1. To see green shoots appearing: the seeds have not rotted in the soil after all, hurrah.

2. We walk back from the polling station via an weedy snicket, the bridge over the canal and the woods. We spot long gone gates, broad beans & peas growing in my favourite house’s front yard, a cow & her calf in the hidden farmyard and a mini-orchard over the other side of the wall. In return, we’re spotted by two excited dogs, who run around tails wagging between the raised beds and trees.

3. The traffic on the far side of the road is rarely going anywhere fast – standing traffic backed up from the crossroads all afternoon – but it’s still a nice surprise when someone holds back to let me cross.