Recently, we asked various UUCWC members how they spent their summer vacation. This is what they shared.

Northern Michigan, relaxing with family and friends, and enjoying time on a lake. – Bob Alt

Now that we are empty nesters, my husband and I don’t plan many summer vacations. We vacation at other times of the year. During the summer, we host a lot of get-togethers at our house and generally hang out by our pool on weekends. – Maria Baratta

I took a trip out West with my husband, Rab. First stop was Olympia, Washington, to see Rab’s middle brother, Tom. Olympia gave us a glimpse of Mt. Rainier and plenty of lovely time with Tom, his significant other, Candace, and his son, Cameron. Then we hopped on an overnight train, the “Starlight Express,” to travel down to California to see Martha’s sister, Judy. Judy lives in Aromas, nestled in the foggy hills near Watsonville (a huge farming country) and not too far from Santa Cruz on the coast. While there, Martha and Judy visited Paicines Ranch, a 7,000-acre “regenerative” farm. Among other practices, they plant their vineyards to allow room for sheep to graze between the plants. The fruit-bearing part of the vines sits higher than usual so the sheep don’t eat the grapes. The sheep “weed” for the farmers, remove suckers from the vines, and, of course, provide manure. The idea is to replenish the soil. Apparently, worldwide, only about 40 more years’ worth of topsoil remains. This animal-based farming method is meant to address that and help move us away from killing everything in the soil to prevent insects and weeds. – Martha Bell

With heat waves, torrential storms, and wildfires, summer ain’t what it used to be. Now that we’re retired, we are shifting our vacations to spring and fall. This November, we are taking our first-ever cruise on a small vessel hopping along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. If it lives up to its reputation, it should be great. – Rab Bell

I will be in my cabin in Vermont, built by my late husband in 1972. – Beth Brasor

We traveled with some friends to Copenhagen and vacationed there for 5 days, then boarded a ship for a cruise circumnavigating the Svalbard archipelago. – Sue Busch

I am spending my Summer at our neighborhood pool in Pennington, swimming and reading. Also, John (Fowler) and I enjoy taking country drives around Hopewell and Bucks County and stopping at farm markets. There’s nothing like the tomatoes and corn we can get here. John’s daughter, Alisha, and family live in Princeton, and we have fun with them too. I was playing pickleball with my friends before it got too hot. – Kathie Chaikin

We adopted a big black dog who is afraid of riding in the car in November, so we’ll spend this summer closer to home. My husband Fred and I took a few days down in Cape May to get away to the beach and eat well. I would like to get out and see more local Revolutionary War history that is local this summer on the weekends. – Parker Cohen

We spent a long weekend in early July visiting Mary’s daughter and husband in Lexington, KY. In September, we spent a night in Essex, CT at the legendary Griswold Inn, followed by a week and a half on Cape Cod, eating Quahogs, lobster rolls, and fried clams. Scott Cullen

I have been more mindful about getting walks in before it gets too hot during the day. I participated in a “Save the Whales” event in Stockton, New Jersey, where I helped out as “Vanna” and also read some original poetry. Other highlights included a recent Paul Simon concert through our church auction. It was fabulous to see and hear him in person! We are always looking to support live music events in the local area and do so often. I enjoyed a very short visit to Texas, where my son and fiancé have moved after he received his doctorate and a great job offer at MP Materials. It really wasn’t any hotter there than it has been here – Sara del Castillo

We spent one week at a beach in Cape Cod (Scott’s preference) and one week by a lake in New Hampshire (my preference). Both places are where we vacationed with family when we were young. We’ve also spent a few weekends in the Poconos with friends, plus a few day trips. – Barbara Drew

Watching World Cup games and going to our community pool. – John Fowler

We went to New England last month for college visits with Elliot and traveled to Boston as part of that trip. Most of the rest of summer is about relaxing for me. It’s my slow time at work. I generally work 4-day weeks for most of the summer. – Mike Gianella

 “Vacation” changed in meaning when I retired. And, sadly, changed again when I became a widower. Today, vacation means going to Medford, NJ, staying with Russell, my elder son, and enjoying the Italian-inspired cooking of Gina, his wife. Looking back, I’d like to tell you about three special vacations. On the 100th anniversary of the Yukon Gold Rush, Janet and I spent 5 days hiking the Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, Alaska, to Bennet, British Columbia. I’ll never forget scaling the “Golden Staircase” and thinking about the prospectors. They had to make multiple trips in order to carry the mandatory 2,000 tons of supplies into Canada. 

My second memory is of the time we rode our bicycles across the U.S., from Seattle to Washington, DC. When hiking Chilkoot, we camped every night. Bicycling cross-country, we’d pitch our tent most nights, but sometimes we’d bed down in a hostel, and occasionally we’d take it easy in the luxury of a motel!  Finally, I think of our river trip from Amsterdam to Budapest. Fine food and wine, no aching legs, no cooking, and no dishwashing. – Michael Howe-Smith

My summer was very busy with projects around the house. As many know, my mom passed away, and I inherited all the family photos and videos. I found a man who is going to put all the videos on a thumb drive, which is much better than a hundred VHS tapes. I also got to visit with friends I hadn’t seen in a while, and in August, I spent time at my happy place, Seaside Park, with my sisters, brothers-in-law, nephew, kids, and my best friend. She was a regular visitor to the family beach house in our teens and early twenties, but as life got busy and the house was sold, she hadn’t been on vacation with us in 30 years, so this was a magical experience for both of us. – Karen Kent

I went to England during the Fourth of July and experienced being a “foreigner.” – Geri Koblis

This last year has been a whirlwind.  Co-presidency on the Board, all the senior-year milestones for our son, Jakob, culminating in graduation in June, divorce, co-parenting two teens, and moving, just to name a few. Now, two months removed from the move, precious little has settled in my life, but the changes the last year have brought are rounding into new perspectives and opportunities as the summer unfolds. So far, summer has been a mix of short trips, reconnecting with family and friends, learning the ins and outs of living in a new place and in a new way, and learning with my family a new way to be a family. – Chris Marietti

So far, a week in Greenwood, Maine, Lake Placid, and heading to Tanglewood, MA, August 6th, after we finish helping my daughter move to Philadelphia! – Lynne Molnar

I am (as folks read this) on a cross-country bus tour of historic Route 66 from Chicago down through Missouri, Oklahoma, and west through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The return trip is through Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, and Ohio.  I am doing my best to keep a detailed journal of the trip! – Chris Piatek

My son graduated high school this year and is off to UVM (University of Vermont) in a matter of days. Burlington is on my favorite body of water—Lake Champlain is magic.  As I write this, I’m visiting my folks in Syracuse, NY, and making a trip to Blue Mountain Lake in the Adirondacks to see the trolls at the Wild Center, among other fascinating things. Loosely, this path makes a heart through these three states. New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. I hope that your summer, your season, is making a heart in your life too. – Nicole Robinson

In late August, I’ll make my first (and I hope not my last) return trip to Bucks County and UUCWC since moving back to Indianapolis in November 2024. My trip will include attending the annual retreats of the Congregational Engagement Committee and the Community Outreach Fund and, of course, spending most of my waking hours with UUs! – Jane Root

I went to Nashville with my former college roommates and their wives, visiting the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Hermitage. In August, I take the family and grandkids to a house down near Lewes, DE, for a week. – Steve Saddlemire

We were in Ecuador and Peru in May and then spent a week at the Jersey Shore with family in July to coincide with Michele’s birthday. We depart for South Africa on July 31st to visit the non-profit sites of “Adopt a South African Pre-school” on whose Board Michele sits. – Joe Schenk

I’m focusing much of my time on recovering from back surgery. I’m hoping to spend some time on the Eastern Shore of Maryland later in the summer and in the fall. – Anne Sears

Summer vacation is centered on family this year. We have a brand-new grandson, and our 13-year-old daughter is spending 10 days with us. I am sure we will fit in a few camping trips as well. – Lynda Shapiro

My summer vacation started July 3, the official retirement date. Every day has been a new adventure, starting with meeting our newest grandson, James Owen Kapilevich, who was born July 3. We then had our Texas granddaughter visit for 15 days, which included my birthday celebration and a fun retirement party with family and friends. The rest of the summer will be learning what retirement is really like, and planning for a big vacation to Finland in October. – Roger Shapiro

I retired about a year ago, so now every day is vacation. My husband and I have a cottage in upstate NY, north of Binghamton, where we spend time during the summer. – Sandee Steinberg

Now that I am retired, I don’t consider summer “the” vacation time. Vacations can break out any time. Yet, during the summer, Rehoboth Beach is the draw for our family. Beach, food, music, board games, and the requisite family chaos that come with all of this. – David Thomas

Summer vacation has a whole different meaning when you’re retired, like I am. But I still have favorite summer activities. In particular, we have a small cabin on a lake in the Poconos where I used to vacation with my aunt and uncle as a child. I have described it as my “heart home” and now that we own that cabin, we try to spend time there as much as possible in the summer. – Jayme Trott

In early July, I joined a 7-day intergenerational delegation at the UN in NYC with the Loretto Community, a group of Catholic Sisters who advocate for the global rights of women and girls. Our nine-person delegation included participants aged 15 to 66, representing communities in Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, and New Jersey. Together, we participated in meetings during the week of the high-level political forum, a time when member states participating in Voluntary National Reviews share their progress on a subset of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This was truly my best summer vacation ever!– Brian Tucker

I haven’t really taken a summer vacation in a while, and this summer is no different. I will be having cornea replacement surgery in the last week of July, and it is a gradual recovery process. I had my right eye done last summer, and this is the left eye’s turn. – Dan Tuft

Golfing 5 days a week, helping my sister at The Market Roost Eatery 1-2 days a week, and hanging at the beach. – Susan Vigilante