By Lily Jaquith

At the end of August a friend will be visiting me from Connecticut. This will be her first time in the Pacific Northwest. I sat down to plan all sorts of summer activities while she’s in town and came up with far too many outings to fit into her seven-day trip. With each idea I came up with, I got to thinking about memories of doing those activities myself. Those memories are the reason why I prefer a ferry trip to Kingston instead of going to a movie or don’t mind skipping a night out with friends to go to a Mariners game with my dad. Here are some of my favorite memories of summer time in the Pacific Northwest.

My wonderful dad raised me as a Mariners fan, as many Seattle dads have with their children. He often tells the story of the two of us watching Edgar Martinez’s double in 1995; I was only 2 but loved it none the less. I take great joy in the fact that I share my birthday with Jay Buhner. It’s difficult to pick a favorite memory of going to a ball game and sitting in the summer sun with my dad; there have been so many great ones.

One of the best games I attended was the day before my 16th birthday with my dad, stepmom and sister. When I was a child, Ken Griffey Jr. was absolutely one of my favorite players, I cried when he left the Mariners. This was the first game I would get to see since his return to Seattle. I was elated the entire day until my dad informed me Griffey wouldn’t be starting that day. That was a minor damper on my spirit, but I was still ready to enjoy the game. The innings moved along quickly, with no one scoring. By the time it was the 7th inning stretch I leaned over to my dad and asked if this was normal, he expectedly replied with a “no.”

Each inning began with hopes of a run and ended with zeros on the score board. By the 14th inning, I was nearly asleep, until my dad nudged me saying he thought they were bringing Griffey in. I looked up and sure enough, there was number 24 walking up to the plate. Sleep was no longer on my mind as I sat on the edge of my seat to see if my favorite player could manage to win this game for us. He hit a single, and we won the game. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to see Griffey back in Seattle. It was nothing short of an amazing summer evening in the Pacific Northwest.

One of the many things that come to mind when I think about summer in Edmonds is taking the ferry to Kingston for a day trip. When I was younger, I rode the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston quite often. My childhood best friend, Leah, and I spent a lot of time together. This included many visits to her grandmother, who lived on Bainbridge Island. I remember many Friday nights spent on the ferry to Kingston. It was often the place of many Saturday outings as well. A trip to Kingston always meant getting a giant ice cream cone and enjoying the beach. It was always a great way to spend the day with family and friends.

Recently a friend and I decided Kingston would be the perfect way to take advantage of a rare warm summer day. I found Kingston continues to be a simple, beautiful and calm place to be. It’s the Northwest at its best.

Even when I was much younger, I remember summer being the best time of the year here in Edmonds. There’s nothing like the sun’s warmth on a beautiful August day. I have so many fond memories of time spent with family and friends enjoying the amazing weather. I cannot wait to share summer here with someone who has never experienced in before.

Lily Jaquith is a 2011 graduate of  Edmonds-Woodway High School. She plans to attend Western Washington University this fall to study teaching drama and perhaps minor in journalism. She loves working in children’s theater and has been a part of Madrona Children’s Theater for nine years. In her free time, Lily writes for her personal blog and enjoys social networking on Twitter (follow @LilyJaquith).