18/06/2026
My court work is often difficult and challenging. There are mornings when it can be hard to get up, get in the car, and drive into the city, not quite knowing what the day ahead will bring.
Yet every day this week, something has lifted my spirits on the journey into Manchester Crown Court.
Along Princess Parkway, the verges are alive with common poppies. Thousands of them, dancing in the breeze and bringing flashes of vibrant red to an otherwise ordinary commute.
They have reminded me that beauty exists everywhere if we are prepared to look for it. Sometimes it is found in the simplest things: a wildflower, birdsong, sunlight through the trees, or a kind word from a stranger.
Life can be demanding, but moments of joy are all around us. We just need to notice them.
This week, mine came in the form of poppies.