It was another beautiful Memorial Day weekend in Alpena, and so begins what many would call the most beautiful time of the year: summer in Northern Michigan.

Cottages being opened, plans being made by those who live here and those that do not to visit and enjoy our own slice of paradise. So beautiful, as comments my California-born-and-raised boyfriend, that you almost forget about the six months of snow, cold, and grey leading up to it.

The sun hangs in the sky until nearly 10 p.m. Azaleas, forsythia, tulips all in bloom, with lilacs soon to follow. Green buds popping on branches of barren trees, just as seemingly quickly as our summer calendars pop with scribbled notes for graduation parties, showers, weddings, and weekend trips.

This past weekend, our community was abuzz as it seemed to come out of hibernation — people working in yards, going for walks, riding their bikes, grilling outside, chatting with neighbors on sidewalks and lawns. Walking, biking, driving through town, I couldn’t help but wonder, what if this is what it was like for the rest of the year?

Not necessarily the weather, but the feeling: people outside, people together, enjoying this corner of the world we live in.

Five years ago at this time of year, I was just finishing up my six months in Bologna, Italy, a northern Italian town famous for its porticoes, bright, warm-colored buildings, university, and, of course, food. In Italy, signs of springs came early and warmed the city up from its damp, cool winters. Cold gelato, sunny piazzas, outside seating, light, bubbly Aperol spritz began to sound even better with warmer temperatures, blooming trees, and Italian sun.

But, in those previous winter months, the city was just as alive.

Full of people walking through its city streets, sitting in piazzas, enjoying a cappuccino or aperitivo outside. Both by necessity and by the culture of that place, quickly each day I spent less and less time indoors at my apartment, as walking was the norm and spending time in the social, public places of the city was routine. Hanging out with a friend would mean taking a walk through the city or having a drink on the stairs of one of its large stone churches. Eating dinner together would mean grabbing a drink and eating on sidewalks under patio heaters. Enjoying a lazy afternoon meant sitting in the piazza, no cars allowed, and watching the city pass by with a coffee, gelato, or spritz. Or all three, depending if you had anywhere to be.

Italy is always praised for its lifestyle, its dolce vita, the sweet life — and I have to believe some of that is not only being outside and engaging with the place that you live, but also enjoying what that place has to offer, regardless of the time of year or weather. The enjoyment is part of the everyday, routine.

The most beautiful months of the year are coming up for us lucky enough to live in northern Michigan, and it will be easy to take time to get outside, meet up with friends, and enjoy all of the things that make our area what it is.

What if we embraced that spirit of getting out and enjoying the place we are all year round? If we took our glee from the summer months and spread it throughout the rest of the year and incorporated it into our everyday lives?

Our community is fortunate to stay open all year. Throughout the winter months, our restaurants, bars, art galleries, stores, theaters, and art galleries remain open, and our outdoor amenities, trails, and lakes, can still be enjoyed. Those of us who live here are fortunate to call this place home, a place that many only get to vacation to or spend a few months of the year in.

When these warm, sun-drenched summer months are over, perhaps we can all keep that summer feeling alive and incorporate a bit of it into our daily lives, taking the time to enjoy all our community has to offer and what makes it a great place to live, all year round.

Anne Gentry graduated from Brown University with a degree in comparative literature and has studied in Italy and South Australia. She is currently executive director of the Alpena Downtown Development Authority.