Monday, August 13, 2007

Summertime blues

We are quite blessed with the weather in this little coastal pocket of Northumberland. Thanks to the salty air, it’s never too hot or too cold. Snow rarely sticks around for very long and the baking heat they allegedly sometimes feel inland is tempered by the breeze. I’m thankful, too, that we haven’t had the floods that have done more than simply ruin summer in some parts of the country. But I can’t help feeling cheated.

Already, the long, lush verdant grass is gone; in its place are yellowing stalks and dry heads of seed. Look closely, and the red berries are starting to appear in the hedges and the first flush of ripe brambles, deep and black, are dotted amid the thorns. The fields are turning to gold; tractors are trundling along the lane. Soon, the swallows will stop swooping after flies and gather on the telegraph wires ahead of their long journey to Africa.

The thick, creamy skies of June and July with their texture of shiny blue gloss paint have gone. Instead, the blue is now a watercolour wash; at least when it’s not a swirling dark mass carrying the threat of thunder. There is a nip of autumn in the air and the nights are drawing perceptibly in.

To paraphrase my Dad, if that’s our summer, we’ve had it…

16 comments:

@themill said...

Yup.

Stay at home dad said...

Yup, indeed. Nearly time to get the logs in, fix the radiators and buy a roll of draught-excluder ...

jenny said...

sigh.. the weather out here is showing signs of fall coming, too. Blackberries are gone, corn is gone, rhubarb is tapering off... I'm looking forward to fall though. Pumpkins and apple festivals, halloween and school!

Zig said...

that's what you get for living ooop north, I've heard you're all really racey up there and onto the next thing before you're finished with the first. Down here we're still waiting for summer!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I don't mean to be rude - or maybe I do - but that photo at the top of your blog entry will not, in my opinion, be winning any prizes. Your writing on the other hand remains at times beautifully evocative.

Brom said...

To be honest, and maybe selfish, we are not having a big hol this year and I'm up to my neck in DIY. as far as I'm concerned the cooler it stays the better.

Exmoorjane said...

So glad you liked it....as I think you'll have gathered your beautiful county has a new set of fans.....we'll be back (said in awful Arnie tones)...
Been catching up with your blogs and you've got me thinking on the grey mare's tail (will ask friend with grey gelding for any of her tips...)... And yes yes to riding hats with bits of elastic...and hair nets and only cream jods....

Have to say feel very cheated by this summer. We snatched a few decent days on our trip Northwards but really that was about it....one decent day since we got back and where did we spend it? Inside. Aaaghh.

Omega Mum said...

Your own micro climate - how lovely. I do like all the paint imagery (is it imagery - I'm always getting it mixed up with my similes). Isn't it a relief that Autumn's on the way, though - or is that global warming, too?

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

@themill, and it's been even worse today ...

SAHD, it sounds cosy when you put it like that ...

Jenny, I am a big Hallowe'en fan. I make great pumpkin soup too but I can't get away with pumpkin pie being sweet...

Ziggi, give up hun, it ain't coming!

YP, bugger off - the picture shows the yellowing grass and seed heads described by my "at times beautifully evocative" writing ;)

Brom, no! I am off next week and I want some sunshine please ..

EJ, thank you. Is more than one week of summer too much to ask?

OM, thankyou. It is rather nice here and I adore autumn, only I would've liked some summer first ...

dulwichmum said...

So your dad is where you get your way with words from!

DM

Gill said...

I love autumn- but not yet! I haven't been swimming in the sea at all this year so far. boo hoo!

lady macleod said...

what a wonderful description! Oh please let winter come here! Unfortunately it will not arrive here until October.

mountainear said...

Oh please don't let it be autumn yet. Not fair. Stamps foot petulantly.

DJ Kirkby said...

This was beautifuly written and I loved the picture although according to YP that may indicate how uncultured I am, lol.

Mopsa said...

Indian summer has been ordered - we deserve it, surely, after this bloody awful non-summer.

Jodie Robson said...

D'you think if we did a rain dance we might get some sun? My holiday too next week and I'm doing exciting things like creosoting the garage and making new compost bins - I can't bear it if it rains all week. The tomatoes need the sun, too, not a single ripe one yet.