Image Source: Pinterest; Drink Haus
As I get older I’ve come to realise just how much the simple moments trump the grand. What I mean by that is nothing can quite compare to when Summer starts dancing at the edges of Spring. As the weather becomes warmer and the air thickens with heat and sunscreen adorns our bodies like perfume.
I took a walk through my local beach track last month and was struck by the vibrancy of the afternoon. Mothers’ holding wriggling toddlers with swimsuits falling halfway down their backs. Families gathering together at the waters edge, cold beers in hand. Beach chairs and barbecue’s lining the grass. Laughter and a dingy radio playing idly in the background. The joy of the afternoon was palpable as people poured out from their houses and onto the sandy streets, eager to enjoy the remaining hours of sunshine together.
I’ve always loved summer. Maybe it’s because the Australian Summer unfolds itself neatly into the end of the year. The general sense of urgency slowly unclenches its fist; whatever it is can wait. I have fond memories of the cicadas sounding as we enjoy dinner on the deck at dusk. Beads of sweat collecting on my skin in the damp air.
For me, Summer embodies the essence of e a s e. Days spent by the ocean of my small coastal town. Freshly caught snapper covered in lemon followed by hot salty chips and tartare sauce. A glass or two of cold Rosé poured between friends. Exclaiming “I can’t believe how HOT it is!” at least once an hour to anyone who’ll listen. All the stress of the previous months seem to evaporate along with the heat.
I fondly remember Summer as the hot mornings spent isolating under the familiar buzz of the air conditioning unit. Or the afternoons playing cricket barefoot on the grass while Mango Tree by Angus and Julia Stone and Middle of the Hill by Josh Pyke plays on rotation. Days spent biting into peaches so juicy they drip down your chin and onto your chest. Balmy nights wiping sweat from your brow as you read by candlelight.
There is a simplicity that is tenable by all. Families gathering around wooden tables spooning mountains of mouth-watering food onto plates. Icy cold coffees enjoyed in the sunshine. Farmers market visits with live musicians filling the space with their sweet melodies. The beauty of it all really is undeniable, even through the scorching heat and blazing sunshine.
There is an almost sensual-like quality to Summer; the heat and sweat, the sticky fingers prying open sweet stone fruit, days and days laying in the sun followed by afternoons napping naked, entwined in cool sheets. Summer is where the pulsing heart of erotic energy lives. After a cold and emotionally dry Winter that was harder than most, I am grateful to welcome it in with open arms.
What I realised as I wound down the sandy path of my local beach last month is that our lives are bound together by the small, intricate, and simple details. Sharing a meal with the people we love. Feeling the warmth of the sun kiss our skin. Enjoying a cold drink with friends on a weekend afternoon. What do we have if not the beauty of each moment waiting to be seized and savoured? And while I can appreciate the beauty wrapped into each season, truth be told, there is nothing quite like the feeling of a sweet Summer.
Oh I adore this! It made me smile, feeling all those Australian summer memories in my heart. Such a sensuous and delectable love song to summer 🌼☀️ Thank you for sharing Ella!