On the hilltops

It's after supper.
We are sitting around the table, full from homemade shepherds pie and apple crumble- the staple of British comfort food.
My friends from uni are here. We grin at each other, glad to be together again, to be sharing a part of our lives with each other, for me to be sharing home with them.

The evening sun streams in. It is glorious to have these extra hours of daylight now after six. For the first time in what feels like weeks the weather is good. The temperature is rising and there is a break between showers.

It's too good an opportunity to miss. The girls and I search through the cupboard finding the obligatory collection of wellies, finding ones that fit, ones that we had forgotten we had. We grab cameras and coats and set off with purpose. Determined to beat both the sunset and the rain.

We pace up the hill. The air is still and the ground is boggy from the wet week. We take photos as we go. We climb up the hills, the view getting better with each ascent.

We laugh together, we chat about Durham, about friends, about plans, about dreams.

We don't really know the route, we just keep following the field upwards and over each stile. We pause for a minute and take in the view. My home.

The sun is sinking lower as we climb over the last fence and join the road leading to the reservoir. A secret gem in the middle of nowhere. A huge expanse of water hidden by the trees. I like this place. In the fading light it is both eery and magical.

We quietly gaze over the water and then turn and head for home, arms linked, sun now nearly behind the trees and the first fat drops of rain starting to fall.

Today I am joining in with Alexa's beautiful meme, "Simply a Moment." Do stop by her blog to read both Alexa's words and other bloggers as they record their moments.