Walking to Highwood ...

When Penny comes round with her book of cryptic crosswords, we often go for a walk down the lane before tea and crumpets - 

Before I lace up my boots, or slip my bare feet into canvas shoes, I put by the jar of home made plum jam - 

Two weeks ago, we walked to Highwood - it was late afternoon - the sun was low in the Autumn sky - 

Anne and Penny strode on ahead of me - I dawdled behind - I watched them become small dark figures under the tall trees - horses grazed in velvet fields - 

We looked out for deer near the tennis courts of a silent house - 

Sometimes we had seen them there at twilight, half hidden in the growing dark, graceful nervous shapes -

Now though the gardens were empty save for shadows - 

Earlier I had looked up through the hedgerows at the clouds - 

Leaves were starting to fall - the last swallows were leaving - 

16.30

October 2014

Highwood 

Isle of Purbeck