The warmth of the sun on my neck at this early hour together with the deep, dark shadows of my hand on the writing pad augurs well for hopes that my new blind date, July, is going to offer more promised pleasures than her predecessor, June.
The feeling in the air is that of a summer’s beach day: those longed for, selfish moments on empty sands before the holiday season allows others to share this pleasure. Delicious moments of loneliness when I can talk to myself without worried looks coming my way. The written summer of the printed page that is in fact unattainable.
The delight of such thoughts on a morning such as this nearly paralyses me. Rather than packing a hamper and setting off to this vision of the ocean’s edge I feel the urge to remain as still as possible in case any slight movement should upset the balance of emotion. This moment of the day is clock stopping.
Food, Photography & France 
Beautiful image and beautiful imagery in your words.
It was one of those mornings..
IMHO, you should run to the beach, just i case 😉
Did that…out of breath…covered in dead of jellyfish:)
Damn!
Roger, your sentiments are admirable, as is your photography (actually, your readers have come to expect no less). But I am intrigued by this photograph and the sharp edge to the blurred section on the left. This is not depth of field, but looks to me like you have shot through an empty wine glass. Actually, the glass is clean enough that it would be a not yet filled wine glass. You might be using a half filter, or it could be Photoshop. Please tell. – James
It’s an iris filter that’s found in CS6 —quite cool isn’t it.
Lovely sentiment, Roger. I tend to wish July away, and I shouldn’t.
We have to faithful to our blind dates, at least until they leave to make way for a new one.
Gorgeous. You are a master wordsmith. And this piece makes me excited about heading back to France the first week of July!
I’m sure the weather will be perfect. I like it here in pretty much any weather:)
Talking to oneself is an under-rated activity Roger, thanks for championing it.
Glad to hear that you enjoy talking to yourself as much as I do 🙂
Oh, Roger, the longing. A French beach is all I desite right now, and you have summed it up, there it is in a bottle: all except me actually in fact being there…
I just loved that John Cleese line in one of your last posts ” I can live with the despair…..it’s the hope…..”
Sorry, desire
Never be sorry about desire:)
I always appreciate your use of less common words in your writing. Thank you for that. Also, uncrowded beaches bring out the covetous nature inside me. I’d love to own a slice of sand before I leave this world.
Me too….:)
Love it!
Many thanks.
Wonderful post, Roger, the imagery beautiful. Seems like we share the same love-hate relationship with June. July cannot get here soon enough.
Let’s hope it’s not a let down.
Roger the ‘delicious moments’ are not of loneliness but being alone: a vastly different and wonderful time . . . I too will be travelling the highroads and byroads of France from Saturday night onwards pedalling furiously with ‘le Tour’ full of hope that ‘we’ do well . . . 🙂 !
You’ve got a very exciting time ahead.
So good.
🙂
Roger, how long did you stay still for ;)? Wonderful post!
Cheers, Marina.
I love clock-stopping moments, they are rather too infrequent for my taste. I also love that you still write.. actually hand-write.. my work is always on computer now and type-written.
I like sitting outside, in summer, or by the fire in winter and slowly putting my thoughts together on paper. The joy of a keyboard is being able to edit so easily.
I couldn’t agree more with your sentiment…lovely.
Warm summer mornings are so good.