summer delights








These past 5 weeks have been well and truly summery. I don't remember such a long stretch of largely good and warm weather in the 19 years I have been in Glasgow. It is wonderful and makes me really happy. It makes we worry for the rest of the summer.... although apparently the magicians that make long range forecasts predict this to be the hottest summer ever for the UK.

I really enjoy the long days. I started writing this at 10:15 pm and dusk is only creeping up on us, the sun has set just before 10 pm. It is not even the longest day yet! I checked my weather app, which tells me that sun rises at 4:31 on the longest day and sets at 22:06. That leave at least 90 minutes of light before and after. I am making lots of vitamin D and I am storing lots of happy colours and bright sunlight in my memory, to be slowly released in December.

I made a test batch of rhubarb cordial. It is a beautiful shade of pomegranate red and tastes very rhubarby. I didn't take any photos but hopefully will remember when I make more. I thought it would be a nice addition to a glass of Prosecco but unfortunately, it makes for a cloudy not very pleasant looking summer drink.

I even enjoy gardening, weeding and all. I am actually on top of things and it shows. Usually by this time of year, the weeds would have taken over and turned my flower beds into impenetrable jungle zones. I have been adding fully hardy perennials, one at the time. Some will only reach full glory next year but I don't need instant gratification in the garden. Well, I do but I am telling myself to be patient. I have a mutant sweet pea that is quite probably a descendant of the pea that takes Jack up the beanstalk. It literally doubles over night. No flowers yet.

Line dried bedlinen. Who doesn't love to collapse into a freshly made bed? I also love a proper crunchy bath towel, as long as it smells of sun and fresh air.

The smell of summer when I bury my face into Alistair's neck when we hug is wonderful. Oh it is just lovely, a lingering smell of sun lotion, shampoo, wind and little boy.






Picnics. We ventured out on a family picnic recently, teenagers, dog and all. It was not entirely successful but it was fun on the whole and I think everybody enjoyed it in their own way. James and Alistair ended up covered in river mud and soaking wet because of a silly game the played in the Kelvin.

Now really is the time to open our bifold doors completely whenever we are at home. Our kitchen becomes an extension of the garden and I love to do things at the kitchen table. I spent a few hours cutting fabric for a dress being outside and inside at the same time, occasionally splashed by a child with a water gun.

The good weather also gives me a taste of what it is going to be like when all the children have left. Both James and Alistair are out playing with friends all day long (on weekends), with hourly check-ins for ice lollies, water guns and plasters for bruised knees. I have considered getting James a little phone to keep track of their movement but decided against it. Between us and other parents, we always know where they are playing. This is good for neighbourhood relationships, too.



There was a massive summer storm late Saturday afternoon. The manhole on the pavement outside our house burped water out and the road turned into a shallow but fast flowing river. The gutters all overflowed, creating a curtain of rain. the noise was quite astonishing. I got soaked when closing the bifold doors but not as much as Sam and his pals who where having a BBQ on the river. Annie was out camping for her DoE but luckily had already setup camp at the time of the storm


Ok, this is not a summer thought but it also makes me sigh with happiness. Our new sofa arrived. It is amazingly comfortable and it looks really good, too. The two broken dark brown leather armchairs it replaces were taken away. The shabby old Klippan looks a bit out of place now and we only just realise now how uncomfortable it is. I am hoping for the fairy godmother to leave a pot of gold on our doorstep for a second smaller sofa. Maybe I'll let the sweat pea grow up to the giants lair and find some gold myself...  I am sure the Klippan would make a good addition to a student home.

Ah well, I must turn my attention to work now. I am at home this morning, meetings in the afternoon.

Have a lovely week. xx

Comments

  1. Hi Christina, what a celebration of summer. You're right, it is glorious this year. John and I were commenting that we seem remarkably on top of the garden and, having read your post, I wonder whether it's simply because the sunny weather is letting us all spend more time outside, rather than dashing out between showers. Lovely photos - especially the one of the bee on the chive - and the new couch looks great! x

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  2. After a late rather shaky start we too are enjoying the beautiful summery days that you have celebrated in your post. Long may it last. Love the sound of bi-fold doors, how lovely that must be on a beautiful balmy day. Impressive looking sofa.

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  3. Those Summer days of yours sound idyllic! Your kitchen sounds like a blissful place to sit with the bi-fold doors thrust open. Gorgeous new couch. Perhaps that sweet pea will lead you to a pot of gold.

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  4. Our summer is already too hot, may finally go in the pool today.

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  5. Lovely new sofa, we could do with one here too, but boys, dog etc. I daren't risk it quite yet. Plus, pot of gold etc. etc. I bet the bi-fold doors are wonderful. I do love a huge storm though. Mine children don't have phones either. Sometimes the mums lose track of them, but then they turn up somewhere, muddy, bruised and slightly wild. Summer bliss. CJ xx

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  6. A lovely collection of happy things. The rain storm looked amazing xx

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  7. Looking good inside and out. So pleased you are boosting your vitamin D levels. Just what’s needed. I love that summery smell too, children and fresh washing straight off the line. Make the most of it.

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  8. Summer delights indeed, no wonder you sound very upbeat and cheery. there is definitely something in that SAD and with vitamin D levels topped up, life is good. Mind you my doc told me that you need 50% of your body exposed for maximum Vit D absorption, so how lucky am I that that sort of behaviour is mostly wildly inappropriate , haha. Love the new sofa and all the pictures of good old family fun.
    Love Wren x

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  9. A delightful summer post. I have some of those everlasting sweet peas and they are wonderful - they pop out of the ground, grow frantically and flower prolifically then you cut them all down when they are crispy and it all happens again next year. Only yesterday Andy said "Why don't we hang the towels out on the line?" "Eww no!" I said, they will go all crunchy" He said he liked a crisp towel. Who knew?!! We are expecting rain on Thursday but the garden will need it by then. Jo xx

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  10. Lovely pictures..
    Not a fan of the crunchy towel.. i grew up to warm fluffy towels.. then when we relocated to Pakistan all we had was crunchy towels while I was dreaming of warm fluffy.. ah warm fluffy.
    Our weather has been all over the place.. rain.. sun.. hot.. windy..

    http://www.henatayeb.blogspot.com

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  11. I have recently watched current videos of an English photographer up in the mountains of northern Scotland for a few nights, and he had amazing weather.

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  12. It has been a fabulous few weeks hasn't it. I love that we have eaten our supper outside most evenings and then sat out reading until it either gets too cool or too dark to be out any longer. I have to admit although I am a fan of bed linen dried outside I like my towels fluffy and tumble dried!

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  13. It's wonderful when you have a prolonged spell of dry, warm weather, isn't it? I love it when all the doors and windows are open and I can pad about in bare feet. Good to hear your garden is coming along - hardy perennials are definitely the way to go for low maintenance beauty. The Kelvin looks lovely and cooling for those hot boys and your dog! You sound happy, Christina, which is lovely. Sam x

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  14. Hey Christina,
    The summer happiness just oozes out of this lovely post. How I love to see little boys grubbing about in the dirt! And you sofa is quite lovely. As for line dried bedding.....
    Will you be visiting Cornwall this year?
    Leanne xx

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  15. Summer in a blog post. Lovely. Must admit, I'm a deepest darkest winter fan. Do enjoy a line of washing blowing in a sun warmed breeze, though.

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  16. I always love your photos - and the ones of the rain are incredible! We've not had anything but for a few spots for weeks now. I love the colours in the quilt on your sofa too - gorgeous! xx

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  17. What a cheerful post! This weather does make you feel so much better though doesn't it? I have not come home from work irritated in ages and I think the weather is keeping me positive so niggles are not getting through. I love all the photographs, you captured the season beautifully. x

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  18. I'm just catching up on blog posts a bit late this week as we were away for a family wedding and granddaughter visit last weekend. Our weather was as lovely as what you've been having. Your flowers look so summery. There is nothing like a sudden summer storm, which we also had this weekend but unfortunately were driving in it vs. watching from a cozy spot. The new sofa looks wonderful with the colorful quilt, cozy for reading.

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  19. I can't believe how little rain we've had and how much sunshine here over the last 6 or 8 weeks, it's very strange! Looks like you've been making the most of it, lovely collection of photos.

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  20. Lovely Happy Family Summer Post,great pics,love your lil dog too.Hugs xx

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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