Summertime Joys

Here it is, at last! My favourite time of the year. The sun is shining, and it's time to relax and enjoy the summer. It is especially welcome this year, as these last few months have been quite challenging, while I've been getting used to my new role at work. It's all positive, though. My line manager is more than happy with my performance, and it also means that my hours will be far more settled when I return in September. Happy days! I just hope that I won't have forgotten what I'm doing by then :)

The past month has been incredibly busy, so this weekend it's been lovely to take my time when getting up each morning. I'm still awake at a ridiculously early hour, but it's so nice not having to rush around getting everything ready for the day ahead. I can ease gently into the morning and not need to worry about getting the washing hung out, making lunches, or wondering what we'll be eating for dinner that evening. All of these can simply wait a while. 

The house is gradually getting a much needed clean and tidy, but this has become a far easier task, having gotten rid of a lot of unnecessary clutter since the beginning of the year. There are still some items left to sort through, but the difference has been huge, and I'm sure that any time I spend cleaning must have halved. This is time which, for me, I am much happier to spend outdoors, especially at this time of year. 

The cats are notable by their absence.  The warm, sunny weather instantly has them seeking out the shade of the long field grass or a nearby tree. I've long since recognised I'm not to worry (too much) when I don't see either of them for hours at a time. And I'm sure that will change again just as quickly, once the weather begins to turn. 

For the third year in a row, we celebrated the final day of school with a chippy tea down by the lake. It was a balmy summer evening, and unusually quiet there, down by the water's edge. I also took a flask with us so we could enjoy a drink (or two) of tea from our enamel mugs.

This weekend has been quite a contrast to last, which saw me walking up Helvellyn, over Striding Edge, on what was the warmest day of the year so far here. It might have been hot, but the conditions were perfect, and the views were absolutely stunning. Then later that evening I was on a boat, on Windermere celebrating with some friends. It's was the most beautiful evening for it, and watching the sun set behind the Langdale Pikes felt quite magical. 

The following day, we went swimming at the outdoor pool. It was the ideal way to cool off in the heat of the midday sun, and it was so good to see Lily regain some of her confidence in the water. 

During the week, I've been keeping busy with my new crochet project. My plan is to make a colourful, cosy blanket, large enough to go over my double bed. I've chosen the colours based on my new pillow cases. I just loved this design. And if you look closely you can see butterflies and bees among the flowers!

In the garden, this week, the sunflower has opened up. If ever there was a summer flower, this is it for me. My all time favourite. 

And there are more strawberries ripening,  much to Lily's delight. I'm ever hopeful that she might even try sharing them with me :)

At dusk, I'm often to be found sat on the back step, watching for bats against a pale pink sky. They put on quite the display. 

And on this occasion I had some company. 

Back soon. 

J. X

A Peek into the Garden

This time of year is when the garden is looking at its best. I don't have plants with year-round colour, so during the colder months, it usually looks drab and unkempt. My lack of any sort of garden planning doesn't help with that, and I'm really not green fingered, no matter how much I wish that were the case. Then, of course, the long, dark, and extremely wet winters see me preferring to keep cosy and dry indoors instead of tending to the soil. And on those days when the sun is actually shining, I'd much rather be out walking in the fells. So, it's during high summer that I enjoy being out in the garden the most. 

My garden isn't anything special. In fact, any real gardeners might question more than just a few of my choices, but it's mine, and I realise just how fortunate I am to have this little outdoor space.

I remember during the pandemic, we spent so much time in the garden. I'd even been gifted several plants from a local garden centre when they'd initially had to close their doors. One of which was a fabulous hydrangea, which really brightens the corner space in front of the kitchen window. During the earlier lockdowns the weather had been glorious, and as I'd been unable to work for the first few months, we spent the majority of our mornings home learning, then our afternoons we would be spent outside, enjoying the sunshine. The paddling pool got a lot of use during that time, and I have some very fond memories. Although I am in no doubt, it was a very different story for many. 

Most of the plants have been added over time. Some have been gifts, like my lovely acer. One of my pots was won in a raffle, and this year's sweet peas were grown from the seeds of the plants it contained. Then, of course, there are the lemon and apple trees, which grew from the pips I planted. I'm still waiting for them to produce some fruit, but I might need to wait a while longer :) Thankfully, the blackcurrant bush has already earned its place in front of the dry stone wall.

Some of the flowers only last for a summer, although thanks to the slugs, the marigolds didn't even survive that long. The lone sunflower is growing taller by the day, and the bees and butterflies are enjoying the continually flowering nasturtiums. The carnations were a random purchase, as they're far from being one of my favourite flowers, but they are conveniently hardy and very low maintenance.

Then there's the little raised bed. This year, I've grown spinach, spring onions, carrots, and beetroot. I do enjoy being able to grow just a few of our vegetables. Much as I would love a larger area in which to grow our own food, I simply don't have the time just now. 

We have strawberries and blueberries growing in pots, an abundance of mint, and just today, the recent addition of some chives, which I brought home from work :)

And yet, I never did get round to buying myself some new garden furniture. Maybe next year.

J. X

At the End of June

The year is marching on. It's only a few weeks until summer break and the end of Lily's first year in secondary school. It feels like no time at all since we were preparing for the big transition, yet here we are already twelve months on, and wondering what all the big fuss was about. Some things don't change, however, as I've been busy ordering new shirts and trousers in readiness for the autumn term. 

This week, I've been finding comfort in the ordinariness of my days. Weekend plans were cancelled at short notice and, although disappointed, I found myself relishing the lack of time constraints, and of the need to be organised. Monday to Friday it often feels like every single minute is accounted for, so when these opportunities arise, I embrace them, as I realise they are few and far between.

The weather has been fairly mixed here, and the warm summer rain has kept the garden well watered, so I don't have to. I think the flowers are looking at their best just now. In just a few more weeks, they will begin to lose their colour, and look a little worse for wear. In the raised bed, I'm  keeping a close eye on the beetroot and carrots, but the spring onions are being used regularly, most recently in this evening's stir fry. Unfortunately, the lemon trees still haven't produced any flowers, so I'll just have to remain hopeful for another year. They are, at least looking strong and healthy. 

Another garden I've also enjoyed recently, was at Sizergh Castle, and it's looking incredibly beautiful just now. To our delight, the Lily Pads appear to have taken over the pond, and we enjoyed watching the damselflies and dragonflies hovering just above them.

And of course, for my very own Lily, no visit to Sizergh would be complete without seeing Charlie. 

Also, this week, I'm excited to have begun work on a new crochet project. It's something I've had in mind for a while now, and just another small part of trying to reintroduce some colour into my life. I'll share more soon.

J. X

Seizing Joy

 

Lately, I've been thinking even more about finding joy in simple pleasures. Life just keeps getting busier and busier, and if I'm not careful, I can easily get caught up in the everyday, mundane routines, leaving me with little time for more enjoyable activities. And yes, that includes blogging :)

The thing is, over the last few weeks, I've made a determined effort to seize more of these little moments of joy. I've prioritised my own wellbeing (this is still very difficult for me),  and I've really begun to feel a difference in the way that I feel. Better still, others have noticed as well. Even when I've been feeling tired, I've somehow found a little bit of motivation to do something that I know will make me happy. And believe me, that can be more than a little challenging at times.

So, I thought that I would share with you just a few of the very ordinary things that have brought me joy recently. 

First off, was going paddle boarding with Lily. Last weekend we spent a very enjoyable time paddling out on the lake. It was early in the morning, so there were very few people around, and the water was lovely and still. There is something almost meditative about being on the water in this way. Very relaxing. 

After the long spell of spring sunshine, the elderflowers appeared much earlier than usual, so I thought I might have missed my chance to make some elderflower cordial. Luckily, I remembered a couple of trees, not too far away, that were able to provide me with just enough flower heads, so that I could enjoy my favourite summer drink.

The blackcurrant bush provided me with plenty of fruit this year, and I've now got three jars of delicious jam in the cupboard.

While we were in Copenhagen, Lily enjoyed one of the chocolate chip scones from the bakery. I remembered that in my old Bero book, there was a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that I thought was very similar, and she loved them! I guess I'll be baking them more often from now on. 

The garden has been looking lovely this last week. The flower beds have filled out and the beetroot and carrots look to be coming along very nicely indeed. 

Preparing my lunches for the week. I feel much less hurried when I'm organised. And getting my meals ready in this way, means that I know I'll be eating something that's good for me.

Favourite flowers from a friend. Just because. Isn't that kind!

I've been out running several times, along the lanes and through the village. The hedgerows are looking gorgeous just now, and the scent of the Honeysuckle is so strong. 

A morning walk along the shore. Sea air, sand, and I even fouund a few small pieces of sea glass. 

Watching a deer up ahead of me, on the path through the woods.

And finally, catching a Solstice sunset at the end of a busy week.

Back soon. 

J. X

Wonderful...

 

At the beginning of this year, I mentioned how excited I was about a particular city break that I'd been thinking about. 

Copenhagen is somewhere I have been wanting to visit for a long time now, and in the spirit of being a little more adventurous, and seizing moments of joy, I decided to just go ahead and book it. Go me! I'm becoming quite adept at this 'seizing' lark. And I am so incredibly glad that I did. 

Copenhagen is beautiful. The colourful buildings are delightfully pretty, there are so many green spaces, and the canals...

Not to mention the bakeries :)

The city simply has a great feel about it. And, also, a lot of bikes! The cycle lanes even have their own traffic lights.

We arrived in the evening and enjoyed a short walk around the city streets so that we could find our bearings. Our hotel was fairly central, which meant everywhere we wanted to see was conveniently within walking distance. The following morning, after stopping at a pavement cafe to enjoy a delicious breakfast of coffee and pastries, we visited the Rundetaarn, or The Round tower. The Tower was finished in 1642, and it is a fantastic way of taking in a 360° view of the city. To reach the top, we walked up a tiled, spiral ramp, then there was a short, narrow staircase to access the viewing platform. From there we could see right across the rooftops of Copenhagen and over as far as Sweden. Lily and I tried to count how many Danish flags that we could see, but we lost track - there were so many.

Our next stop was Nyhavn. This is the area often seen on images of the city because of it's colourful buildings and bustling cafes. We'd been told it can get 'rammed' there, but it was actually okay when we visited. From Nyhavn, we took a canal trip on one of the tourist boats, and enjoyed an informative and, at times, rather amusing commentary about the buildings we could see. And I must mention the need to be seated each time we went under a bridge  - they were very low! 

From Nyhavn, we continued walking towards Frederik's Kirke, an 18th century church, which boasts the largest dome in Scandinavia. And it was impressive. They ask for complete silence while you are inside the church, so it was a very special experience. But I think I preferred the view from outside, as it is approached from Amalienborg, the residence of the Danish royal family. 

Much less impressive, however, was the Changing of the Guard at Amalienborg, but at least we can say we watched it ;)

A little further along the waterfront we visited The Little Mermaid statue. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen, the bronze and granite statue, although restored several times, has been there since 1913. A lot of people I spoke to were quite underwhelmed by it, but I found it really quite lovely. I think they expected it to be much larger than it actually is.

We'd been walking all day, so by early evening it was time to go back to our hotel and get showered, before going out to dinner for some delicious pizza and pasta at a lovely Italian restaurant that we had come across earlier in the day. It was still pleasantly warm, so we sat outside to enjoy our meal. We were lucky that we had such great weather for our visit. Apparently, it rains a lot in Copenhagen.

The next day was a little more relaxed. We had a mooch around various shops and visited the beautiful Botanical Gardens. The gardens contained so many different varieties of plants and were incredibly well cared for. We didn't go inside, as part of the Palm House was closed off for renovation.

Then we went on to Rosenborg castle, which houses the Danish Crown Jewels. Again, the gardens there were beautifully maintained and it was lovely to sit for a while and just enjoy the sunshine. 

Our trip was over all too soon, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I'd love to return to Copenhagen one day. Visit some of the museums, climb the spire at Vor Frelsers Kirke, and maybe even go for a swim in the harbour.

Back soon. 

J. X