High Days and Holidays

(The first posy of flowers from my garden - you can't believe how excited I was to pick these!)

Finally summer has arrived in the Moorlands in all it's glory. Waking to misty mornings where everything is still and expectant, the boys and I have lolled about the house until well after breakfast, played in the garden in pyjamas while the day gets going then shoved on shorts and sandals for an afternoon out in the woods and fields. No need to rush, no morning panics over forgotten book bags, missing pumps or unpolished shoes. Wonderful.

These are the days I remember best from my own school holidays, what seemed like endless weeks of sunshine, picnics and roly-polying down hills and I hope that's what my little Woodmice will enjoy too. Wet days (not too many please!) will bring trips to town for new shoes, a favourite treat of proper chocolate cake in a proper cafe, visits to the museum and the library and time at home building skyscrapers and city scenes from all the tins and packets in our kitchen cupboards (favourite game of the moment!)

Today we're off to the local agricultural show which is the highlight of my summer. Ours has everything from shire horses to fancy poultry, prize Victoria sponges and gardens on a plate to showjumping, champion cattle and monster tractors. The forecast looks perfect and I love to think of the stockmen from the villages high in the hills, up since dawn hosing down heifers, chalking up the feathered feet of shires horses and herding hot sheep into show pens all for the big day.

In the evening this is where I'll be. Sitting on my little bench while the heat of the day fades and the plants enjoy a drink, watching the farmer bring in the hay from the fields over the road and listening for our frog and the swallows twitter.

England in the summertime, there's no more perfect place to be.