Does anyone else feel like they’re in an out of control tailspin, hurtling towards the summer school holiday? I didn’t expect to feel like this. With a lot of attractions closed, travel limited and one child at school and one being homeschooled, I thought we’d have a gentle and stree-free slide into the summer break.
The reality has been far messier! Mrs Adams is very busy with work, I’m very busy trying to tie up loose ends ahead of the holidays so I can relax with the kids, there are various things going on as Helen prepares for the transition to secondary school and Izzy prepares for the transition to Year Three. It’s a flurry of activity, much more than previously happens at the end of the summer term.
I was grateful for a bit of respite from it all and a walk with my camera. Better still, as Government guidance in England now permits two households to meet up, I took the opportunity to go for a walk a walk with Izzy and a close family friend and his kids. It was glorious to meet a friend face to face and catch up after three months of Zoom chats.
Equally as importantly, Izzy got to meet and play with a friend. She desperately needs to see her friends and it was great to see her having fun outside of the family home.
This is something that’s been on my mind a great deal since Helen returned to school in June. Helen has benefited hugely from the increased social contact but as Izzy Is not in a priority year, she hasn’t had the same opportunities (even if mingling would be in a socially distanced bubble).
Anyway, the foxglove was one of the few colourful plants we came across during our walk. This was the best image I took during our stroll. I’ve done a little editing in Photoshop to make the pinks stand out a little more but it’s largely unedited.
It had been raining and was an overcast day, so while I was hoping to get some nice landscape shots it wasn’t to be. Nonetheless, I like the detail in this image and the depth of field. As it happens, the narrow depth of field was accidental. I had the aperture set to a low f stop from when I had been taking landscape shots and I simply forgot to increase it again! Accident it may have been, but it worked in my favour.
How has your week been? If your children are still at school, are you in a vortex of emotionally draining activities, kin keeping and kidmin preparing for the summer break?
As I do at weekends, I have added this blog post and foxglove image to the #MySundayPhoto linky hosted by Darren Coleshill’s awesome photography blog. Click here to pay his blog a visit and see photography other bloggers have been taking.
10 thoughts on “Hurtling towards the summer holidays”
Hi John, the summer holidays ate going to be very odd this year, let’s hope the weather is kind at least! Social isolation for Izzy must be difficult, children need children to help them live, learn and grow as people… It is nice to get out with the camera again. The shallow depth of field isolated the foxglove nicely… I had no idea My Sunday Photo was on again. It was by far my favourite link up!
Have a good summer!
xx
Well Hello Debbie. It’s been a while! Yes, Darren re-started #MySundayPhoto during lockdown and it has been a welcome relief to constant COVID news, not to mention a great escape to get out with the camera. Anyway, yes, isolation for Izzy has been tough but she is now having some limited meet-ups. It’s going ot be very interesting when the kids go back in September I think.
Gorgeous foxglove, I love seeing them in the woodlands.
Glad to hear you’ve managed to meet up it’s especially important for the children I think
Thank you for linking up to #MySundayPhoto
I can’t wait for the summer holidays to arrive just so we don’t have to do the home schooling. It’s becoming such a battle now. The summer holidays are certainly going to be different this year!
Aww! Good luck to Helen going to secondary school. It must be so strange preparing for it in the middle of pandemic.
It makes all the difference being able to get out and meet people. My two have missed their friends and seeing them over the last week has really perked them up.
Gorgeous photo. I love the colour x
foxgloves don’t grow here in semi-tropical Florida but I think they’re so pretty #MySundayPhoto
Love the water drops on the foxgloves, they’ve almost finished here in Malvern. What can I say about the summer holidays, I’m grateful my kids have all left home, but I can imagine how hard it is to entertain a family, I struggle to entertain just myself some days #mysundayphoto
How lovely to finally get out and meet up with friends! I’ve been for a couple of walks with friends myself, the younger two have met up with friends a couple of times, but my eldest seems to be seeing them constantly!
Here’s hoping you have a relaxing and enjoyable school holiday.
Brilliant photo. I love the water drops #MySundayPhoto
Foxgloves are so pretty.
I am feeling quite stressed by the summer holidays. Not being able to do normal is harder, specially with kids. We will survive, won’t we?
MySundayPhoto
Foxglove is gorgeous. Such a pretty flower and lovely colour. Good to hear you’ve been able to have a view meetups xxx