September

“Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” John Keats.

All the time while we’re busy with our important lives, the world keeps turning. Tides rise and fall as the great metronome of time click-clocks away, never missing a beat. Now and then we put our heads up from the grind and something will catch the eye - change.

There is again that pallid greyness in the sky and yellowing of chestnut leaves as September is upon us, with mists, big blowing skies and drunk grumpy wasps. A chill that requires more than just a tee-shirt; a dampness of mornings and nights drawing in - allowing us the melancholy of turned up coat collars and hats.

September is back to old clothes and porridge. Putting firewood in the store for winter. Of sloes, brambles, apples and plums. Children are back to school with polished shoes and new pencil cases. It’s a long time since I left school but this week I bought a new coat with a collar for turning up. And some new pens. Old habits.