Welcome Summer.

Summer arrived in a sombre mood. Grey and overcast. Damp and blustery. And, I, well I went to the beach. Where else would one go on a wet, windy, dark day to welcome the new season?

Truth be told, I long for days like that for beach trips. The beach, I believe is at its best when its moody. It come alives. Gentle lapping waves are no match for a pounding surf. Blue is lovely, but brooding pewter grey of sea and sky is far more dramatic.


The heavy, damp air brought the briny smell of the water, and the heady scent of the wild roses to an intoxicating level. Dressed, perhaps a little too confidently, in flip flops and a long flowing skirt, the flapping and sharp snapping of the fabric in the wind against my cold legs, was exhilarating. My cheeks stung from the gusts and the grains of sand that they picked up on their rushing journey. Shore birds strained as they tried to fly into the prevailing winds, their progress slowed considerably.



It was a perfect way to welcome summer. Bookending the beach trip, a couple of surprising little events, added additional excitement to the day. I stopped at a little community market prior to my beach excursion and was delighted to see some of the first local strawberries of the season. Driving back from the beach, I had to swiftly and suddenly brake to avoid a deer that made its way to the road. Once we each recovered from out initial fright and composed ourselves, the deer was kind enough to linger for just long enough for me to grab my camera and get a shot.



I hope you enjoyed your first day of summer. Feel free to share here how you welcomed the new season.