The Summer of Living Dangerously...

Only a few more days of my two week break to go, and I'm actually feeling quite proud of myself -because I have faced the summer!  Summer has always been my least favourite season; I don't like the heat, I have to put on sunblock whenever I leave the house, colours are too bright and garish, clothes are boring, and everywhere is packed to the rafters because the schools are off.  I usually end up not doing a great deal, definitely not taking any holidays during this time, and generally trying to ignore it and hope it goes away soon.  

I'd let the thought of the awfulness of summer grow out of all proportion to its reality in my addled mind, so I decided that decisive action was called for.

Guess what?  This year has been different.  OK when it's been REALLY hot I've still not done a lot (apart from watching the Tour de France - go Chris Froome and Team Sky!), but on other days I've pottered in the garden, had time to go into town and browse second-hand bookshops, and generally been out and about and actually managed to enjoy it.  It's been a revelation to visit places I don't normally go to in summer, such as Batsford Arboretum and Calke Abbey, and see the lush greenery and summer blooms. I've enjoyed hunting for poppy fields (with little success) and flax (slightly more success), have done shoots on a summer's evening in golden light, and on a bright sunny morning when we overcame the light by moving under a handy weeping willow. 

Whilst I'm on the subject of feeling the fear and doing it anyway, can I just mention that I TOOK SOME BABY PICTURES THIS WEEK! This for me is a major achievement.  I've never had ambitions to take pictures of babies, I just don't feel a connection to them.  However I promised my friend Helen that I'd take some of her granddaughter and so met up with young Laily and her mum in a local park.  Amazingly all went well -  Laily and I seemed to develop a mutual respect for each other, I avoided the mushy biscuit she was waving about, and I actually got some pics we were all pleased with.  

Yay me!  (And it's only fourteen weeks until Halloween)...