During a weekend trip to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, I stood at the edge of the natural spring pool. I could smell the wet concrete. I could almost feel the fresh water on my skin—cool in this pool, warm in the neighboring one. Across the water, chairs lined up like flamingos, and the resort's red roof and red flowers blended in with the mountain's red rocks. I was almost transported to another time, half-expecting to see ladies in one-piece suits and wide-brimmed hats lounging in the chairs or soaking their feet.

Tunnels Beach, Kauai

The first full day of our trip to Kauai, we woke up to miraculous sunshine, having driven through thick rain all the way from the airport the day before. We packed up and headed straight to Tunnels Beach for sunbathing, swimming, and snorkeling. I strode down the hot sand until reaching the water—the temperature of a warm bath—and then kept on walking. I slipped the goggles over my eyes and put my mouthpiece in and then, with a quick breath, I entered a breathtaking underwater world, opaque and emerald colored. Spindly reefs hiding whole colonies of sea creatures stretched out into the ocean and reached up toward the surface. I saw a sea turtle pass below me. Jewel-toned fish swam around me, scattering when I got too close—except for a bright blue and yellow one, who swam alongside me, inching closer and darting away, like some aquatic Pan.

Lake Tahoe

It could have been any other beach. The sand was hot and grainy under my feet, the sun a warm embrace, and rainbow-colored beach umbrellas bobbed down the coastline. But the evergreens, marching down the mountainside, told another story. And when I stepped into the clear blue water, I was unmistakeably at Lake Tahoe. The cold water, cold even in August, took a few minutes to get used to, and instead of the salty grip of the ocean, I felt the light, cool touch of fresh water, and I emerged feeling refreshed, like after a baptism.

Circus Flags

This summer, a good friend of my husband's held his wedding reception at a traveling circus. The big top glowed white against the darkening sky, and flags from all around the world waved as proudly as queens. Paper ticket stubs in hand, we walked down a red carpet spread out over soft grass toward the tent, where the smells of popcorn, hay, and manure replaced those of grass and dirt.