As an Australian who has lived here for 23 years as of this September...YES! YES! YES!
When people ask me about why I live here my first answer is not because of my English husband, 2 children, job, etc it is simply this... British seasons. I do not have a favourite, because each is so different it is perfect.
Autumn with the colours of the leaves; conkers; layers of clothes; soggy walks in the woods.
Winter with its crispness; occasional snow; afternoon sunsets and the golden light (not a fan of the darkness, but love that moment in February when you realise its still light after 5pm and you know you made it through)
Spring with the tell tale flowers - snowdrops, crocus, blossom, daffodils and bluebells; birds; trees with fresh green leaves; Springwatch on telly,
Summer with its long days; warmth, rarely truly hot; 6 blissful weeks off work (I'm clearly a teacher) to enjoy days out in London, Wales, Peaks (I live in Birmingham); camping in Cornwall.
The seasons! Glorious.
PS the smell of London in the summer is something else and anyone living there is probably noseblind to it, but it hits those of us visiting the minute we step off the train.
Oh I love this … my friends daughter emigrated .. oh and then the deluge of photos of her on the beach, Barb b’s, always mocking our country and our weather .. zzzzzz
I said to her ‘there’s more to life than frying sausages in your shorts’
(got that from some clever writer in the times ..)
As a UK born but Australian raised person now living back in London, I agree with all of these things. Especially pavement pints. These perhaps have an extra thrill for the Australian’s in the room as the notion that you would be trusted to not only drink an alcoholic beverage from A GLASS DRINKING VESSEL but also ON THE PAVEMENT is a completely foreign concept in our naval gazing nanny state. It’s also been fun seeing my children also learn that bumble bees are actually real things (as they similarly thought they were made up 😂)
Yessss, having left London I relish that description of summer night smells in the city. Isn't there a song by Abba called 'Summer Night City'? Will look up. I wouldn't say that I MISS it, precisely, but it made me nostalgic for the odd night in Soho, back in the day . Brilliantly written, and thanks Esther for bringing Ella to my attention. I too, am crumpled - Village Summer party. Two organisers fell out and other people fell over...
A nice reminder of how lucky we are, because I am also feeling very worn down by this summer at present. (Why do pink twilights not happen in Australia?)
Ella I love this. I arrived (from Perth) in May 2005. It was a magical summer. I got sunburnt!! I sat in Soho square with M&S taramasalata and cans of beer (you are so right about the uptight drinking rules is Aus). I watched friends play cricket on a village green, with oak trees waving their canopy of leaves the pitch and drank Pimms. It was the most English thing I could imagine.
Everything you say is what I also love/ noticed about summer here.
As an Australian who has lived here for 23 years as of this September...YES! YES! YES!
When people ask me about why I live here my first answer is not because of my English husband, 2 children, job, etc it is simply this... British seasons. I do not have a favourite, because each is so different it is perfect.
Autumn with the colours of the leaves; conkers; layers of clothes; soggy walks in the woods.
Winter with its crispness; occasional snow; afternoon sunsets and the golden light (not a fan of the darkness, but love that moment in February when you realise its still light after 5pm and you know you made it through)
Spring with the tell tale flowers - snowdrops, crocus, blossom, daffodils and bluebells; birds; trees with fresh green leaves; Springwatch on telly,
Summer with its long days; warmth, rarely truly hot; 6 blissful weeks off work (I'm clearly a teacher) to enjoy days out in London, Wales, Peaks (I live in Birmingham); camping in Cornwall.
The seasons! Glorious.
PS the smell of London in the summer is something else and anyone living there is probably noseblind to it, but it hits those of us visiting the minute we step off the train.
Oh I love this … my friends daughter emigrated .. oh and then the deluge of photos of her on the beach, Barb b’s, always mocking our country and our weather .. zzzzzz
I said to her ‘there’s more to life than frying sausages in your shorts’
(got that from some clever writer in the times ..)
As a UK born but Australian raised person now living back in London, I agree with all of these things. Especially pavement pints. These perhaps have an extra thrill for the Australian’s in the room as the notion that you would be trusted to not only drink an alcoholic beverage from A GLASS DRINKING VESSEL but also ON THE PAVEMENT is a completely foreign concept in our naval gazing nanny state. It’s also been fun seeing my children also learn that bumble bees are actually real things (as they similarly thought they were made up 😂)
Yessss, having left London I relish that description of summer night smells in the city. Isn't there a song by Abba called 'Summer Night City'? Will look up. I wouldn't say that I MISS it, precisely, but it made me nostalgic for the odd night in Soho, back in the day . Brilliantly written, and thanks Esther for bringing Ella to my attention. I too, am crumpled - Village Summer party. Two organisers fell out and other people fell over...
Love this so much. I have read Ella's book and it is wonderful - strong recommend!
A nice reminder of how lucky we are, because I am also feeling very worn down by this summer at present. (Why do pink twilights not happen in Australia?)
Utter magic!
Ella I love this. I arrived (from Perth) in May 2005. It was a magical summer. I got sunburnt!! I sat in Soho square with M&S taramasalata and cans of beer (you are so right about the uptight drinking rules is Aus). I watched friends play cricket on a village green, with oak trees waving their canopy of leaves the pitch and drank Pimms. It was the most English thing I could imagine.
Everything you say is what I also love/ noticed about summer here.
❤️ it... esphesh the Gloop candle ref! 🤣
A beautiful list 💜. A reminder that the British summer is something special
Beautiful ❤️ this made me miss that buzz of London in summer that does exist anywhere else
Very good. No 5 = PAVEMENT PINTS, fhe British answer to aperitivo
I love this! Nothing better than sitting outside a British pub on a sunny day! Melbourne pubs are generally awful..