Anne swimming in the river

Anne swam upstream, barely stirring the water -

It was late afternoon -

The river flowing past gardens shaded by old apple trees -

The sun still hot in the cloudless sky -

Swallows flying above the water meadows -

Church bells ringing in the gentle town -

Abbot's Quay 

Wareham 

July 2026 

The bluest of heavens

Mavis listens to me reading The Tiger Who Came To Tea -

Her eyes widen -

They are as blue as the bluest of heavens -

The Old School House

East Stoke 

July 2026 

Wild joyous cricket

Sophie's gang play wild joyous cricket in the garden -

Wallace bowls a bouncer -

Paul hits a six into the churchyard -

Long shadows fall across the grass -

Later there will be a crescent moon -

A white curved bone in the twilight sky -

The Old School House 

East Stoke

July 2026 

Chilling with Wallace

Chilling with Wallace -

Watching The Chase -

Jodie's incredulous smile when she wins a grand -

The Old School House -

East Stoke

July 2026 

Implacable hoods

Jake and Otis were implacable hoods -

Enforcers for Bugsy Seigel -

Cornering me in the garden -

Drenching me with icy water from their pistols -

Washing away my years -

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

July 2026 

A Brio King

Jake is a Brio King -

A Play-Doh Michelangelo -

A joyous whirlwind -

The Old School House 

East Stoke 

July 2026 

Dancing in the wedding marquee

Dancing in the marquee -

The band playing It Must Be Love -

The wedding guests singing the words -

It must be love, love, love -

Imagining dancing with you -

If only for a moment -

Your arms around my neck - 

The two of us dancing to the song - 

Both of us singing -

It must be love, love, love - 

Tolpuddle 

July 2026