels like a healthier time of year because we can eat garden-fresh produce — is it just me or does food taste better in the summer? — and go outside more frequently. Here is a list of outdoor activities you can engage in during the next few months. • Eat outside. The warmer weather makes it possible to eat outdoors at many of the amazing restaurants in our area. Find one with rooftop dining and enjoy your meal in the cool breeze. Or go to the farmers market in Acworth or Kennesaw and take what you buy to Kennesaw Mountain or another local park for a picnic. After you have eaten, walk off the calories by hiking one of the beautiful trails. • Go camping. Grab a tent and head out to spend some time in nature. Make a campfire, eat some s’mores and sleep under the stars. • Partake in water activities. The Georgia heat can be brutal, so playing in the water is a great way to stay cool. Do you have a favorite water spot? When I was growing up, we had a public lake, but there also was a mountain lake known only to the locals. Hidden swimming holes are the best. You also could rent a kayak and float around on Lake Allatoona, or you could fish from its banks or the banks of other local lakes. Do you know how to water-ski? The first time I tried, I kept falling before I stood up. My father’s friend said, “Jen, don’t try to stand up. Let the boat pull you up.” Brilliant advice and the beginning of my short water-skiing career. If you are not near a body of water, turn on the sprinklers or have a water-balloon fight. • Attend the outdoor concerts in the area. • Have an outside movie with a sheet on a wall, a computer and a projector. • Catch fireflies, release them and watch them light up the night sky. • Go yard-sale shopping and turn someone’s garbage into your treasures. • Watch the fireworks on holidays. • Plant a garden and find pleasure in watching your plants grow and in eating your harvest. • Sit on the porch. Enjoy sitting outside while you listen to the sounds of your neighborhood. • Take a nap in a hammock. • Bring fresh flowers into your house. • Enjoy thunderstorms in the afternoon. • Take a bike out for a ride. • Buy a cool treat from the ice cream truck. • Read for the pleasure of it.

These are only a few ideas to try, and I am sure you can add to the list. Happy summer!

Jennifer Bonn is a freelance writer in Kennesaw and a recently retired 40-year educator. Her book, “101 Tips to Lighten Your Burden,” was recently released and is available on Amazon.

Smith-Gilbert Gardens Offers Exhibits, Activities Year-Round

Untitled, a sculpture by Grace Knowlton in the Knowlton Meadow. Photo by Presto Photography.

2382 Pine Mountain Road Kennesaw, GA 30152 It’s easy to appreciate the beauty of Smith-Gilbert Gardens (SGG), 17 acres filled with thousands of plants, including several that are rare in American gardens. In fact, Cobb Travel and Tourism has named the gardens as one of the top 10 places to visit in Cobb County. Kids Out and About voted SGG the top place to take kids in metro Atlanta.

What visitors might not realize is that the gardens’ mission has a conservation focus. This involves a commitment to sustainable green practices, which includes abstaining from the use of herbicides and pesticides, in order to promote a pollinator-friendly environment. This is not a standard practice in many gardens.

As a result, SGG is full of pollinator activity, and a variety of songbirds can be heard throughout the property.

the public, with a paid admission fee, in 2009. They are supported, in part, by memberships, donations and fundraising through the SmithGilbert Gardens Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For membership information, visit https://smithgilbertgardens.com/ support-us/become-a-member.

SGG is a member of various horticultural groups, including the American Conifer, American Daffodil and American Hosta plant societies. The Atlanta Audubon Society designated the gardens a wildlife habitat, based on conservation practices, and the American Camellia Society recently recognized SGG for

IN THE BEGINNING

The property initially was owned by Richard Smith and Bob Gilbert, who bought it in July 1970. After Smith died in 2002, Gilbert worked to get the city to purchase the 13 acres, historic house and 30 outdoor sculptures, with funding from a bond referendum passed by the voters in 2004. The gardens grew in 2007, when the city annexed an adjoining parcel designated in the master plan as the future site of the Creekside Discovery Area. Eventually, additional properties were added for a new parking lot and future Environmental Education and Visitor Center. The gardens officially opened to