summer scenes

Summer days, drifting past like dandelion seeds on the wind... all those laundry flapping, comic reading, garden growing, rhubarb crumbling, lake swimming, jam making days...

last night

Last night, outside but under cover, 10.15pm, tea and homemade cake, candles, fading light and flitting bats, the gentle pitpat of rain. Happiness.

little things

Gently rolling fields, quiet early mornings out walking with the dogs, the odd startled blackbird and the raucous call of the crow. Walking helps on so many levels. Fitness, yes. It's also a time to think and mull and clear out the head space. And somehow it's an immersive experience that is more than the sum of its parts, if that makes sense. It forges a connection to this place as I'm shown little glimpses of life all around me which I find comforting. 

pieces of eight

 

The long days of summer means there's plenty of time for imaginative play undisturbed by adults and pesky early bedtimes. William dug out The Dangerous Book for Boys and the page on pirate flags caught his fancy and before you could say 'land ahoy' or 'shiver me timbers' he and Mide were off in their own pirate world. Wooden swords and maps were dug out and flags and ships' plans were drawn up and there followed hours of piratical play both in the house and out on the seven seas (that would be in wheelbarrows in the garden, for the uninitiated) with plenty of walking the plank and raiding passing boats and enough noise to wake auld Blackbeard himself...

crumbs!

It's summer holidays and there are tummies to fill. That lovely (healthy) carrot soup I made for lunch won't hold them for long. Time to bring out the Brownies and hope that does the trick... 

P.S I use a recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery (see it here but reduce the sugar by 100g as it's too much)

land or water

My early morning walk can go one of two ways - land or water. Turn right at our gate and within ten minutes we'll be at the lake-shore with only the birds and insects for company. Take a left instead and we can walk for miles along lanes heavy with the sounds of bees among the honeysuckle. It is windy and cool. Almost like early autumn instead of high summer. In fact the wind has rustled off quite a number of leaves and the roadside is strewn with them. The clouds have been hanging low over the fields for days, giving the impression that there will be thunder. The rush and noise of silage time has finally been eclipsed by more usual somnolent countryside rhythms and we heave a sigh of relief.

7pm supper

7pm supper by Kate Borrett

I can't be the only person to loose time when it comes to the summer months...it slips away so easily and suddenly it's 7pm and we haven't eaten. But we're nearly finished school and then time becomes that bit less meaningful as there's no routine to set our clocks to and hey, who cares if supper is late?

Artwork to be found at The Edition shop here