Sorry for the silence!

I'm afraid I have terribly neglected my blog this week, and that is because on Tuesday, during the school run, I was hit by a car! That sounds wonderfully dramatic, but actually what happened is the wing mirror hit my hand as the car drove by and my finger was cut by my car door. So I ended up on A&E with 10 stitches in my finger and some pretty serious bruising and swelling, which kept me from writing or doing much of anything. I am starting to feel better, and I hope to get the stitches out on Tuesday. It's been an enforced rest, which sometimes is the only way I get one! And while it has been both painful and frustrating, it has made me appreciate my usual good health! So I have a photo for you, taken from Friday's dog walk, which was the first time I'd been able to get out of the house and was walking a little slowly.

Friday Photo: Brecon Beacons

I took this photo when we went for a walk last winter. It was one of those crisp, clear, cold, sunny days where everything seems like it's wonderfully sharp focus.We'd never been to the Brecon Beacons before and it felt, in an odd way, a little bit like walking on the moon--or so I imagine! The rolling fields stretched on and on with hills and mountains in the distance and pretty much nothing else about. Gorgeous in a slightly desolate way :)

Friday Photo: Rainy Walk

It rains a lot in the UK. Everyone pretty much knows that. When I first moved back to the US after six years in the UK, I was amazed at how sunny it was. And I moved to Connecticut, not California! Every sunny morning felt like a not-so-small miracle. The long, hot summers were wonderful, and then they were not so wonderful, but I still appreciated things that the UK rarely has--outdoor pools, screen doors, sprinklers in backyards, kids spending most of the day in their swimsuits with drippy popsicles. Now, I know, on occasion, the UK experiences a heatwave and it's wonderful. Admittedly, a heatwave can be anything above 70 degree F. More than once, when I lived in the Lake District, someone would tell me it was 'red hot'. I checked the temp and it was something like sixty degrees, which in America in summer would be seen as a cold snap.

I admit, the weather here gets me down sometimes. I struggle. I compare it with weather in other places I've lived on my phone, and usually it comes out worse. When it doesn't, it feels like a small victory, which is petty, I know.

But anyway, we've had a spell of nice, warm, sunny weather here--and by spell I mean about four days. And I started, amazingly, to take the warm, dry weather for granted. And then it rained, and I was surprised. Surprised. How?  I have a short memory, I guess. But when I took the dog for a walk, and the air was damp and verdant, I actually enjoyed the wet. A little bit. And here is a picture I took:

Friday Photo: Happy dog!

I think this photo speaks for itself. Our dog Amica enjoying her evening walk.

I love these long, light evenings... and so does Amica!

Friday Photo: Sunset in Monmouth

I took this photo the other night, when I was walking back from the centre of town. The sky was both violet and orange--this picture doesn't do it justice--and despite the traffic (there is traffic outside the photo, promise!) everything felt peaceful. I love the late night of spring and summer--kids playing out in the garden till eight or later, the spectacular sunsets (on occasion!), the birdsong. It almost makes the dark winter evenings (and afternoons!) worth it.

I really love the town of Monmouth. It's a wonderful size, small enough to feel friendly but big enough to have some decent shops, and a lovely pedestrianised street in its oldest part--but that's a photo for another post.