Three Beautiful Things

1. Oak wood. Before my eyes, a caterpillar (fallen through space) hangs on a thread. 2. Two black scottie dogs pass by, their legs blurred. 3. Tiny twins are being fed in the precinct. One wears a blue broderie anglaise sun hat, the other is in pink.

1. To swim outdoors. 2. Our laburnum tree is out -- this time last year, I was sad that we wouldn't see its pure yellow flowers again. It's one good thing about the flat sale taking so long. 3. We walk down through the woods on the Common. Bird song falls all around us. A robin scatters notes from a blunt dead oak branch

1. I wake from a nap to find that Nick has polished all the shoes and trimmed the overbearing cupressus tree. 2. On a day when the washing has gone out... and come back in again... and gone out again, to go to the shops with an umbrella which we did not need. 3. Marks and Spencer do an almond chocolate with caramelised salt. It's delicious.

1. After the rain, town is as green as a bowl of salad. 2. We go to see Singin' In the Rain -- they have a rain set, and the falling water moves a sigh of cool air across the overheated audience. 3. One of Nick's friends is in town for a wedding. After the show, we go and find him in his hotel.

1. After a sleepless night, to get up and do the work that has been keeping me awake. 2. A flickering bird darts into the eaves. 3. A breath of wind. Cherry petals spinning across the drive.

1. Spring flowers are fallen stars. 2. crick-crack crick crick-crack. Pine cones are opening in the hot bright air. 3. A crow watches the collared doves. A mean boss on a warm Friday afternoon.

1. To wake early in an unfamiliar room and see that the eastern sky is pink. 2. Our blackbird splashing in the puddle by the bins. 3. The cherry blossom is out in our street. Nick says: 'It was just like this when I bought the flat.'

This week I've been astonished to see the hit counter on the 3BT podcast creeping up -- thanks for listening, everyone. I've added Outré and It's a Long Way Home to the Roll of Honour -- thank you James and Cathy. Becoming Human and Whitney at Glimpses of Grace and Louisa Parry have all been enjoying the company of small people -- I just hope Whitney's little'un managed to get herself out of the hatbox. Plutarch has seen daffodils braving the frost . Raymond Pert has put away a burger 'the size of a buffalo's head' . Merope discovers Marks and Sparks and salt 'n' vinegar crisps. And Eyebee is taking pleasure in Shredded Wheat . 1. My aunt says: "Do you want to go to Hobbycraft?" as if she is suggesting a guilty pleasure to us. 2. More birch trees -- their top branches have been smeared by an artist's finger covered in burgundy pastel across a landscape of fawn and khaki. 3. I come home to Nick, and we hug each...