Country mouse on cricket
Mark prays for a warm dry summer perfect for cricket, with his son Harry’s exams firmly behind him


Revision (or the lack of it) has been the main topic of conversation over these Easter holidays, so I’m sure that Harry was thrilled to be back at school to play cricket and fit in the odd GCSE.
These days, the exams finish shortly after half-term, and Harry and his friends are whizzing off surfing in Devon to ‘recover’ immediately afterwards. As parents, it’s a shame that this brief term’s work makes no difference to the school fees, but that won’t irk us if we finally get a warm, dry summer for our teenagers to enjoy.
The past two summers have been shockingly wet, and for a keen cricketer, more or less a washout. Yes, the bluebells will be more beautiful this year than in living memory due to all that moisture fattening their bulbs, but bluebells, however beautiful, don’t compare to a great summer with plenty of cricket.
I know that when Harry reaches my age, it will be the games and the friendships and not the GCSEs that he’ll remember from this summer term. I hope, for everyone who’s just gone back to school, that this summer is unforgettable. Good luck in the exams, too. Some of you will need it.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
Burberry, Jess Wheeler and The Courtauld: Everything you need to know about London Craft Week 2025
With more than 400 exhibits and events dotted around the capital, and everything from dollshouse's to tutu making, there is something for everyone at the festival, which runs from May 12-18.
By Lotte Brundle
-
Everything you need to know about private jet travel and 10 rules to fly by
Despite the monetary and environmental cost, the UK can now claim to be the private jet capital of Europe.
By Simon Mills