You can blanket the woods in snow. You can flood them with rain. Let the summer sun burn the trees down to their bones. Let the winds blow the ashes away.
Through it all the witch remains. Perseveres. Watches the woods grow back around her. Treasures her privacy all over again.
__________
Notes:
1. Written on January 9th, 2026
January snow blows in. Rivers freeze. The town is cut off from the outside world. Supplies dwindle, diminish. Soon will come starvation. Soon there will be death.
And still the mince pies sit on the supermarket shelves, prices reduced to 23p for a box of six, unbought, unneeded, unwanted, uneaten.
We would rather eat Easter than finish off Christmas.
__________
Notes:
1. Written on January 6th, 2026
The kite in the tree yearns always to be free.
The kite in the tree cannot be retrieved. The kite in the tree cannot be dislodged. The kite in the tree is impervious to decay.
The kite in the tree yearns always to be free.
The kite in the tree watches birds fly above. The kite in the tree watches balloons float away. The kite in the tree sees the clouds, the sun, the stars, the moon.
The kite in the tree yearns always to be free.
__________
Notes:
1. Written on January 6th, 2026
Everything is perfectly preserved in the glass of the lake. Shoals of fish, fronds of weed and fern, frogs, frogspawn. Sunken boats, lost footballs, fishing nets, shopping trolleys, a small fortune of coins.
__________
Notes:
1. Written on January 3rd, 2026
Sunday 2nd November, 2025
I didn’t do any writing today
even though
I planned to do some writing
today
(a familiar lament)
Tuesday 4th November, 2025
Two days running
I’ve been insulted in the street
Friday 7th November, 2025
An eerie village
without streetlights
Or seemingly any lights at all
anywhere
except for the pub
Monday 10th November, 2025
Off to cornwall tomorrow
for a week
in the gloom
Wednesday 19th November, 2025
Came back to find
new neighbours
next door
Thursday 20th November, 2025
It was cold
everywhere I went
Friday 21st November, 2025
Fell down the stairs
just before bed
Think I might have broken
at least a couple of toes
Saturday 22nd November, 2025
Been hobbling around all day
creaking
like an old broken doll
Sunday 23rd November, 2025
There was a good half hour
in the middle of Castle In The Sky
that I didn’t remember at all
Monday 24th November, 2025
Using photoshop on my old computer
is an ever increasing chore
Tuesday 25th November, 2025
The sparrowhawk swooped down
a metre in front of me
then swooped off again
without acknowledging me at all
Sunday 30th November, 2025
Mum and dad put the tree up
today
Monday 1st December, 2025
Today
was kind of
miserable
Tuesday 2nd December, 2025
The new Candyman
wasn’t as good
as the old Candyman
Wednesday 3rd December, 2025
There were lots of squirrels
in Castle Park
Constant motion
in every possible direction
Thursday 4th December, 2025
Everything
everywhere
was grey
all day
Sunday 7th December, 2025
A spider sitting
expectantly
on the toilet roll
Wednesday 10th December, 2025
The christmas tree in the park
looked a little forlorn
and slightly alone
Thursday 11th December, 2025
A couple more weeks
and I can give up keeping
a diary
Friday 12th December, 2025
Went christmas shopping
and did not go mad
Saturday 13th December, 2025
Wrapped some presents up
without getting too frustrated
with my own ineptitude
Sunday 14th December, 2025
I keep seeing
a sparrowhawk
round here
I would gladly let it
eat me
Wednesday 17th December, 2025
I’ve finished christmas shopping now
(mostly)
Saturday 20th December, 2025
Hooray
It’s christmas
(unofficially)
Wednesday 31st December
end of year
fade out
__________
Notes:
1. Written in November and December 2025
2. I apologise for how unilluminating these have been
3. Don’t worry, I’m not writing one ever again