Some summer days pass so quickly that by the evening, you can barely remember what you actually did all day.
Others stay with you for a lifetime. And often, they are not the big events, but the ordinary moments: a morning by the water, the scent of sunscreen, drops of lemon in your lemonade, the book you finally finished, or a conversation that made you think.
That is exactly why it is worth taking one extra thing with you to the swimming pool, the lake or the park this summer – a small notebook.
Not because you have to keep a diary, but because it allows you to preserve moments, ideas and little details you may want to return to later.
The best ideas rarely come at your desk
How often has an idea come to you while walking, relaxing on a blanket or watching the water? When we slow down for a while, our minds have space to breathe – and that is often when the best ideas appear.
A new project. A solution to a problem. An idea for a trip. A recipe you want to try. A quote from a book. Or just one single sentence worth remembering.
A small notebook takes up hardly any space in your bag, but it can capture something that might otherwise disappear within minutes. Small Korean Iconic A6 notebooks are perfect for quick notes. If you would like a little more space for writing and drawing, choose one of the Japanese Hightide B6 notebooks.
You do not have to know how to draw
Sketching is not about creating a perfect picture. A few simple lines are enough to capture the silhouette of a tree, a sun lounger by the pool, a boat on the lake or the things spread out on your blanket.
Draw the shape of a glass of lemonade, a detail of a flower, someone sitting on the opposite bank or the pattern created by reflections on the water. It does not have to be precise or beautiful. What matters is that, for a moment, you were truly looking.
Several months from now, these simple drawings may bring back the atmosphere of that day far more vividly than another photo saved among hundreds of others on your phone.
Create your own summer list
It does not have to be long or perfectly planned. One page is enough.
- places you want to visit,
- books you want to read,
- cafés where you want to stop,
- the best ice creams of the summer,
- open-air films,
- ideas for day trips,
- things you want to do before the end of the holidays.
When the weather turns grey, you can open your notebook again and remember how many beautiful moments the summer brought.
For lists, planning, travel notes and everyday observations, a Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journal is an ideal companion. Its dotted pages give you the freedom to write, draw, plan and combine everything together.
Write in colour
Summer is not black and white. So why should your notes be?
Pastel Kaco colour rollers fit easily into your bag and allow you to distinguish between notes, highlight headings or add small illustrations to your pages.
If you prefer fountain pens, take one of the Taiwanese TWSBI fountain pens with you. Their large ink reservoir is built directly into the barrel, so they can write for a long time without refilling and are also ideal for summer travel.
The right ink can also add a touch of summer atmosphere to the page. With its blue-green shade, Colorverse Morning Star evokes both the surface of the water and the first star in the evening sky.
For colourful headings, stamping, collages and other creative projects, you can also use Japanese Tsukineko inks, available in a wide range of vivid shades.
What can you write down during the summer?
You do not have to write long stories. Sometimes, a few words, a single sentence or a quick sketch are enough.
- What made you laugh today?
- What book are you reading at the moment?
- What did the air smell like after the storm?
- Where did you have the best lemonade?
- What song will remind you of this summer?
- What did you learn today?
- What are you grateful for?
- What did the sunset look like?
- What do you still want to do before the end of the holidays?
You can also write down fragments of conversations, the names of places that caught your attention, reviews of books you have read, ice creams you have tried or swimming spots you have visited. In a few years, these small details may become the most precious ones.
Try a small summer experiment
The next time you go to the water, leave your phone in your bag for a while. Pick up a pen and write ten sentences or draw what you can see around you.
It will only take a few minutes. But those few minutes may one day become your most vivid memory of the entire summer.
And if you feel like it, share your entry, drawing or summer journal page with us. Tag @kasmidas on Instagram and we will be happy to share your posts.
Take paper outside
Paper does not have to stay at home on your desk. It belongs in your backpack, by the pool, on a park bench, on the train, at the cottage or on a picnic.
Some ideas only appear in places where we have time to slow down for a moment.
And perhaps you will discover that the loveliest souvenir from this summer will not be a magnet or another photo on your phone, but a few pages filled with words and drawings that you will enjoy returning to.