The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

While I was out of the country, an incredible change was taking place in Scotland. After 3 weeks away, I returned to a completely transformed Aberdeen. The sun was shining, the temperatures forgiving, the flowers and trees were in full bloom, and the days were stretching from 4 AM- 10 PM. 

10 PM.

Yep, folks, summer has arrived. And it’s the most wonderful time of the year. The fleece blanket has come off of our bed, and on most nights we sleep with the bedroom windows open just to keep the house cool. It's a far cry from the days we spent huddled by the space heater this past winter and "spring".

Despite the weekend forecast being for rainy weather, we were instead blessed with two days straight of gorgeous sunny mornings that lasted all the way into the afternoon. 

We took advantage of the clear skies and downright warm temperatures to get the dogs out for some hiking. On Sunday, our family of four headed to Scolty Hill, and Jonathan and I were feeling mighty silly for carrying ‘an extra layer’ with us. Usually, packing a light jacket is just common sense in Scotland, but Sunday was one of those rare days where we could have worn shorts and short sleeves all day long and not lived to regret such a foolish decision. 

When we got to the top of the hill, all four of us were panting. Jonathan and I took a much needed rest and cool down on one of the granite slabs at the summit, and Bailey and Samson both surprised us by lying down next to us. 

In the seven years that we’ve known her, we have never seen Bailey take a breather on a hike or walk. Normally she has the endurance and energy of an Olympic marathon runner, but I have a feeling that this little pup has forgotten her Louisianan roots and has fully acclimated to the Scottish Climate. 

It wasn’t so much the hike as it was the heat that did her in. 63 degrees was just too hot to handle. Boy, is she in for a rude awakening if we ever move back to the South...  

 

After resting up and enjoying the views at the top, we decided to take the ‘easy’ path back down to the car. 

Since the dogs were obviously overheated and thirsty, we decided to stop by the nearby Dee River to let them get in for a cool down swim. 

Here, Bailey surprised us again by actually fetching a stick. 

Being best buddies with a lab is finally paying off. 

After hiking and swimming, the four of us headed home where we enjoyed a few more hours of sunshine reading in the backyard. It was a fantastic weekend and it couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Lately, I’ve been painfully homesick for the US. I desperately needed to reconnect with Scotland and remember all of its charms. It’s shaping up to be a beautiful summer which I hope will help rekindle that lovin’ feeling once again.