I start with a photo from last year of butterbur, it makes an appearance in the unkempt verges at this time of year, as most will know it was used for wrapping butter in, in the olden days. It always reminds me of Tess of the D'ubervilles, Thomas Hardy story, where the butter had become tainted by the cows eating the garlic tasting leaves of ransom, also of course out at this time in April.
Then there is speedwell, that darts around tiny and pretty in the grass, the following is taken from a wiki and is probably meadow speedwell.
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| Blue speedwell from Wikipedia
As I wandered down this forgotten corner, bitter wind chasing me, the willow catkins that grace the river were full out but no bees of course, though this may be due to the wind. The river was very low in places, we have had no water for weeks.
Our bats, only seen two over the church, are out and the owls cruise by noisily every night. No swallows yet, though I note from other blogs that they are arriving in the country.
Last blog I had put a map of our village from a 1912 map, basically because I was interested in the fact that a small lane had gone out at right angles just across the road from us. There had in fact been three cottages along there, the large garden plots a feature, many of the cottages in the village have large gardens. In fact, going back to the three cottages, Nigel's brick house actually hides one of the cottages but evidence can only be found inside the house.
The world is getting messier and messier, forget our troubles for a moment how do we help all those immigrants wandering round in a kind of limbo? There are so many problems with no answer. We need a world authority to bear down on the corruption found in so many countries, perhaps the death penalty for those who live off the weak. Sounds drastic I know but somehow order is being lost and so many displaced persons have no home to return to. Proxy wars are a nightmarish hell of suffering, we need to give back people their countries in a peaceful state so that once again they can rebuild their lives.
Fools paradise!
Know Paul will love this photo, his favourite of Lucy, doing her little dance of happiness, on her favourite walk....  |
Lovely photographs, especially the last one. Have you seen 'our' buttertubs, speaking of keeping the butter fresh? They are on the high pass between Swaledale and Wensleydale and well worth a visit. (if you do then call here for a coffee at least - or lunch).
ReplyDeleteLucy although she is a very demanding creature is a very happy dog. Her favourite game is played in the hall, lying down, four feet pressed against the skirting board, she rolls over and then back for a long time. One day I will try and get down to Leyburn, slightly nervous about driving, and at the moment the steep Sutton Bank road to Thirsk is closed.
ReplyDeleteI share your anxiety about the state of our planet - from the plastic and the careless draining of natural resources to the short termism and incompetence of our so-called leaders. Maybe I am wrong but it didn't feel like this twenty years ago or even ten years ago. Mostly, I think it is down to overpopulation but the leaders and the UN are frightened about grasping that particular nettle.
ReplyDeleteOf course over-population is the thing we do not talk about but it is a very strong factor and one which seems insurmountable. And also our destruction of the natural world, but as Rain says we should at least have the glass half full and be optimistic.
DeleteIt does seem scary today to me and the worst probably is ahead :(. I am an optimist type of person -- glass half full rather than half empty, but we live on a planet with its own cycles not to mention what man can do to it.
ReplyDeleteThat of course is true, nature is starting to fight back, fiercer weather, rising seas. Who knows what it will all bring forth. By the way I read both yours and Diane essays this morning, again another problem so vast it really doesn't have an answer.
DeleteWe live across the sea from each other, Thelma, but many of your thoughts are my thoughts also, although you put them in better prose than I can.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that Arleen, I hope every everything is well with you. It is extraordinary the ability to communicate over thousands of miles.
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