Thursday 28 June 2012

Salad Days

Humidty has descended, the sun appears for a while and then we have a tremendous thunder storm. But its warm, feels like summer at long last and I'm in love with the season again. Lots of lovely things to enjoy:

Pea shoots with my lunchtime salad.
Herby butter made with mint growing in my sodden garden. 
A rare sunny evening, tea outside and a view full of housemartins and screaming swifts.
 Lots of lovely flowers
Time for a nature walk before before bedtime, down along the towpath, keeping an eye out for kingfishers.
The sound of rumbling tractors, humming mowers and clattering trailers is everywhere. A break in the weather means its time to cut the June hay.
As the sun sets our little valley is lit up.
And in the morning, from the kitchen window, it looks like summer fever has got to our farmer - how romantic is this!  
P.S. For everyone who wanted to know - the buttercup meadow is just below The Roaches and Hen Cloud on the outskirts of Leek. We followed a really nice walk laid out by the Moorlands Countryside Service that runs from the village of Meerbrook. Its lovely to know so many of you like the picture, I was blown away, it was like a huge cloth of gold laid out before the hills.

33 comments:

thriftwood said...

And everything in the garden's lovely! Beautiful post xxx

bellaboo said...

That towpath walk looks wonderful!
I love those pretty pink flowers...what are they? :0)

Unknown said...

Beautiful garden pictures. I have a thing about hanging washing out in the sun, it makes me so very happy. I love your farmer too ! x

bellaboo said...

Thanks Steph,I'll definately be getting some of those! :0)

My Norfolk Life said...

You garden is absolutely stunning! And that Farmer - what a romantic, I love it!
Claire

Miss Holly said...

Oh...steph it's beautiful....we are in the same mode here in new England...as I write this I am on the summer bed on the porch...the evening birds are sounding off ....I can hear a lawn mower in the distance...the tide I nearly high on the salt marsh...it feels like Summer..oh and there might be an ice cold glass of wine sitting next to me!!!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!!!

**Anne** said...

Hi Steph,
I've just come home to Australia after visiting you beautiful country and during my time there, spent a glorious weekend with Louise from the blog Ramblings of a Roachling walking around the Roaches. It is a most glorious place to visit.
Your photos are gorgeous.
Anne xx

Frances said...

Oh, these summer views are so lovely! Thank you for getting out your camera and then sharing this beauty with us.

xo

cupcakejojo said...

Just a beautiful post which feels truly like a British Summer. Love it! Makes my shoulders relax :)

Jo x

Pipany said...

Steph, Cornwall is just rain, rain, rain. Never ending rain...sigh. Thanks for the lovely pics though xx

Tangled Sweetpea said...

Beautiful post, love the hay bales!
Victoria xx

LinenandRoses said...

Love all your pictures today. Your garden is looking lovely. It's just how I want ours to look in a year or two. Love the new title picture too. Fiona

Dieneke said...

Your garden is so beautiful! I like the way you dry the laundry.
Alle the other pictures are so romantic.

Unknown said...

Your pictures take my breath away. So lovely! What kind of flowers are those pink ones in your garden? I've never seen any like them before.
Dorothy

Louise said...

Even though I grew up on the Roaches, I always went along for that walk as I love my area so much! Thanks for the barn owl info, I haven't seen it but I've watched short eared owls in that area.

Lovely summery pictures! I like the warmth we have now but I hate wind. I can't believe how gusty it is, I've just struggled to hang my bedding on the line as it kept blowing out of my hand!

Rebecca said...

You have the most beautiful garden, so much life and things to appreciate!

ps, lucky Amy!

Bobo Bun said...

Just gorgeous Steph. Your post summed up the gentle speed of light warm days and nights when all the rules can go out the window. We've loved being out late and playing with the girls.

Lisa X

Karen said...

I won't be able to look at bales in a field the same way again after seeing your message :-)

Greentwinsmummy said...

oh Amy! I wonder who she is! there is a whole book there waiting to be written I think!
My daughters and I do the same, when the weather is nice we abandon ship and flee to the greenness outside,when it darkens and pours y the woodburners side you will find us.
GTM x

Lyn said...

great post, lovely photos and glad you can enjoy this typical British Summer!
Lucky Amy I say!
xxx

Jay said...

Such lovely summery pictures. Tell that farmer I think he's fabulous, hope Amy was suitably impressed!

Country Rabbit said...

Thank you kindly steph for your message on my blog, it really meant a lot to me ;0)...Your blog is always a real treat to me, better than any mag!...i'd rather sit with a warm mug of something milky and read your posts and older posts.

I do love this time of year- you capture it so well in your photographs that beautiful evening sky! glorious!!!!. I know the rain has been a bit mad at times, but it makes me really appreciate the sun when it does show its pretty bright face. luckily, this weekend has been less wet, still a few down pours but quick, heavy bursts and then the sun was out again. everything is lush and full of bloom. The hedgerows and tree's seem to have really benefited from all the rain. And the meadows seem full and plentiful in wild flowers.

Your beautiful valley is just so wonderful- i wish i had that sort of view.

Happy week to you steph x

p.s dont worry about not commenting on every post , i have limited my messaging too as it was taken forever to get through all the comments, it just nice to know people follow more than anything ;0)x

Barri-Jayne said...

I love a colourful salad!

Beautiful photos and post!

Barrina x

Emma said...

The light in these photo's is lovely! I just wish the weather would be a bit more consistent as its been like four seasons in one day at times!

dottycookie said...

I love your garden. Seriously gorgeous.

Sue said...

You have such a lovely blog! Your pictures of England are beautiful! And yes, how very romantic of your hubby!

Naturally Carol said...

Your country looks like heaven on earth...dreamy!

Anonymous said...

I came over here from Little Jenny Wren and you have a lovely blog. I am looking forward to reading more of it.

Kate (in Australia)

Rachel said...

I just did a double take when I read that bit at the bottom as we've just come back from a holiday staying near the Roaches in Upper Hulme.

You are so lucky to live in that area - it's stunning. We went for a walk down in those fields as well and saw amazing views of a barn owl (I think it looks like the same bit from the photo!).

We were sad to leave!

Anonymous said...

Your garden looks beautiful and your photos are quite stunning. We have had so much rain here in Yorkshire that everything is so behind and my garden looks washed out and my Catmint is no match for yours - is it Six Hills Giant variety? I am looking forward to some sunshine and at the weekend we will be heading off to Derbyshire for the day to see if there are any Well Dressings or Open Gardens to potter around.

samanthablack said...

Your garden looks so inviting! It would be a wonderful place to have a brunch party. I would love to have some of your tasty looking salad. I love having my own garden. I don't get to spend as much time in it as I would like. Here in Florida the weather is just to darn hot. Thank you for sharing and taking wonderful photos. *!*

Sophia Merrill said...

What a gorgeous Garden! I love, love your Blog; it's always my "first read" when I find time to catch up on blog reading. I live in the U.S. and love to see all of the pictures of England...I hope to be able to travel to England some day! - Sophia

Vanessa said...

Your pictures make me so homesick. Beautiful pictures and I love your garden.