Magpie

Eerie screeching, which rises above our family noise, draws me to the window. An agitated magpie hops from branch to branch of the pear tree, while fat pigeons sit oblivious in the leaves. Hello Mr Magpie, I hope you find whatever you are looking for.

Deluge

The steady rain thuds onto the patio, washing away dirty secrets.

Post-riots

Boarded-up windows reflect what might have been rather than the reality of my neighbourhood, but anxiety tightens its grip.

Rain

A deluge, welcomed by the garden, provides relief from the stifling heat but throws plans into disarray.

Finished

So I've (belatedly) finished the July river of stones.

I don't think I will stop here. I'll continue to visit this blog to post small stones, though probably not every day. And yes, I know I said something similar in January over on my other blog and no, I didn't do it. I don't honestly know often I'll manage to write a stone, but please do keep checking back to see how I'm doing. And if you are interested in writing small stones yourself, do check out Fiona and Kaspa's website at Writing Our Way Home where you can link to all their other activities.

Outside

The smell of a barbecue wafts across the town gardens on a sultry summer afternoon.