Monday 26th June 2023 - Seasons and Village Yard Sale

The longest day has now passed but it will be a few weeks, as we progress through summer, before we notice a real difference in the number of daylight hours. For some reason, summer always feels as though it's the shortest of the four seasons. Maybe this is because I enjoy warm and sunny days when we can spend more time outdoors and would like it to continue longer. For me, winter, for the most part, has to be endured but also brings with it stunning seascapes and an opportunity to catch up on things indoors. Spring is full of anticipation as we see bulbs blooming, leaves on trees bursting forth and birds singing to attracts mates. Summer usually brings a mix of weather, ranging from heatwaves to downpours, plus opportunities for outside living too. Autumn is full of changes, with the flowers of summer fading and as the season progresses, falling leaves and temperatures. But I digress; back now to the current season of summer. One of the season’s joys is, looking at the night skies and out to sea with the lights of passing ships, as well as the illuminated Dudgeon Windfarm and the nearby platform. Last night I woke up at three and although sunrise wasn’t until four thirty, the sky was turning orange and it was already getting light. At the other end of the day, sunset is around nine thirty but it is usually another hour before it’s dark enough for us to embark on our daily slug hunt in the garden. We need to make the most of these long days.

There are various outdoor events on in the village, during the months of summer. Yesterday, the annual Overstrand Together Yard Sale brought hundreds of people into the village and a fair bit of vehicle congestion too. It was a scorcher, with temperatures peaking at 29°C, but this didn’t deter those in search of a bargain (that includes me!). We didn’t cover all the village; I was on a quest for garden plant pots and it was a bit too hot for carrying relatively weighty items for any distance. The only suitable pots I saw had already been sold and put to one side ready for collection. I did however, buy two for my indoor plants which were an absolute bargain at 75p each. Back home, I sat in the shade in the garden and potted on two pot bound plants which are now displayed in my bargain buys.

Today’s photo was taken last week, on our walk to Southrepps. Using my copy of Simon Harrap’s book titled ‘Harrap’s Wild Flowers’, I can see this is a St John’s Wort. There are several varieties of this plant, which fall into the Hypericum family, but without a more detailed photo, which includes the leaves and stem, I cannot pinpoint exactly which one it is.