Savoring summer August 19 2025

addie may's summer pie with berries on table with blueberries cherries and whipped cream

By Elizabeth Ritchie Sherrill

The Summer Bucket List

It is ironic how we can wish for what’s next until it's upon us, and then be a little heartbroken at the arrival. As a mom of three elementary school-aged children, I was very excited for the calendar freedom of summer, but faced with boxes that have been checked and a relentless strand of 100+ degree days, I started counting down to fall in my head by mid-July. I am ready for sweatshirts, colorful leaves and sitting on the soccer field sidelines. I am ready to fill our weekends with festivals, corn mazes and baking while sipping hot chocolate. But then again, am I? I find myself a little sorry to leave our serene summer behind.

For my kids, Labor Day falls in the second week of school. By then, we are usually back to the grind already with sports and activities, so I love treating Labor Day weekend like one last “hoorah” for summertime. We have met long-distance friends at the Outer Banks, we have packed up the dogs for camping, we have soaked in the pool to our heart’s content, but with no plans for this year so far, I am thinking we will embrace summer’s calm to close out the season.

One of the things my kids and I have done for the past several summers is make a Summer Bucket List. In May, we write down all the things we can imagine doing. Most of them are possible, a few outlandish but fun. I make a cute calendar on poster board, and we use stickers to mark our accomplishments. One of my bucket list adds was to make pie crust from scratch, something I have regretfully never attempted before! The other day, my daughter walked over to me with her princess cookbook and asked to make a cherry pie, and just like that, the chance to jump back into summer shook my pumpkin-riddled mind and showed itself. We made a pie.

So, if you find yourself sipping on pumpkin spice and sweating through sweatshirts over the next couple of weeks, I suggest taking one more chance to savor summer. It can be in a small or big way, but let’s give this season, the one we tend to wish away, just one more chance.

addie may baking summer berrry pie addie may's berry pie cooling on pretty vintage towel with cream blueberries and cherries slice of addie may's berry pie with whipped cream cherries and blueberries

Addie Mae’s Summer Berry Pie

INGREDIENTS

  • Your favorite double pie crust recipe (for top & bottom)
  • 2 cups of fresh, dark cherries (halved with pits and stems removed)
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • Dash of lemon juice
  • 1 to 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Make your crust.
  2. In a large saucepan, add cherry halves and whole blueberries, along with both sugars and a little bit of lemon juice to enhance flavor.
  3. Add a splash of vanilla, and let simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add cornstarch and heat for another minute or two before removing the pan from the heat and letting the pie filling cool to room temperature.
  5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  6. Spoon filling into your pie crust and add your pie crust top. (Follow your pie crust recipe for butter or egg wash on the crust.)
  7. Bake 45-55 minutes until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
  8. Best served with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

children ready to eat addie may's summer bucket list berry pie