Posts tagged ‘summer’
Across the water meadows from my home in Somerset stands Hog Wood. It’s a haunting and magical place to walk in at any time of year, home to all kinds of wild creatures and to oak, ash, hawthorn, celandine, ferns, brambles. It’s also punctuated by bunkers built in the Second World War to defend the community against an invasion from Germany. And it is a den-builder’s dream, with lots of fallen branches that can be used to construct woodland shelters.
Staring into the eyes of a dragonfly, spotting a bullfrog camouflaged by browning leaves on the ground, counting the dots on the wings of a ladybug – these are some fond memories from childhood that pop into my mind when summer comes round. Here are some ways our Barefoot families like to spend the summer months.
I grew up in rural Yorkshire, where there was plenty of space for the summertime activities that I recommended a couple of weeks ago. To my mother’s dismay, I was a tomboy: it became apparent to me at an early age that boys had a better deal in my world than girls, and my tomboy tendencies included refusing point blank to wear skirts or dresses from the age of six to fourteen. Well really, how could you do the kinds of things I most enjoyed if you were hampered by clothes that weren’t supposed to get dirty?
The summer holidays are upon us. Hurrah! Even if I am not yet on holiday myself, I love this time of year, the child in me remembering the bliss of ten weeks of freedom.
Ah, the lovely days of summer have arrived. For many, summer conjures up memories of swimming in the lake, staying out late and watching the fireflies and shooting stars zoom by, campfires, long bike rides, and playing with friends. With so much outdoor play, summer is also a time when accidents are most likely to occur.