Get out.

It’s summer. The sun is shining. It’s the time for being outside, especially in the evening hours.

In Minnesota, we struggle through bitter cold and complain about the snow. The groans about the wintry weather become annoying, but what’s worse is that some of those same constant groaners stay inside through the months with warm weather.

Turn off the TV. Turn off the computer. Go outside. Disconnect from electronics and air conditioning and reconnect with the real world around you.

Here are some ideas:

Take a stroll around your neighborhood.

Read a book under a tree.

Picnic at a city or county park.

Ride a bicycle.

Watch a local baseball game.

Swim at a pool, pond or lake.

Book a camp site at a state park.

Fish at a local lake or stream.

And if these ideas don’t work for you, the one that never fails is this one: Find a kid you know and go play outside with him or her. You can never lose that way.