The heady joys of a UK summer
To be english is to have a sense of optimism especially when it comes to summer.
There's something ineffable about a UK summer - Wimbledon, Test cricket, Glastonbury and the British F1 GP at Silverstone.
Our summers are, at best, unpredictable; at worst, they are full throttle when the sun and heat arrive effortlessly, and then they are gone.
Although far from perfect, we currently bask in a heat haze, and I'm making the most of it before we return to cooler, dreary days.
British summers are like my moods - bright and golden one moment, and grey and stormy the next, such is their unpredictability.
In the UK, we are accustomed to the sun arriving when we least expect it, often unannounced, as weather forecasting is as unpredictable as England winning a cricket series.
We have a few hot and sunny days, and the nation downs its tools to head for beaches and bars; back gardens become havens for BBQs and beer; suits are swapped for T-shirts, and every patch of grass north of Hyde Park becomes a sunbathing haven.
Supermarkets run out of beer and wine, strawberries and Pimm's, and office workers negotiate early finishes so they can enjoy the sunshine and "make the most of it", a collective phrase and shared optimism, because we know only too well that the sunshine doesn't last for long.
Plans are abandoned in favour of evenings sitting in the shade, enjoying a glass of rosé or a beer while trying to stay cool.
As soon as I wake up, my weather app becomes my primary reference point for the day.
UK summers are magical, albeit too hot and humid, making daily working life a challenge.
I love sitting in the low evening sunshine, the sky glorious with colours of gold and mauve hues.
The long, drawn-out evenings permit us to slow down, to sit outside with a glass of wine and relax.
There's a rhythm to an English summer: the sound of birdsong, a constant hum of bees around my lavender bush, and always someone mowing a lawn.
A rhythm that feels unhurried, gentle, and grounding. I feel calm and centred, and life feels better.
And when rain arrives, and it always does, summer rain is part of our English summer. After a hot spell, we welcome the downpour and the earthy smell of rain.
Among our many English traditions that make our summers unique, we have Wimbledon, strawberries and cream, village fêtes, bunting, and afternoon tea on a lawn.
It is quintessentially English - a mix of heritage and traditional values, it is a celebration of the simple things that are a part of what makes us English.
Our summers have taught us to be spontaneous with no extravagances.
We don't have the luxury of a guaranteed summer as they do in Europe, so we have to make the most of every day while the sun shines.
We eagerly anticipate the arrival of summer, hoping for sunshine and warmth, and the heat is an added bonus. For me, summer isn't just a time of year, but a state of mind and a reward after a long and arduous winter.
Another summer to create memories and a reminder that life doesn't have to be perfect, but a little less heat might be nice.
