Work for the week

MID-WINTER: There were occasions lately when I grew tired of doing the wash-up behind steamed kitchen windows and trundling yet more coloured wrapping paper out into the recycling bin.

I longed for normality and the chance to get outside. But in the open garden it’s mid-winter. In the time span of a week it has turned cold but the mornings still dawn with a great splash of solemn pink bordering on apricot.

A grim kind of beauty comes with the extremes of winter.