Summer Love

What a glorious week! The sunshine has just flooded England and everything seems brighter and happier. My garden is responding to the warmth of the sun and is literally dancing with flowers breaking from their tight buds.

Explosions of color are everywhere...

Poppies are scattered throughout my garden and bring such cheer. Last night we took a walk through our neighborhood and I spotted the most beautiful, huge, poppies which seemed to have numerous layers of petals and I felt a little 'flower envy' -LOL. I just have to have some of those next year :o)

Scattered in amongst all my cottage flowers are loads of dandelion clocks (those fuzzy seed heads). I know that they are 'weeds' if they happen to exist inside of your gardens boundary, but I can't help but admire their delicate beauty. The were a wonder to me in childhood and they are still a wonder to me in adulthood. In the late afternoon, the air is full of their soft floating seeds, creating a rather magical atmosphere. You can see my kitchen door in the background flung wide open. Every door and window in our house has been in this state the whole week. It makes my heart sing!

The view from my bedroom (below) is just as enchanting with the woodland all in full bloom. There are two great trees in flower as you can see. I have yet to identify them. We are going to head out for our Nature Hour later today and I think we shall make identifying those trees part of our study.

This view below is down the side of our house. I just love how the sunlight plays on the heads of the flowers. Behind the fence is a HUGE Rhododendron bush which is just breaking out in flower. This bush has been developing buds since winter - I wondered if it would ever release the promise held within. This morning I see that the outer sheaths of the buds are beginning to crack open, revealing deep purple flowers. This warm weather has been just what the doctor ordered - for humans, animal and plant life! I can't wait to see this bush in full bloom. It sits right outside my kitchen window which makes for pleasant viewing while washing the dishes!

Other small joys of summer here at Spaw Cottage:

*laundry hung outside to dry
*the sound of busy bees in my garden
*the CONSTANT joyful song of the many birds that surround our home
*the delicate butterflies as they flutter gently about in the sunshine
*the sound of people cutting their lawns and the smell of freshly cut grass
*children playing joyfully until late in the evening
*the sun that only sets at 10pm granting us blissfully long days
*horses passing our cottage - what a thrill to see them clip clopping their way (with owners of course) along the bridal path which runs past our cottage
*the sight of my empty milk bottles waiting in the sunshine for the milkman to collect them and leave full ones behind
*my pots full of pansy's growing, thriving and multiplying
*lots of salads and lighter dinners. We have certainly taken full advantage this week. I am feeling so much healthier and hopefully will loose some of that winter weight that seems to have crept on!
*lunch, teatime, supper - all taken in the garden.
*the air - filled with the smell of summer mixed with the heady scents of blooms.
*filling my watering can and watering my pots in the early evening sun.

Oh the list could certainly go on and on! I'm sure that you have guessed by now that I am RIDICULOUSLY happy that the weather has improved! I'll be back a bit later with our Nature Hour explorations.

Have a super day everyone.