Wednesday 10 March 2010

The Gallery: FIVE

This weeks prompt from Sticky Fingers' Gallery was a number, to be used in any way we wish. An age for example. A number. Whatever comes to mind.

I chose the number 5, for these 5 members of my family settling down for a 5pm tea after a long English sea side afternoon. We'd built sandcastles and eaten ice cream. Uncle Will had threatened to throw the boys in the water and they ran away screaming with terror and delight at the prospect. As memory serves me Uncle Will ended up in the drink, dumped there by his sister (er, me) and his girlfriend. There had been rock pooling and some game involving a bat and a ball and rules that remain unknown. And at 5pm, vibrant with windburn and fresh air, we'd gone back to the beach hut, settled in for a lovely cup of tea with some lemon drizzle cake and enjoyed the view.

33 comments:

Paradise Lost In Translation said...

Has to be the Isle of Wight. where else to spend a 'typical English seaside afternoon'? GREAT pic!

Caroline said...

Love your photo - there's something quintessentially "British" about it, though I couldn't really put my finger on exactly what!

Kelly said...

Love it. What a great pic and wonderful memories. Think the deckchairs are what makes it so British!

Nova said...

That is a photo to be framed and what a wonderful sounding day. Days like that are priceless. :0)

MrsW said...

Really makes you wonder why we ever fly away in the summer. I've never had a typically English summer day - which is, in my mind at least, quite different from a typically Scottish one.

I want one - you've sold it :)

Tara@Sticky Fingers said...

Love it love it. It looks like one of those photo birthday cards I always buy because it looks so British.
Absolutely cracking photo x

Not From Lapland said...

what a fabulous picture - so reminiscent of holidays of my childhood

Dorset Dispatches said...

Paradise - but of course! You should recognise the view too, see the fort in the sea in the distance?

Caroline - I think it is the deck chairs and long sleeves!

Kelly - me too! We are both on the number 5 and seaside views today!

Nova - It is on my list of things to do, to frame this photo.

Mrs W - Oh, English summer afternoons by the sea are wonderful! Try one and I'll try a Scottish one too.

Tara - brilliant meme, I love this Gallery idea.

Heather - the British seaside afternoon is so timeless. I'm sure the boys'll be doing exactly the same with their grandkids!

Victoria said...

What an absolutely lovely photo. Those chairs are so completely British. I can remember sitting on chairs like that as a child. Very Martin Parr, missus.

Jean said...

What a great photo! So evocative of an English summer.

Noble Savage said...

Ah, English summer, when will you arrive? What a great photo! Very 'seaside holiday'.

Kath@Parklover said...

I love this photo, reminds me of a postcard a friend once sent me from Brighton. I like the idea of eating cake in a beach hut too, I've never been in one and that sounds the perfect use for it!

Michelloui said...

A fantastic, perfect British photo. I love it. And family, love that too.

Anonymous said...

What a great photo and great post...nothing quite like a bucket & spade day at the seaside!

Trish said...

Fantastic photo and so well described - I could smell the sea air and taste the lemon drizzle cake. Fabulous!

MrsVikkitoria said...

A perfect English day at the seaside. Such great memories for when you are far from "home". Lovely.

MD xx

Anonymous said...

Ooh, that's fabulous. Brings back lots of childhood memories of visiting Sutton-on-Sea.

nappy valley girl said...

Ah, it's just so English. Lovely. I don't often feel homesick but that makes me want to go back....x

Marianne said...

What a lovely photo, just makes me even more impatient for the summer to arrive so we can do it all over again. :)

Brighton Mum-Teenage Angst said...

I really love this shot! Oh so British. It just sums up the British summer for me.

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geekymummy said...

Gorgeous, look at that sky

Calif Lorna said...

Wonderful - love the clouds and the mix of chairs, so awfully British.

One would assume you're all wearing Boden too ;-)

Anonymous said...

They haven't got that in Bosnia!

Unknown said...

Absolutely love that photo, it's so...British!

Jo Beaufoix said...

That sounds like the perfect British Summer's day to me, We love rock pooling, and lemon drizzle cake. Brilliant happy pic.

Holly Button said...

I think this picture captures a day at the english beach perfectly. I love it.

Very Bored in Catalunya said...

Lovely picture, all that's missing is a knotted hanky. x

ella said...

such a lovely pic!

san said...

LOVE this! x

Iota said...

Lovely photo - lovely sky.

Dorset Dispatches said...

Thanks all for your lovely comments. Glad to bring a bit of an English summer into a wet and miserable March.

Owen - Bosnia, not known for its seaside. Neum is ok, but nothing like the Isle of Wight!

CalifLorna - photo taken the same day as the previous Bodenesque catalogue shot of the boys. You have a good eye, but no Boden in sight. Except maybe Mum but you can't see her on the left.

A Modern Mother said...

Agree that does look very British. In the US they'd be in lounge chairs. Makes me feel like a holiday.