In my heart I am British.

I ache each spring as the fields of flowers bloom without me.

The Wild Rape Seed.

The Bluebells.

And the Poppies.

I am always a little sad to hear of Wimbledon, Ascot, Regatta and the Chelsea Flower show…. all taking place so far away.

I hope that someday, one of my children gets married in England just so that I can wear a fabulous hat.

In my next life I will be a college student in London, or Cambridge or Oxford.

Oh, wait, that was this life, just a million years ago.

Last spring I celebrated the Royal Wedding as if I were personally invited.

This weekend there has been an abundance of television coverage of the Royal Diamond Jubilee. It makes me nostalgic. I long to be someplace that looks like this:

or this….

or this…..

I don’t personally know The Queen.  BUT, I have been in her presence. Now, I have also been up-close to Barack and George W, but neither made my heart flutter quite like her wave. That well practised swaying arm and twist of the wrist.

I captured this shot at the Royal Ascot in 2006.

This afternoon I will sit along the water’s edge, wearing a big hat and sipping Pimms…..

The view will be sailboats on turquoise waters.

But I will pretend that it looks more like this….

and this….

Sixty Years, congratulations Your Majesty!