A little bit of dahlia magic

As this year's summer days pass so quickly and one lovely summer's day - yesterday - is so easily followed by a miserable, wet autumn-like day - today - summer feels like it's slipping away, and there hasn't been enough time to enjoy it. 

Summers should be spent enjoying long, lazy days. But life just doesn't work that way any more. This summer has been anything but leisurely. So Passe-par-tout has fallen to the bottom of the to-do list. But, as time should always be made for a little bit of loveliness, I thought I'd share these.

When your home is a gorgeous valley, tucked away under the Tuscan sun how can you help but grow up to be so exquisite?

And back to work.
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[Images: All PPT]

Summer scenes

Now that summer is finally here I can't stop dreaming about sandy beaches as far as the eye can see, shimmering water, walks in the country, ice-cream, favourite flowers like lavender, daisies and poppies, cocktails at sunset and days that go on and on.

Here are some postcards of my summer so far.

Summer is so precious in the UK. Before you know it it's gone. So I'm trying to hold on to these long days, relish feeling hot and bothered, make the most of wearing sandals and dresses, linger over the last few moments of sunlight each day.

And when it's over, and the days get short and the skies turn grey, I'll have these memories to look back on.

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(Images: All PPT except 1, 6 - both Desserts for Breakfast and 7 - The Wheatfield by Katie Daisy)

Soul food

When you live in a large, noisy, over-crowded city, views like these are like eating your Mom's roast chicken, curling up on the sofa with the one you love, catching up with a good friend, a massage for your mind.

All taken in the amazing Lake District on a perfect summer weekend.

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(Images: All PPT)



Dinner guests

It was supposed to be a quiet meal for two. Just us. Nothing fancy.

But then some uninvited guests arrived.



They seemed eager to join us and jostled for a good spot.



Then, in an orderly line, they waited expectantly for dinner to be served.

What these photos can't convey is the noise about 50 hungry cows can make and our laughter.

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(Images: PPT)

Dreaming of warm evenings

I've done some harping on about spring in the last few weeks (here and here and here). But now my preoccupation with spring is slowly turning into thoughts of summer. Wouldn't this be the perfect spot to relax on a warm summer's evening, with candles flickering in the breeze as you watch the light dying over the sea? Pure magic.

I'm not sure where this home is exactly - only that it's on the Spanish island of Formentera. Probably best. If I could find it on Google maps the temptation to pop in for sundowners would be too great!

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(Image: Jordi Canosa)