I have been awake since 3 o-clock this morning, at least I was able to wind the old clock up at 4 o-clock, so that its chimes would synchronise with the time. It gains time but does it matter? It keeps an approximation of time and this technical wizard I am typing on keeps 'exact time'.
I have been alone for several days, it doesn't worry me at all. My daughter in Shipley, with Andrew coughing his way through Covid, my granddaughter by the Northumbrian coast. Such a lot of people are getting it at the moment, it is a miserable pox running through the human population.
Listened to a couple of podcasts. One on Covid, apparently the lesser offsprings could be with us for decades as they mutate to keep up with our vaccination models. Joy! They don't want to kill us though, as their host we need to be kept alive, so there is a gleam of hope.
The other pod I listened to was on climate change. Interesting tidbits emerged, architectually we should try some of the old methods for controlling the temperature in our houses. For instance Georgian sash windows - open the bottom window for cool air, and the top window lets hot air out. Those wooden shutters you see on Swiss houses, well they maybe worth investing in. Also buy a house North/South facing, the new build houses facing East/West trap the heat inside (and forget those tall skyscrapers with floor to ceiling glass).
And of course plant trees everywhere for they bring the temperature down with their shady walks. Paint your roof white, all that black just absorbs heat.
As a sort of edit, I wondered why I had chosen that title. I think it is to do with the book I am listening to at the moment. James Rebank in 'English Pastoral' sad words for the dairy cows bred to produce lots of milk and living on silage permanently in barns. Factory farming in other words.
Only ever had one house with sash windows and they were really annoying - always getting stuck! but I quite fancy wooden shutters - except for having to paint them
ReplyDeleteMaybe if you had the right wood you wouldn't have to paint them Sue, they are quite decorative as well as being useful.
DeleteIt makes so much sense to draw on centuries of experience and knowledge for making our homes and living spaces suit the conditions. Living in a box of an apartment in Greece I find it appalling that centuries of knowledge on how to build for the climate were completely thrown out when they could build a box with an air-conditioning unit plumbed in. I saw an article somewhere about someone promoting 'city forests' in Karachi. It is or will be the hottest city on earth, and someone has finally realized that regreening any available open spaces is the best (possibly only) way to try and moderate that. Like lots of these things it started small, with individuals looking after individual trees and has finally got the support of some municipal authorities to expand and drive the program.
ReplyDeleteThere are some cities in the hot countries that are 'green' by way of trees in the streets and shrubs growing on new build balconies Tigger, there is in fact a hotel in London with plants cascading down its vertical side. What we need is a transport system that joins up and in doing so keeps cars out of the towns.
DeleteOur house is partly below ground (the back of kitchen and library)which makes for coolness. We have tiles on half the kitchen floor too, that also helps. It faces South - North, and we have old Victorian sash windows at the back. Kitchen windows aren't but are old-fashioned and OPEN! We also have big wooden shutters in the two back bedrooms which are inside the window, and brilliant for keeping the cold nights out in winter. Gosh, glad of all those things this summer.
ReplyDeleteI rather think Covid is with us forever, like flu is. What a cheery thought that is!
So you have a lot of the right stuff Jennie, of course they should be checked for gaps, but it seems to me there was more sense round in the old days then there is now. Not only is Covid with us, it can also come back again within 28 days, the vaccines are helping though.
DeleteMy farmer's farm was small - just over a hundred acres - he was horrified at the prospect of anything bigger and the doing away with the 'personal' aspect of .farming. He was truly one for ruminating over the gate.
ReplyDeleteA lovely portrait Pat, I can just see him proping up a five bar gate.
DeleteGood day for a nap then in your quiet house! Stay cool!
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely getting cooler, the dog has dragged his blanket back to the Aga today.
DeleteSome interesting thoughts on climate change. Thanks. Arilx
ReplyDeleteWell I suppose Aril we should become more practical in our response to it. Other countries fare much worse.
DeleteI grew up with sash windows. My dad could fix them, and so could my brother.
ReplyDeleteThey always had a one sided rule must have been the rope (was it a rope) that pulled the window up Joanne.
DeleteFactory farms are heartbreaking.
ReplyDelete