" The Essence of Summeriness?"
Hmm.
In the UK, we feel blue.
We feel like Michael Gove who writes for " The Times".
Michael Gove has, for years, resisted the supping of rose.
And IF you're as old as me, you'll remember Mateus rose bottles twinkling with candles in every student bedroom in every Hall of Residence in the land.
But back to Michael Gove. This weekend, he cracked.
Yes, he cracked.
He cracked because he, like us all, desired something summery.
Poor fellow; he wanted to actually ENJOY this dampgreydismal July.
But lucky fellow, he cracked: Michael Gove gave in to rose and Michael Gove discovered the deliciousness of Rose. ..
In the dullness of last weekend, he discovered its essential Summeriness, something I've always liked, whether in-fashion or out.
And it Made Me Think.
WHAT is Summeriness?
What are our thoughts, our images, our memories, the things we've stored in our minds, the scents, sounds, the sights?
Define Summeriness. What on Earth IS it?
What , to you, is the touch of Summer? What, to you, is the taste of Summer?
But this summer is bleak:
This summer has meant flooding and homelessness and helicopters helping old folk out of care homes. It's meant sandbags and wellingtons and rowing boats floating through towns. Its meant 50,000 homes without power, 150,000 without water.
For me, ( and I'm lucky) its meant days of rain outside and greyness in my bedroom as I wake.
So we hope against hope that the rain stops, the rivers subside and homes are restored.
AND we long for the return of Summeriness.
In the UK, we feel blue.
We feel like Michael Gove who writes for " The Times".
Michael Gove has, for years, resisted the supping of rose.
And IF you're as old as me, you'll remember Mateus rose bottles twinkling with candles in every student bedroom in every Hall of Residence in the land.
But back to Michael Gove. This weekend, he cracked.
Yes, he cracked.
He cracked because he, like us all, desired something summery.
Poor fellow; he wanted to actually ENJOY this dampgreydismal July.
But lucky fellow, he cracked: Michael Gove gave in to rose and Michael Gove discovered the deliciousness of Rose. ..
In the dullness of last weekend, he discovered its essential Summeriness, something I've always liked, whether in-fashion or out.
And it Made Me Think.
WHAT is Summeriness?
What are our thoughts, our images, our memories, the things we've stored in our minds, the scents, sounds, the sights?
Define Summeriness. What on Earth IS it?
What , to you, is the touch of Summer? What, to you, is the taste of Summer?
But this summer is bleak:
This summer has meant flooding and homelessness and helicopters helping old folk out of care homes. It's meant sandbags and wellingtons and rowing boats floating through towns. Its meant 50,000 homes without power, 150,000 without water.
For me, ( and I'm lucky) its meant days of rain outside and greyness in my bedroom as I wake.
So we hope against hope that the rain stops, the rivers subside and homes are restored.
AND we long for the return of Summeriness.
posted by Jan at 9:55 am
12 Comments:
So agree with you, Jan. I've been feeling the same way. Yesterday's impenetrable grey day was horrible, and it was good to see the sun, if only briefly, today. What's summeriness? Being able to wander out in the garden without putting a jacket on, pulling out a weed, here or there; sitting outside with a cup of tea. Seeing blue sky, even when you're only looking out of the windows.
Hmmm. Summeriness. Mown grass, smell of. telegraph poles bleeding tar. bats swooping for flying ants in a t-shirt twilight. Got to be a glass of rose!
The weather is grim but I reckon we just stick our wellies on and enjoy it if we can. Of course, I don't have to go to work in a rowing boat or sleep in sports centre!
And cricket! There's always the background sound of a cricket commentary, in summertime. (Not that I'm ever actually listening to it of course - but it does have a strangely soothing, summery sound.)
This year, mind you,I'd be hard pressed to tell what I remember of summer!
Perhaps I'll recapture it in Tuscany next month.....?
I've always loved rose wine - it's great, and very summery indeed! Then again, I am from Essex ...
:))
A
xxx
yes - you poor things - you ARE having a bleak old summer over there!
And mateus Rose - I remember it well and am certain I even put candles in the neck of empty bottles.
summer - mm - the sound of crickets - everyone squinting with their hand shading their eyes - bbq's and evening drinks outside - FLIES and mozzies
I hate greyness and rain - about the main reason why I left Ireland, so summer needs to have bright blue skies and a whisper of warmth at least. I don't drink (any more - this is a Good Thing) but a pink drink of any sort sounds summery.
Yes, I long for garish coctails with floating parasols right now. Summer to me is (ironically) the sound of water, breakfast outside, the feel of grass on your bare skin, abundance in the garden. Not quite right this year, but I'm trying to keep my stiff upper lip from quivering.
I am a temporary guest in UK for two summers now. Last year I experienced super summer but worked all the time. This summer when I have much more spare time, it is raining everyday except two so far. He he still, I like this country. Your blog too! =)
Oddly, I don't find summer as evocative as spring and autumn.
I like rose though, Cabernet d'Anjou for preference.
Yes, I remember candles in bottles of Mateus rose in my student days.
Summeriness? I left summeriness in Switzerland where people were swimming in Lake Geneva.
Good to see you blogging again
Thankyou everyone for your comments.
Some lovely thoughts: the t-shirt twilight( Jon..brilliant!)
The sun shines as I write this so let's see if August behaves herself...
FINGERS XXX
Undoubtedly strawberries. And the beach. I do hope you get some fine weather soon, we are coming over in September and I want to see England, not have it hidden by a drizzle of rain (and I certainly don't want to get stranded somewhere). Still, whatever happens, I'm sure we'll make the best of it
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