The world from my window

Up on the hill early one morning this week, I was walking quietly around, minding my own business, when I noticed a billycan hanging from a tree trunk. 'Ooh, that's nice,' I thought. 'Someone's been up here with the children during half term and had a barbecue. But they've forgotten to take their rubbish home with them.' I was just about unhook it off the tree when I turned the corner and noticed a tent in the shadows. And then a solitary, male figure emerged from inside, stretching his arms up to the sky as if he'd just got up. I'd only that moment been thinking about an idea for a short story which had come to me after its fantastic title was kindly provided by the dictation facility on my phone's WhatsApp. This had completely misheard me when I said 'cattle escaped'. I'm not going to tell you what it typed, as I don't want you to use that as as the title for a short story which goes on to be the basis of a bestselling n

The sky is as blue as a sailor's trousers this morning. You could make hundreds - no,  thousands - of pairs, if only you had the right scissors to cut through the heavens. And you'd need a magic sewing machine. But there probably isn't thread that blue anywhere in the world. All this blue sky gets me thinking. It's a bright, cobalt blue. It's absolutely stunning. There are white, wispy angel wings hovering in the blue, too. They'll soon be dispersed by the vapour trails of aeroplanes heading here, there and everywhere. Me, I'm heading for the hill, where the only way is up. Grey squirrels scamper up the trees as soon as they see the dog. The bluebells and the beech trees and the grass still look glorious, the morning light making the colours sing. I make for the fir trees, just as I always do, to see if the sea is still out there, beyond Langdon Wood and Golden Cap to the south. I can see the sea. That's about it. Love, Maddie x

It's been three weeks since I last posted on this blog. Sorry, but, just like the rooks roosting in the ash tree next door, I've been busy. Everything is so lush out there, what with a fantastic Easter followed by unseasonable chilly weather and rain. The fields and trees and wild flowers are just looking absolutely gorgeous. All I've wanted to do, really, is to get out into the countryside and enjoy it, even in the showers. Everything is looking so fresh . I'll endeavour to be a little less tardy in future and try to post every week. This landscape and place needs documenting on a regular basis. In the meantime, here's some photos. Spot the goblin. That's about it. Love Maddie x