Pollarding

The little chink of loveliness in an otherwise highly dull day was a lunchtime jaunt into Muswell Hill to meet Llio and Little Michelle for lunch. We sat in our favourite cafe whilst the weather did pretty much everything outside. There was bright sunshine (so bright, in fact, that the owners of the cafe had to close the blinds) then wind and rain and everything in between.

Michelle and I walked home through Highgate Woods. It is my aim to convert everyone to the joys of North London living, and, frankly, five minutes in that beautiful place is enough to make any south Londoner question the meaning of life! The trees in the wood are slowly darkening. They start as a yellowy shade of lime green in spring and slowly darken until it's time for them to go yellow again. The cycles of nature - particularly regarding colour - never cease to amaze me.

On the way to the woods we saw a street full of trees which has just been pollarded to within an inch of their lives. All the twigs and leaves had been removed, and all that was left was a set of little stumps. I'd be furious if I were a resident of that street. The point of living in a tree-lined street at this time of year is to benefit from the wonderful shade the trees create. Everyone knows the temperature of a tree-covered street is 2-3 degrees cooler than one without. So why cut off all the leaves in Mid summer? Just when they're most needed. That'll be Haringey council getting a better deal on off-peak pollarding, I suspect... There's nothing more heartbreaking than looking at a pollarded tree. Imagine how sad those trees must feel. Just as they start to enjoy being grand and dignified - supporting life and everything - they get sheered like silly sheep! And what happens to the squirrels' dreys and birds' nests when the trees get shaved?

It's 12.30 and I'm waiting for my friends Moira and Alex to arrive. They're staying the night here tonight after their wonderful circus which is still happening at Jackson's Lane theatre. I have decided to keep working until they arrive!