June!

So, here we are …June already..didn’t we just pack away the Christmas decorations ?.. I’ve always like June, it’s the month that reminds us that summer is well on its way, and finally our thoughts can turn to packing away all those jumpers and coats and replenishing the wardrobe with clothes that anticipate a summer as great as the one we had in 1976 – that, I believe, is still the official benchmark ?. June is also the month that means for a couple of weeks the nation goes tennis crazy - so you’re bound to see a few people indulging in a game, either in the parks or side streets….funny how they always disappear again once Wimbledon finishes isn’t it ?

It’s true as you get older the years seem to fly by quicker, maybe that’s natures way of telling us to get on with things and make the most of our lives and whats around us. Thankfully June has a little trick up its sleeve to help us in that endeavour…a trick that seems to stretch time itself, and its one that can be used in a variety of ways. The trick in question?...June 21^st - Summer Solstice, or to give it its more descriptive name, the longest day.

Now, how you use the longest day is entirely up to you, getting in a few extra hours at work maybe, or toiling a bit longer in the garden tending to the plants both perfectly good ways to maximise the extra minutes of daylight. However, I don’t know about you but for me the longest day has a kind of magical, almost romantic notion about it….its a one off event and to treat it like any other day seems a bit dismissive. Now. I’m not advocating that we all dress as Druids and head for Stonehenge as many do…but I do think that we should at least “disconnect” from our normal daily routines and “reconnect” with the world, just for a moment.

And we are lucky living here, because we don’t need to go too far to find somewhere special to get the most out of the summer solstice. The Cotswolds offers a variety of stunning locations that should really be on your list come June 21^st….but for me, it’s the simple things that offer the greatest reward, so why not try a leisurely stroll through the village of Chipping Campden and up Dover’s Hill, from up here you can appreciate the stunning landscape as you look west towards Wales over the Vale of Evesham. Take your loved one, a bottle of wine and a blanket, turn off your phone and be sure to raise a toast to mother nature as you watch the sun take its time to dip behind the mountains.