We went out to Wicken Fen today; it was about as quiet as you’d expect of a National Trust site on Boxing Day. (That’s not entirely fair: there were plenty of moments where I could hear the birds – and the squeaks of the pushchair wheel and my husband’s shoes.)
The quiet moment came this evening, when the toddler and I went out for a walk around the block to look at the lights. A few of the illuminations have disappeared (ours will be staying up for the full twelve days), and there were more dark windows than usual (people gone away for Christmas, I suppose) but there were still enough to make it worth the trip. There wasn’t anyone else out: just the two of us, the mist, and the lights.
And then, later, this quiet moment between bedtimes. I love coming downstairs when everything’s dark except the tree.
Kathleen Jowitt 