Sunny summer days

It's a long time since we've had a summer like this one, when you can sit outside almost every day and enjoy brilliant blue skies and feel the heat of the sun on your back. Sometimes when the sun's shining in one area of our wee part of the world, it can be a completely different climate just a few miles down the road - often it can be raining in Belfast and glorious sunshine in Coney Island, but that's maybe because we like to believe Coney is such a special place.

When it's Coney time, it's also muffin time, so today, in honour of the fabulous weather I concocted a new summery recipe - lemon and raspberry, which were rather delicious.

Coney Island didn't disappoint this morning, though when we arrived it was shrouded in mist, making it very eerie.

We soon discovered that the mist was actually smoke, coming from a nearby forest fire. So before writing, but after coffee, a muffin and some chat we set out on a short walk

for some writing inspiration, to observe what happens on sultry, sunny summer days in Coney

and to be thankful that the forest fire had been dealt with.

I tend to write more in the long, dark, cold winter months than brighter summer months, but this summer I've started writing more outside in the garden. In Coney there's always plenty to be inspired by, and today was no different. Let's hope this good weather continues a bit longer.