Thank goodness for magical invisible things that fly through the air and pass unseen into our modern technology! Yes I have mastered my new phone. It took some time, I needed a new Sim card, when it arrived I could not fit it, then it broke down to the smallest of its sizes and just about fitted. Then what to do? it was blank had no connection to the outside world, so I sorted through my emails from Vodaphone and found a number for it. Duly went to their site, filled in the number and waited for the magic to happen, as data was transferred from my old phone to the new. All this had me sceptical, not believing it would happen, but it did. Now I have an all dancing, all singing new phone which works happily. Able to answer the messages from people in the village that I was alright and not flooded out.
I am not sure it is a blessing by the way, talking to my daughter we discussed the robotic nature of phoning nowadays. Mechanical voices, mechanical music keeps us away from real people, so mornings and afternoons are whittled away when we try to answer problems in our lives. Banks who have now a third degree in shuffling you through to your bank, sending numbers to be captured. Remember just before Xmas when my credit card was assaulted? Or those large parcels to an unknown person arrived and I had to negotiate their redelivery? Now the bank has my voice recorded and the phone my finger print - where is this world going to?
Today listening to 'Open Country' early on, they talked about fenestration and how windows opened our world as we imprisoned inside looked out on the natural world. Well I sit in Paul's old chair and look out on this tree, and the large yew that brushes the house on this side.
Bird life in the tree is of course the Jackdaws, this is their home, you can see them in the branches. They nest every year in the holes, even now since the sun has shone the last two days they are showing interest in nesting. The squirrels inspect the holes but know better than to go against the Jackdaws. I occasionally see tree creepers on the bark, and underneath on the wire that runs along the wall, the small birds, the robin bounces fiercely, territorial in his puffed up chest. Blue tits more shyly as they fly up into the yews sheltering boughs and just the occasional finch or goldcrest.
One more thing, an eight minute video of 'slow', watch out for the story of Eyam, the plague village, in the middle.
English Life in Lockdown
Taken from 'Down to Earth'
What a charming post Thelma while I sit here waitimg for my 10am Zoom virtual coffee morning with friends. Yes, it only akes a couple of days of sunshine - regardless of the floodwaters - for the birds to begin to show an interest in collecting nesting material. Have a good day.
ReplyDeleteMorning Pat, Sunday and cold but we seem to be missing the snow at the moment, though I believe the West side of Yorkshire will get it.
DeleteThat the invisible things that fly through the air and enter our technology include pictures - even moving pictures - is a mystery which will never be explained to me properly. I will watch that video when I get back from a walk.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed your walk, Bath and its environs are a lovely place to walk, almost feel envious!
DeleteSuch a wonderful post, Thelma. I agree with you about the magic of technology!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed your beautiful descriptions of the trees and birds and the nature around you.
The video moved me to tears - what a message for our time - sacrificing for others. In the US we can't even get everyone to wear a simple mask. I will have to watch more of her videos as it reminded me to celebrate the simple things I am able to do each day. My life is good.
Stay safe, Thelma, and thank you so much for your post!
Well Ellen I reckon the person in the Vlog was not really typical of all people, but the little story of Eyam was sad. Actually I think I was rejoicing in the fact that I had got my phone to work but technology is extraordinary though I believe it uses up a great deal of energy.
DeleteFascinating video. Percolated coffee! Just like camping. The best coffee ever.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child Joanne, we had percolated coffee and I used to love the sound of it on the hob. Then we upgraded to Cona coffee, where the hot water dribbled through the glass containers.
DeleteNot much on the ground of interest in January, so I find when I'm outside I'm often craning to look up into bare trees.
ReplyDeleteThankfully our resident birds are wary of the cats. I googled 'jackdaws' thinking they are related to crows and ravens--and pleased to find that is so, but they are smaller. I daresay like their larger relatives they can be noisy!
You are very lucky Sharon though with your land to wander around, with the cats of course. The Corvids are intelligent birds always 'talking'. They have 'parliaments' when they all gather together and discuss whatever is important in the crows worl.
ReplyDeleteThat tree is special. You have observed it so carefully in different seasons. You will miss it when you leave that place.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Eyam is close to Sheffield and I have walked around there many times. The stone enclosure which contains the bones of Elizabeth Hancocke's family is known not as The Hancocke Graves but The Riley Graves - probably because the enclosure is on land that belonged to Riley Farm.
Yes I will miss the tree, but there are many more to be discovered. Thanks for the history tidbit, it is good that they are remembered.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that little video. I saw it someplace before, but it's so very soothing that it was a treat the second time around as well.
ReplyDeleteYes the idea of 'slow' is very appealing Debby ;)
ReplyDeleteI stayed in Eyam youth hostel once. I've often thought of the place in the last few months.
ReplyDelete