It’s official. Summer is here.

Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester, Mass.
Sawyer Free Library, Gloucester, Mass.

It is time to break out the sunblock and head to the beach, the park, the lake, the backyard pool; any place where we can cool off from the heat, relax, socialize, and have some fun. For the more energetic, summer is the perfect time to engage in some favorite sports–tennis anyone? Summer is also chock full of concerts, carnivals, street fairs, festivals, walking tours and theater–all outdoors. Then again, a good book and a glass of iced tea might just do the trick.

Patrons pose outside Sailor Tom’s Seafood Grill, Reading, Mass.
Reading Public Library

Whatever we do, let’s not forget to eat! Summer seems to awaken our taste buds and appetites to a range of foods that we associate with the season: hot dogs and hamburgers, fried clams, lobster, corn on the cob, watermelon, ice cream cones, and toasted marshmallows, not to mention all that fresh, locally-grown produce that becomes available at this time of year. So many options and just a few short months to enjoy them–we had better get started.

To mark the beginning of summer, please enjoy these images from the NOBLE Digital Library (with cameos from the Digital Commonwealth) starting with A Day at the Beach.