I love every season, each for different reasons. I equally enjoy the taste of the next season that nature gives us now and again, as Summer ends you have a cooler morning with the feeling of Autumn, as Winter ends you have a day filled with sunshine and the smell of Spring.
My Uncle was a Countryman born and bred. There was nothing he didn't know about the countryside and in particular the seasons (or so it seemed to me). He taught me to enjoy each season for its own merits, and how important the changes are.
Uncle Ken lived until he was in his 90's, and would read articles about global warming and the changing of the seasons with disdain. His view was that we have decided on the calendar we live by, nature follows her own calendar and so the seasons shift accordingly. he would tell me that he had seen deep snow in April and summer sunshine in March, flowers and plants blooming earlier or later as the years and seasons changed. He would see a difference in the waters he fished too.
I enjoyed nothing more than a trek through the countryside with Uncle Ken, mind you, as a noisy five year old I am not sure that he felt the same! He knew where to find a massive patch of four leaf clovers, the most beautiful bluebell woods, when the deer would ruck and when to trek across the deer park in Berkeley to find some discarded antlers.
Uncle Ken wasn't related to me through a blood line, he was married to my Mum's sister, but he had a huge impact on my life. I loved him unconditionally. He was great fun to be with, allowed me and my brothers to take risks (or so we thought, he was just very good at keeping us safe whilst making us think we were being very daring), could mix in any social situation, and was just very special indeed.
He died many years ago, but remains with me every single day. He lives on in me, in our children and in my love of being outdoors, but especially in my love of the different seasons. Having lived a long and healthy life he died of old age, and so we were able to celebrate his life. I delivered the eulogy at his funeral service, and was so honoured to be able to trusted to do so. It was the start of my journey to becoming a celebrant many years later, as I became the go to person to speak at a service.
I owe Uncle Ken so much, but particularly the ability to love whatever season we are in, so at the moment Summer is my favourite season!
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