England the tease

England is such a tease.
When I arrived here, it was the hottest weather since, well, the last hot weather. Which in England isn’t exactly a treat, since the houses are designed more for trapping the air inside than for letting any faint breeze pass through. And as you might imagine, a hot spell of longer than a few days means that every shop is sold out of any fan cheaper than a £300 high-tech Italian-leather air mover.
But despite the sleepless nights, it is glorious.

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The fields are as brown as California, but the contrast of the hedgerows makes it look designed that way. The sky presses down, intensely blue, like a Constable painting off the museum wall, or Cider With Rosie freed from the book covers.
As usual, we hired a vacation rental in a small village. This time it’s the Cotswolds, and although the area is so upscale the pub is of the gastro variety and the usual weather-beaten Land Rovers are replaced by top-of-the-line Range Rovers, Audis, BMWs, and an occasional Maserati, there are still fields where hay is cut, with cows grazing in the stubble, and a pair of horses come to study us over the garden fence. The small river has swans in it, and men walk their fields with dogs at the heels of their Wellington boots.
Then the clouds blow in, the sky darkens.

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Dramatic, lightning-and-thunder downpours have us scurrying to shut the wide-open windows. We think of soup for dinner, and dig in the suitcases for the coats that we, experienced travelers all, have packed despite the weather forecasts.
But before we can actually pile on the garments, there’s a streak of blue, and the wind comes up, and then the sun beats down from a blue sky again.
A tease.

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9 Comments

  1. Chris on August 5, 2013 at 4:15 am

    We do so like to keep you on your toes!

    😉

  2. Merrily Taylor on August 5, 2013 at 6:30 am

    Oh, Laurie – and oh, to be in England! Next year, I hope…

  3. Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard on August 5, 2013 at 7:05 am

    Oh, you make me long to visit England again!

  4. Anita on August 5, 2013 at 7:07 am

    Great description, Laurie. Glad that you’re enjoying yourself and is able to stay in different parts of the country. I’m fortunate to be able to travel to England often but mostly to London. Tomorrow I’ m flying to Gatwick and will drive gentle down to Cornwall. Wishing you a continued great time with ‘good’ weather.

  5. Alice Wright on August 5, 2013 at 7:57 am

    Lovely, just lovely…

    –Alice

  6. Barb on August 5, 2013 at 8:15 am

    Ah, but what a wonderful tease. It sounds like heaven to me. What about afternoon tea? Have you been enjoying that? Clotted cream? Tease me some more, please.

  7. Elizabeth Chamberlin on August 5, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    It’s been more than thirty years since I’ve been in England, and I still remember those skies.

  8. The Bold Flying Officer on August 5, 2013 at 2:39 pm

    What you have to understand about the Brits is that we don’t have a climate … we just have weather! And on the food front, I wonder what you think of the delicacy, Yorkshire Pudding, served with onion gravy (naturally)?

    I could go on but, on this occasion, I’ll exercise restraint.

    Keep coming – you are very welcome.

    Mike aka TBFO

    • Kath on August 5, 2013 at 3:23 pm

      Oh, I need to go back to England. Last time I was there it was spring and the lambs and sheep were like little puffy white dots under the blue sky.

      Enjoy!

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