7 – 11 September 2026

Monday Cosmos plants flower more abundantly under stress. Whether it’s eustress or distress may depend on whether you’re the plant or not. This morning all the magenta flowers on the biggest cosmos are facing in the wrong direction. I propped it up with a bamboo cane yesterday and it turned as settled. By tonight they’ll be facing the sun again. The slow, subtle movement of plants is always a pleasure. It’s a perfect September morning, if you ignore the heat. The sun is coming up. At the entrance to the wood, the sweet chestnuts are getting fatter. On the other side of the field there’s a small rabbit in the grass. For most of the walk the light is angular, gold against black shadows. A reminder that the winter is coming and the sunrise is getting later. But when it’s time to leave the light is flat—until! The faintest shadow walks ahead of me. We share a wave and she’s gone. Tuesday Rain! The time it takes for everyone to board the bus means we almost miss the train. When we run, we…