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)...

Wordless Wednesday...

Before I forget, Kathy at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out is hosting a new photography meme starting this Sunday.  It's all to do with song titles - details here.

Righto, on with the pics.  It's been hotter than July here, no really it has. I only try and venture out in it first thing in the morning, and then only when slathered in factor 50 sun block as I have very fair skin and no wish to become as prematurely wrinkled as an old prune.  Anyway, I made a trip to the church in Elmesthorpe on my beautiful Pashley bike for some early morning photos of my part of England in high summer.

August...

Whilst August yet wears her golden crown,

Ripening fields lush-bright with promise;

Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing

Her fading green glory onto riotous Autumn.

                                            Michelle L Tieme

This weekend central England has sweltered under hot, oppressive August skies... summer has arrived with a vengeance (just in time to say goodbye until next year).  We made the mistake of trying to go to a balloon festival yesterday - never, ever go anywhere called Billing Aquadrome.  You will regret it.    Dreadful place and only three balloons up when we got there - we couldn't stand the idea of hanging around to see if any more arrived so got home very hot, bothered and fed-up.

Today was still warm but at least we were out in the local countryside and I got to take some photos in a field.  Peace, perfect peace... not a hot-dog vendor or fun-fair blasting mindless music into my ears in sight...

The one pic from yesterday that I'm not ashamed of...

Well only a bit,  the others were worse - almost made my camera

put a bag over its head and refuse to take any more photos...

These are from this morning...
my camera was much happier with me.
I'm glad - I hate it when we're not friends :O)

Miscellaneous Monday...

Just a couple of images from yesterday.  We had lunch at the meditation centre where I took this...

I wanted a touch of the 'Country Living' magazines to this shot, 

and a nice summery feel (hence the over exposure), 

We then visited the Saxon Church at Brixworth (photos of which will appear on Wednesday if I get my act together), where I spotted these friendly bees on a thistle.  I didn't have my macro filter with me so this is just taken with my standard lens, luckily they were pretty big bees!

I am loving that pink!