Freewheeling into the middle of the summer season, we begin to shift into the lower gears more than usual...
No longer making mad dashes across town with our faces down as we cycle through the winter elements, the warmer weeks that follow the summer solstice become a time to slow down slightly, as we take in the multitude of hydrangea and buddleia varieties. Blooming in differing shades of deep purples through to rose-tinted whites, they command attention from anyone who passes by…
Meanwhile, we can find ourselves pedalling down local lanes and tuning into the feint sound of distant clapping at the local cricket match, as it drifts across on the late afternoon breeze…
With residents congregating from nearby, they dot themselves around the velvet green perimeters by laying out their coats or cardigans on their chosen piece of grass before pitching up for the next few hours at least...
During lazy summer days like these, fresh strawberries and traditional lemonade become an absolute must…
...And cascades of greenery from the giant canopies of surrounding trees stand poised in a complete unphased stillness, watching the world revolve around them for yet another summer season, which they have perhaps stood witness to long before we as individuals were even here…
Maybe cycling back home at this point, swathes of ferns- now well into the peak of their growing season- and carpets of ivy are illuminated by bright shards of light, revealing how strategically they position themselves to grow where pockets of sun can filter through the branches from the trees above…
Looking at the symbiotic relationship between the different varieties of plants when they’re allowed to grow in their wild balanced way like this, we can be naturally led to think of the mystical symbology and fables linked to some plants. From tales of glowing orbs from fairies amongst certain trees, will-o'-the-wisp and ivy being recognised as a symbol of protection since as least the Celtic times, moments like these can lead to us wonder where it all came from…
Slow and long summer moments like these days are so simple, but in their simplicity become so sublime, especially when taken in by pedal…
There’s something about being exposed to the outdoors while being on the move at a sustained pace that makes little moments into something special. What it is exactly, who knows, but it’s undeniable all the same…
And the more we pare it back to the basics of good food, good drink, and most importantly, good company, the more these lazy summer days can become just as fulfilling as those often found on bucket lists…
Three Ways To Celebrate The Height Of Summer
Through a Cycle Pretty Life…
1. Go For An Early Morning Bike Ride To Have A Try At Getting Back On The Saddle
If, like it was for myself, it’s been many years since you have been on a bicycle, the thought of cycling again can be incredibly nerve wrecking- not to mention exhausting from rediscovering core muscles you forgot you ever had! And then there’s remembering how to use them in order to remain upright! But once you’ve found a way to overcome the fear, the rewards you get back from being able to cycle in comfort can be on another level. It can quite literally transform everyday life into something incredibly liberating...
So one of the best ways to go about building up your confidence can be to get out early before everyone else and cycle at your own pace down your local cycle lanes and back roads-taking note of the road surfaces and where any hazards might be as you slowly pedal through. As doing this helps to mentally prepare for the next time you cycle there...
A key benefit to familiarising yourself with the local routes in this way is that you can also start to envisage how to use these routes for daily commutes to places like work or your local shops...
Another benefit for heading out on the bicycle first thing is that you can really absorb the ‘zen’ from the stillness of the early summer air. Filled with the vapours of the fresh morning dew and free at large from the roar of traffic, you can take your time getting used to finding your balance again, one push of the pedals at a time...
2. Pick Up Some Picnic Pieces From Your Local Shops
Local delicatessens and deli shops always guarantee bountiful supplies of local cheeses, crusty breads, olives and other fresh food snacks to fill up your wicker basket with...
And again, this pastime can be a lovely way to reintroduce yourself to the world of cycling again. From the conversations with local shop keepers, to the fresher, more unique products that can be found in these local treasure troves, trying out what it’s like to commute and shop locally as a cyclist during the height of the summer months leaves you with a feeling of contentment...
3. Go For A Bike Ride Through Your Local Woods
Providing it’s an area busy with runners and dog walkers so you feel safe, cycling through the atmospheric stillness of the summer greenery can very quickly recentre you through a feeling of oneness with mother nature…
In The Florist Parlour
This month’s flower collection takes inspiration from William Shakespear’s timeless classic ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. With a storyline centred around fairies, woodland magic and the bright moonlight of a waning crescent set amidst the stary backdrop of twilight coloured skies, we’re so excited to bring to you whimsical varieties of summer flowers that offer an eclectic mix of magical colours, dream-like shapes and textures and accents of woodland foliage that we can all find at home during a walk in the forest…
Glowing like the halo of the moon, ethereal dahlias are set against the backdrop of twilight coloured Eustomas, while sprays of musk roses- which are referenced in the literature- look like constellations in the stars…
…And as springs of the lilac gypsophila are intertwined with the lower sections of the other stems- like the orbs of fairies dancing beneath the shelter of the larger leaves- trails of ivy tumble out from the main display area of each piece in this collection to encapsulate the way it sprawls when wild in the woods…
In The Cycle Pretty Boutique
Lock up your bike and switch into this stunning Orford Fedora in straw, versatile enough for both formal and informal occasions...
Hand finished with the signature Hicks & Brown gold branding, it is set on a pebble coloured ribbon around the hat.
So pop it in the front basket and take it with you wherever your bicycle goes!
From July's Book Corner Club…
From our bookshelf collection of Canterbury Classics, this month we bring to you A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the one and only, William Shakespeare.
A comedy that has remained a hit in the world of literature for over 400 years, a tale set in the woodlands on the outskirts of Athens follows the journey of four friends who run away under the midsummer moonlight in romantic pursuit of each other...
However what starts out looking like a straightforward storyline soon changes when the medalling of fairies leads to mass confusion, because of a plant juice being placed upon the group's sleeping eyes, which causes love at first sight with the first thing they wake up and see...
“And in the wood where often you and I, Upon faint primrose beds where wont to lie, Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet, There my Lysander and myself shall meet…”
“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine..."
The comical story line which ensues is centred around the passions evoked by the emotion of love, particularly when crossed wires are involved…
"...With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight.”
Although it's wrote in old English, it doesn't take long to get into the zone, making this light hearted play the ideal read during a lazy summer afternoon when pitched up under a tree somewhere...
“The course of true love never did run smooth…”
Hope you all have an enchanting, nature-filled rest of July everyone. Best wishes to you all and see you back here in August xxx
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