August round-up and faves

August always seems like the longest and laziest month of the year. Which is not surprising as it is usually the hottest month of summer and, this year, it lived up to its reputation very well. It also seems to have dragged on interminably. I know that some people are not ready to bid summer farewell but I can't wait for rain, cooler weather and grass. I miss the greenery and pretty flowers so much. But we're getting there. Slowly.

So what have we done this August? Not much. Or perhaps I should say 'nothing at all' - apart from visits to the beach. I've been very laid-back this year and ditched housework in favour of the cool sea-water. I decided that there's nothing wrong with dust on the furniture and a few stray grains of sand on the floor and, by not following my usual routine, I feel quite liberated.

Life lately

So, with all the napping and lounging around, I've had a lot of time to think. Many of my thoughts have been about this blog (nothing new there really); about what I want to write about and what I am passionate about. About the things that matter. And sometimes the things that matter will be big things and on other days, they will be more little, daily things. Like sunsets. August sunsets, to be more specific. 

I have to confess that I love to hate August because I have never learned to embrace the heat, the drought, the mosquitoes and the dust. But at the end of each day, August burrows itself into my heart by treating us to some of the most spectacular sunsets of the year. This is no time for pastels or reticence. The colours are ferocious in their intensity: blood red, burnt orange, vermilion, amber and inky shades of indigo and violet. They are smeared across the giant canvas of the sky by an invisible master-painter. Someone with wild eyes and wilder hair. Some type of celestial Van Gogh. Because August colours are in-your-face spectacular - a fitting farewell to the last days of summer. 

As you've probably realised by now, there was not much going on this August. I even failed to bake my husband a cake for his birthday or organise a party or a barbecue but we going out for dinner tomorrow. At least I managed to raise myself out of my stupor long enough to make a reservation.

Apart from our trip to the US, it's been a low-key kind of summer. Let's see what September brings (hopefully some rain). So let's move on to some of my favourite internet reads.

Favourite links

1. Have you ever felt invisible? Vicki Archer tells us she thinks it's the best thing that ever happened to her in the article Better Not Younger: Embrace the Invisible. It is certainly thought-provoking.
2. The Londoner shows us what market day in Provence looks like and now I have market-envy.
3. During our visit to the US last month, I was intrigued to see little outdoor libraries where people were encourage to 'take a book and leave a book'. I spotted the ones below in Indianapolis and Hannibal. Visit Carly The Prepster's blog for ideas on how to create your own Little Free Library. 
4. If some of you are getting nostalgic for autumn decor, French Country Cottage has some great ideas on how to create an autumn ambiance.
5. Ashley Cramp makes her case for not buying new A/W 19 clothes and why she is embracing slow fashion.

My favourite Instagram photo of the month

is by @leonardodimino and it shows a cute little creature that usually only makes an appearance during the summer months. Don't take a peek if you're not fond of reptiles.

That's all for this month. My head is bursting with ideas about topics I want to write about in the coming weeks. I always wish I had more time on my hands to indulge in this hobby more frequently. As it is, I do the best I can and I hope you enjoy the little peeks into my (rather boring) world.