I think summer is passing me by and I haven’t started having fun yet. How about you? I’m a home schooling mom and also write novels so the summer gives me a break from the toughest part of my day so that I can focus more on writing my novels. But this girl also wants to have fun! (I’m hearing Cindy Lauper in my head now)

Since I have a little more free time in the summer, of course we do the usual activities of swimming and hiking and picnicking. But I can also watch more movies and read more books–all part of having fun and part of my job. That’s right–I have the best job in the world.  When looking for new inspiration or ideas it helps to watch lots of movies and read widely.

Recently I considered revisiting some classics and thought about the old Alfred Hitchcock movie,  North by Northwest with Cary Grant. I had used a similar Frank Lloyd Wright house used in the movie for a setting in my last novel, after all, I might as well watch the movie. But I never got around to watching it. And the next thing you know, I was heading with my family to Rapid City, North Dakota for an impromptu trip that had nothing at all to do with the movie! My husband was speaking at a church there, doing his sermon on the potter’s wheel. In the meantime, we were able to visit the sights including Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and Custer State Park where we saw buffalo herds and prairie dogs. I’ve never seen prairie dogs before. Cute!

We didn’t get time to see any of the movie-related sights for North by Northwest or Dances with Wolves, but when I got home, I put both movies on Netflix and I watched North by Northwest last night. The movie was slower than I remembered, but that’s how old movies are. We live in such a fast-paced world and want stories to move along quickly these days. I enjoyed watching Cary and his damsel in distress climbing on Mt. Rushmore or at least a set, since I had just visited.

I decided to make a list of classics to watch this summer so I’m asking for suggestions? What are some of your favorite old and recommended movies?