by Catalogs.com Info Guru Angela Bushong

These days, most of us spend so much of our lives indoors that sometimes we forget what it’s like to watch a sunset or jump in the ocean.

But, you know once you break the cycle and really get yourself out in the sunshine what you’ve been missing.

10. Lake Living

Whether you rent a cabin or own a lake house, there’s nothing like those times looking out at the serenity of a glassy lake. Take advantage of all that pristine nature by spending as much time in it as possible. Take a swim, sit on the porch with your coffee as the sun comes up, see if you can identify the calls of birds. Whatever you do, don’t stay inside. The lake is calling.

9. On the Porch

Lazy sunny days, cool lemonade in hand, and a porch swing to help you while away in the afternoon: this is the signature of summer. There’s so much life that can be lived on a porch. The happy serenity of the moment, spent alone or with a loved one, is one of those rare gems worth grasping whenever the mood takes you.

8. Breakfast on the Patio

There’s something to be said for greeting the morning with breakfast on the outdoor living spaces. Watch the squirrels play, listen to the birds sing, and let your body feel regenerated with a good, simple meal.

7. Life, Poolside

Beat the heat with a cool dip in the pool. Time spent by the swimming pool is 90% of the summer for many families, and with good reason. It’s free, it’s fun, and it keeps the kiddos occupied for hours. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

6. Formal Entertaining

When the weather turns comfortably crisp in the fall, it is the perfect time to show off your outdoor dining area and beautiful outdoor furnishings to your friends. Have a few couples over, plan a nice meal with a bottle or two of wine, and feel the daily stressors just slide right off your shoulders.

5. Quiet Contemplation

There are times in life when being alone with nature is exactly what you need. Spent either in quiet contemplation or with a good book, these “alone times” can be the perfect way to recharge and clear out the mental clutter.

4. Beach Life

If you have access to a real honest-to-goodness beach, get yourself outside! Do not spend another minute indoors. Go. Feel the sand between your toes. Stand before the vast ocean. Look for seashells and tiny creatures in the surf. Have lunch with friends and have conversations with the sound of the waves in the background. Beach life is coveted by landlocked citizens the world over. Do not take these moments for granted.

3. Games on the Lawn

What do you like to play? Horseshoes? Badminton? Some old-fashioned croquette or a little competitive Frisbee? Whatever it is, there’s nothing like bonding time watching your kids go to war with water guns and the grownups scream near-obscenities over a ping-pong table in the sun.

2. In the Garden

When you work hard to grow and nurture a garden, you want to be able to sit and enjoy your hard-earned oasis. Don’t just spend time on your knees, weeding and deadheading and pruning. Get out there with friends and talk about life over tea. Take in the beauty that you have had a hand in cultivating. Breathe in the fresh air. These are truly the fruits of your labor.

1. Good Food and Family

Whether it’s your immediate family or an extended family reunion, a meal shared outdoors at the outdoor living spaces always feels like a special occasion. A light breeze and some towering trees seem to create a certain kind of magic that diffuses tensions and makes food seem somehow better, just for having been eaten without walls closing you in. These are the meals that make up our most cherished memories.