Tuesday 23 June 2009

Summer loving


Anybody who knows me, knows that I really don't like the summer. Mainly because I hate being hot.

There is, of course, a long and detailed list (often repeated to my family) of reasons why I think summer is no good; beginning with clothes. Give me boots, jeans, cardigans and woollen hats over bare legs and vest tops any day. And sunhats always make me look silly.

But I was talking to a friend - and fellow summer hater - last week and we conceded that there are a few things about summer that are definitely worthy of celebration:

  • strawberries
  • camping
  • drinking a cold drink in (the shady part of) the garden after a long day at work
  • flowers being in bloom
  • birkenstocks; almost as nice to wear as boots

This past weekend we went camping with old friends at this wild campsite in Sussex. The children ran wild in the woods at the edge of the campsite and the adults drank cool drinks through the afternoon and long into the evening.

This morning, before breakfast, I slipped on my birkenstocks and went into the garden to feed the hens. I noticed that my little strawberry bush was the only container plant on my patio to survive our hard winter this year. Not only had it lived, but it also had a luscious crop of strawberries, un-munched by slugs.

A lazy, sunshiney, camping weekend with friends, and then strawberries from the garden for breakfast back at home...that's nearly my whole list ticked off in one go. Summer's actually pretty good when it's like this!

7 comments:

  1. I'm with you on the cardigans. But I'd like to add sheets on the line to your list

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  2. I love the warmth and long light days of summer, but I hate continually applying suncream to squirmy blonde children, and I am not keen on the look of my feet in open toed sandals; I did have crocs Mary Janes the last couple of summers but so far this year I haven't found any I like.

    Hmmm, maybe I'm not a summer person after all!

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  3. mm yes summer, sun cream and midge bites.... but then also pimms, and freshly cut grass and roses, I think I'll sit on the fence on this one

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  4. and homemade head scarves, obviously...have just come inside on this 'beautifully' hot day, where greenfly are driving me insane, I feel hot and sweaty and grumpy. My parents would go mad if they knew I was sitting inside my lovely dark cool sitting room on a day like today!hahaha!x

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  5. i hate hot too!
    i burn very easily and am just miserable when its soo hot.Hate applying suncream and feeling yukky from it.
    But I do love drying my washing outside, the lush green and bright colours of my geraniums and other flowers.
    Seeing my painted toes and a love of my birkis - have quite a collection of colours!
    But give me autumn/winter any day.

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  6. I love summer light, and the long weeks of green that pass where it is nearly impossible to imagine the dark of winter. And I love rollerblading in the park and drinking beer in the beer gardens afterwards.

    That said, we are still wearing cardigans because it is so chilly here!

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  7. I love autumn and winter. I don't like being hot (unless I'm in a swimming pool). I don't like sitting in the sun because I'm fair and even though I don't burn I don't want to get wrinkles! I do love wearing my Birks though and like Miss Moss Stitch, I love drying my washing outside. I prefer sitting inside when it's hot as our house is lovely and cool, something my family find really strange!

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