An everyday tale of country folk, and some whacky jumpers!
We often talk about seasons coming to an end and beginning as though there is a definitive cut-off date when everything changes. The truth of course is that nothing ever really ends, it is a continuous cycle that began long before we came up with the idea of winter, spring, summer, and autumn.
Recently, we moved seamlessly from spring into summer and while nature is changing all around us, the single most obvious signs of this transition is that British tennis players are losing at Wimbledon rather than British cricketers losing in the West Indies.
J. Alfred Prufrock may well have measured his ‘life out in coffee spoons’, but many people measure theirs in Football World Cups, Olympics, and Glastonbury’s. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this of course, it’s just that nature provides us with a much bigger picture, and I think it is important to take the occasional moment to really take notice of our surroundings.
On that subject, I was recently reminded of the local connection that we share with the brilliant wit and incomparable raconteur Gyles Brandreth.
In his book Odd Boy Out, Gyles talks of his days attending Bedales School in nearby Petersfield, and his love for the countryside in and around the area, including our own lovely village of Steep. I am not here to help Mr. Brandreth with his book sales, goodness knows that he does very well without my assistance, but I would heartily recommend Odd Boy Out, it really is an excellent read (did you know that his Grandfather invented billboard advertising?)
So, back to summer, and everything that this most clement of all seasons brings with it, village fetes, longer days, welcome warmth, and long holidays. It really is the most wonderful time of the year, in fact I would go as far as saying that in my opinion, it’s right up there with spring, winter, and autumn.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, as I am sure they say at Bedales.
Have a wonderful summer, and whatever you do, please take time to smell the flowers.
