I Think I've Got A Tan !!!!

Yes folks, the sun showed itself this morning and so it's time to rejoice. Hurrah.

Like other UK bloggers, I've been moaning recently about the lack of global warming reaching our shores and to be honest, nothing much changed today as far as some decent summer temperatures are concerned.

But being part of a nation that generally regards a glass with a dribble of liquid in it as being half full, I need to give credit where it is due and for whatever reason, we got sunshine this morning.

So slapping on the sun cream and wearing my summer thong for the first time, I headed out for a long walk to make the most of the sunshine. By the time I got to the end of the drive I decided I'd been conned by that sunshine as it wasn't that warm at all. Mid 60's (18c) in fact.

So I came back inside and reappeared 5 minutes later wearing a much more sensible shell suit and my Hogwarts scarf and gloves set, a Christmas pressie from a distant relative. Well not quite but I did have a thick t-shirt on and went back to my jeans. Ah well. At least I was outside.

I went to my usual rural path, Manor House Lane, that leads past the local golf course and on out into the countryside.

Having been sat on my backside for the last few weeks, I didn't want to overdo it on my first walk outdoors - so I really just wanted to get out into the fresh air and any exercise I got from it would be a bonus.

I love this narrow road as it's so close to my house and yet it immediately takes me away into a world of peace and quiet, a world of simple but relaxing views.

Just a few hundred yards along the road, it bisects one of the holes on Alwoodley Golf Course as you can see from this link. I've placed a red circle just below a bunker/sand trap which is almost totally hidden by the trees in this aerial photo map.

This is because I took a photo of this gentleman playing out of that very bunker and both of us were glad he managed it at the first attempt.

Later, when we met as he crossed the road to get to the next hole, he said if he'd known I was taking photos, he'd have got a hole in one.

Bless.

I told him that next time he should just assume I'll be there - see if that helps his score !

It looked like he had the course to himself as not only was he a solo golfer but I never saw another golfer anywhere else. I guess the shock of dry weather had still to sink in with most golfers or else the wives had dragged them off shopping.

(Well, gotta get a sexist comment in somewhere.)

I was still just over a mile from my house and as the sun was still shining, on I went. I was intoxicated with the fresh air I think but after almost 2 miles, I decided enough was enough and turned around before I came to the main Harrogate Road.

On the way back I came across a line of huge sunflowers and as I'd never taken a photo of one before, I did this time as it seemed to sum up how I was feeling.

And here it is. Not exactly a Van Gogh effort but good enough for me today....and a lot cheaper.

Back home after my 4 mile walk I rested up and looked out the window.
The sun had gone and a huge black cloud was heading towards the house.

It must've veered off as the rain never came but once again I was back to looking at a dull, overcast sky.

But I'd seen the sun, albeit briefly. Long enough to get out and have a lovely walk.

Considering the crap summer we've had so far this year, never mind being half full, my cup had overflowed.

In the words of a hundred Elvis lookalikes, thank you very much.