Embrace the quiet magic of midsummer in the English countryside. In this episode, I’m sharing the gentle rituals and slow living practices that ground me during these long, honeyed days. From the simple joy of watering the hydrangeas to creating an understated tablescape for a relaxed outdoor dinner, we explore how to find beauty in the everyday.
Join me for a glimpse into life at our house in the English countryside - a home built with love and family history. We’ll take a dappled walk through the fields with Rhubarb, enjoy the stillness of the walled patio, and savour a peaceful evening by the pizza oven as the sun sets over the horizon.
Whether you're looking for cottagecore inspiration, simple living tips, or just a moment of calm, I hope this video serves as a reminder to slow down and cherish the season.
In this video:
Slow Living & Gentle Rituals: Finding peace in the rhythm of the day. Countryside Aesthetic: The beauty of Cotswold stone and summer gardens. Understated Style: Creating a simple, elegant tablescape with favourite linens. Outdoor Living: Connecting with the landscape and savouring midsummer light.
0:00 The Magic of Midsummer Days 0:43 Life at home in the English countryside: A Family Endeavour 1:55 Morning Tea & Reading on the Patio 2:39 Daily Rituals: Watering the Garden 3:42 Connecting Home and Landscape 4:16 Summer Walks with Rhubarb 5:20 The Art of the Everyday: Tablescaping & Linens 6:42 Relaxed Outdoor Dining & Pizza Oven Evenings 7:35 Savouring Precious Moments at Sunset
A reflective narrative about the beauty of midsummer in the Cotswolds, focusing on the deep emotional connection between a family and their home. The speaker describes the serenity of the landscape, the joy of gardening, and the importance of savoring everyday moments through shared meals and nature.
There's something about these midsummer days, when the sun is high and hot, and the fields
bleached pale, birdsong carrying on a warm breeze, a slowing of time. The skies are blue,
the air thick, a sense of the countryside at rest. It's in these summer months that the garden comes
alive, lavender swaying by the wall, hydrangeas frothy and white next to the porch. There's
nothing quite like Cotswold Stone glinting in the summer light, honeyed and warm. There's Baba's
Barn, which my dad helped build for us shortly before he died, the limestone patio which my
husband and brother built together, the stonework where I pitched in, and my son too when he was
just a small boy. There's something about the fact this has been a family endeavour which makes
this place so special. A house, yes, but a home in the true sense of the word too. The place my heart lies.
These midsummer days the garden comes into its own, and I'll take every opportunity to sit
outdoors on the walled patio, sitting in the shade of the parasol with a book and a cup of tea.
The hydrangeas are thirsty in this heat, and watering the borders is one of my daily rituals, part of the rhythm of the day.
The outdoors feels an integral part of our home. When we renovated, one of the guiding principles
was to connect to the landscape beyond. Outdoor spaces, which were once piles of dirt,
now transformed into places to sit and relax, watch the sun go down over the fields.
These warm summer days are for walking rhubarb, our English cocker spaniel, exploring routes where
light falls dappled through the trees, views out over farmland, fields extending out towards
the horizon as far as the eye can see.
I'll set the table for dinner, picking out my favourite linens and hand-painted plates
and heavyweight cutlery. There's no such thing as saving for best in this house.
It's one of the ways that I savour the beauty of the everyday.
I'll cook up sharing platters or pizzas, eating in that relaxed way that I love so much,
cooking in the pizza oven which we recently installed in this corner of the garden.
It's somewhere you can sit back, watch the sun go down and talk long into the night.
These are precious moments, memories I want to bottle and keep with me forever.
