Notes from a suburban Tuesday morning walk

by Steve

Black and white photo of a road, with pavement behind, then a chainlink fence holding back trees. In the centre is a lamppost, with a St George's flag hanging off it

Midges gathering around a brick fencepost.

Tradesmen sleepily filling their vans.

The high, eerie hum of the postman’s electric van.

A woman receives her supermarket delivery, then runs out of her front door – a bottle of lemonade has been pierced and is spraying everywhere. She waves it like a Grand Prix winner.

Men with covered faces and smiling eyes straddle a half-built extension, brave the dust their tools generate.

Pavementside trees begin to blossom.

A dog stands outside a bakery patiently while their owner ducks his head in for a morning cake.

A greying, tawdry flag hangs half-mast from a lamppost, is caught in the reaching branches of a nearby tree.

Bees dance around front garden daffodils.

A neighbourly doorstep conversation.

The quiet hope of a park in springtime.