Big Bill

Flag iris waving in the breeze, bearded iris bib-throated, like an old man.
“The roots of those go all the way to China”, he said.
He scratched the rough grey stubble on his chin.
“It’ll be some job to get them out. Och, sure I’ll leave them there. They seem to want to be there more than I [...]

Read Full Post »

Collared Dove

“Soft mist becomes rain
Plump collared dove huddles down
Among the new leaves.”
This photo comes from arthurgrosset.com, so unfortunately I don’t get the credit. It is very similar to one I saw in the garden this morning though. The collared dove isn’t from Ireland – it only got here round about the 1960s, and was very [...]

Read Full Post »

Hoodies

There was no-one around at that time of night to see them; the teenagers had made sure of that. Keeping in the shade of the conifer hedge running along that side of the road, they ran. Their feet pounded on the tarmac, and tyres swished in the distance as they approached the shopping centre. Hoods [...]

Read Full Post »