Tea

Like the green Ulva seaweed I saw in glass-clear rock pools last week, the freshly picked leaves of lemon balm swim in the hot water of our glass teapot.

in the highstreet

An old guy, with a shock of white hair, pushes a bull mastiff past me in a 1970s mothercare pushchair. The dog has one leg up over the handlebars and his head lolls to one side - just a hint of pink tongue showing. 

Two groundsmen prepare the cricket pitch. The first, with grey hair, whizzes around on a small red tractor. The second, with white hair and a string vest, paces slowly behind a heavy old petrol mower.

a money spider scuttles behind the clock in the shrine room

chores

There are rust spots along the edge of the needle. I rub them off with my thumbnail, as best I can, and hold my breath as I push the thread through its eye.

Get well soon...

Last night I dreamed a washed out photo of my brother. Light had escaped onto the film, like angels glowing around his face. In the photo he was ill, grey skinned in a grey Maclaren pushchair. This morning I found out he's in bed with the flu...

first light

dew like scattered diamonds on the imperial-purple petunias.