It's been hot lately.
I have a love/hate relationship with the weather in the UK when it's like this. I love the sun: I love sitting in the sun, I love seeing a blue sky and I love the warmth on my skin. I do not love teaching in a 29 degrees C classroom, nor do I enjoy trying to sleep in a very, very warm bedroom which never really cools down as it is south west facing and in the roof.
But when it's the weekend and the forecast is hot and dry, I am very happy.
Curtains closed to the heat, sunglasses and books scattered around the house, cold drinks with ice on repeat.
The garden is north east facing so hot first thing, but absolutely perfect for eating evening meals when it is fully shaded and catches the breeze.
We have been to the beach a couple of times - once after work and another at the weekend, both equally lovely. Our local beach is steeply shingled at high tide and you need swimming shoes to comfortably get in and out, but very sandy at low tide when you wade out for ages without seeming to get any deeper. Both times the tide was really high which means you get in fairly quickly.
Hot weather food has been simple and eaten outdoors as much as possible.
Overnight oats or smoothies for breakfast, depending on the state of the fruit.
Favourite lunches on repeat have included courgette fritters with feta, Caprese salad and Nicoise salad. Anything cold and crunchy.
We eat in the garden a lot but it's really nice when we cook in the garden too.
I had a go at making grape sorbet. Grapes frozen then blended with a little lime juice. They were nice, very refreshing but honestly the peach melba ice cream I recently had from Waitrose was much nicer.
The garden is looking a little parched but I have made such an effort this summer to water it most evenings. I have gotten into a good habit of using "grey" water: lightly soiled washing up water; the water wasted when you run the tap to get it nice and cold for a drink; water from washing your hands. I fill the washing up bowl and either chuck it over one of the pots near the kitchen door or pour it into the watering can.
When I remember I fill up my little rain catchers for the butterflies.
I have never seen so many butterflies as I have this summer. In the back garden I regularly see cabbage whites and green veined whites on the verbena but also tortoiseshells and painted ladies. Amazing. We even had a dragonfly last weekend: I could have watched it for hours.
The sweet peas are going well. I think I have another couple of weeks of flowers before they go over completely and I just love picking them.
Life away from work and the garden has included some lovely little highlights. My parents and I attended their local summer fair and it was an absolute treasure trove of delights. The plant stall was excellent and we made good use of it.
There was a stall selling jigsaws so i bought one for £4 but honestly the best bit was the book stall. So many books, and some good ones in there too, and for only 20p each! I was giddy.
I bought these and honestly I am still so happy about it. Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet series has been on my list of books to read for ages and I am told they are wonderful.
This may be the best purchase though: a little (maybe 15cm diameter) plate from the Bric-a-brac stall.
I love it so much. I keep moving it around and putting it in different places so I can enjoy it.
Other highlights included a four day school residential. This was my fifth year going and every time I make myself climb the climbing wall. It is not particularly high, nor hard to climb, as there are lots of hand and foot holds, but it scares me quite a lot. Going up is fine but it's the moment at the top when you have to let go of the hand holds, grab the rope and abseil down. The only way I can do it is to close my eyes. I land at the bottom, shaking, but very pleased with myself. This year I challenged myself to go up twice. My arms were very sore the next day.
It has been hot for crochet but making these little lemons in the shade was a lovely diversion.
I finished my cardigan. I used this pattern and Stylecraft DK in cream.
My plan had always been to cover it in crocheted lemons and so I found a pattern online and set about making some. I made as many as I could until my yellow cotton yarn ran out (I think I got twelve).
I sewed them onto the front and back but left the sleeves.
By happy coincidence, the day I finished it I found this beautiful Seasalt dress in a local charity shop for £10. It is lined, has pockets and fits like a dream.
And best of all it goes really well with the cardigan.
