Monday

Cutting brambles to gather tannin for ink. The colours of the autumnal leaves and the soft smell of sweet decay in the garden evoke a nostalgia for the summer gone. Again I reflect that I have not gathered, stored, saved everything that I could for the coming winter. This winter will be more modest than previous winters in terms of home comforts. The demise of the UK is beginning to manifest itself in inflation and high fuel costs. I have known this has been coming for some while and I haven’t prepared. Likewise the coming storms, frosts and lack of green in the garden will also catch me by surprise. My father’s increasing frailty seems to also have caught him by surprise. It is hard to feel optimistic when so many things that I care about so deeply are diminishing in front of my eyes. Even though I believe it to be the right order of things.