Summertime...

I finally got around to taking the (few!) photos off my camera last night and found these...

This was taken at the end of July after that long spell of awful weather when we suddenly had a day of gorgeous summer sunshine - with proper warmth. It was just before the start of the school holidays and on my weekday off so I was lucky to have much of the beach to myself (that sounds a bit mean! There were a few people there and I don't mind sharing but I do so love empty beaches!!!).

I took a book and just 'sat' and enjoyed the warmth and the sounds and smell of the sea. Oh and then treated myself to one of these...

I hadn't had a '99' for years (and have to confess to thinking, oo, bit sweet, sickly and cardboard cone-y!!) but thought the cone was very topical at the time and seemed to fit the moment. Lousy photo, snapped a bit quickly without checking the focus because the ice cream was melting fast!

Norfolk beaches are full of these...

I love the shape of the structures and the effect that the sea has on them - they are always covered in seaweed and sealife and sculpted by the waves, so all look just a bit different.

Since that day, actually we have finally seen some decent summer weather - in fact, in true British style, there are murmerings everywhere of 'phew, too hot...' although I sense that people have been a bit more reticent than usual to complain, maybe because it has been so awful for the last few months! The last few days have seen us up into the low 30's, which, for us, is a bit unusually hot. Quite nice if you can chill out and spend your day in and out of the shade but a bit rubbish if you are at work! I have spent the last week melting under my uniform...

But Saturday evening Tom and I took a barbecue out to the coast and ate excessive quantities of meat (the consequence of barbecue-ing with a bloke - I very rarely eat meat these days, felt like a bit of an overload!!). Natural smile from my son... (not!), note the essential gadgets balanced on his leg, good to know I'm such scintillating company!!!

I don't think I ever get fed up of blue skies...

This is a very different beach to the previous one (North Suffolk coast as opposed to North Norfolk - bit further round the 'bump'!!) with long stretches of sea-smoothed shingle. Good for barbecues, and great sound as the sea drags the stones along.

How did my 'baby' turn into this skinny stretch of young man? He'll be 19 this week!!

Away from the beach... I have been mostly eating these of late...

These are fresh from my little patch of garden. Way back in the spring I planted potatoes, beans, tomatoes, carrots, salad leaves and courgettes. Most of it has been decimated by a combination of the weather and the determined slug and snail population (no beans, not much in the way of tomatoes, pathetic looking carrots and shredded salad...) and even the potatoes have been pretty low yield (fortunately I don't eat many potatoes!!) but courgette plants must be the endurance plants of the veg patch! I have had a regular supply of shiny green, tasty beasts that I have enjoyed harvesting! Something very satisfying about picking your own!! And the added bonus of great blowsy flowers...

Here's to a bit more summer...cheers!

Til next time

Sx