On Port Meadow

This is the view from our kitchen window:

That's the Oxford Rail Station, a busy junction for both freight and commuter trains. The view isn't half as bad as the noise. But the sound fades eventually. Just keep those windows closed.

If the railroad is our front porch, Port Meadow is our backyard. At 440 acres, Port Meadow is the largest area of common land in Oxford. The people of the nearby village of Wolvercote have grazing rights, so cows and horses roam the lush, wet fields. It is bordered by the River Thames, where you often see unusual birds or a rowing team at practice.

In the early evening, just after Naomi's nap and before her bath, we often walk the meadow. I grab my running shoes and a hat for Naomi, and off we go with her in my sling. For the first half hour or so Naomi is bright-eyed, moving her head from side to side to take it all in. On the way back, her head sinks into my chest, and she falls asleep. The catnap is just enough to get her through the nightly routine, and the walk is just enough for me to release the day.

For those of you who live or have lived in the UK, you know that these kind of nights are fleeting. Pretty soon, the days will darken and the rain will persist. But for now, we will relish the moments spent in the meadow, the silencer of noises.