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