Country diary: We cannot take picturesque views at face value any more

The Marches, Shropshire: Heatwaves that last only days do permanent damage to plantsThistles stand against the western view from the top of Lyth Hill. Armed against the changing weathers of history, the plumes of thistly defiance feel as indomitable as the far hills, as if whatever climate or human ambition sets against them will never dent their delinquent glory.Increasingly, all these signs of permanence and reliability come closer to going up in flames. The day we moved house it was 40C. It was crazy that this was happening here and it felt as if everything was going to burn. In many other places, it did. Now that the rain returns, it?s easy to fall into that convenient amnesia ? what happened was just a weird episode that we?ll forget, until the next time. Continue reading...