11th October 2024

Well first of all I must make note of the news from Florida and the Milton Storm - bad but not as bad as forecasted.  Thank goodness for that.  It has been so sad to see the level of devastation left by the first storm Helene and realise that Milton would bring about the same effect.  It was watching an American weather forecaster break down in tears as he thought of the strength of the storm and its potential to destroy and kill that made me despair.

But what I learnt as I watched the scenes unfold was the good generosity of people and the state forces coming to organise the rescuing of people and pet animals, the road building machinery rolling in, to know that as always that the human spirit was still as strong as ever.

Apparently those who believe foolish things, the conspiracy theorists, the alternative reality that seems to haunt some brains have been out in force casting doubt and suspicion on the wretched tragedy of lost homes and lives and the help from the state, but they will be halted.  I have come to see in a country ridden by one man and his stupidity that there are plenty who are sensible and wise, and all I can say to that is Amen!

I am slightly displaced at the moment, or at least my back is, not sure what happened, was it carrying the shopping back yesterday, or mending my spinning wheel, which is low to the ground.

I am quite proud that I have made my wheel work better.  It all started with the string coming off the wheel, and 'The Maiden' coming off the 'Mother of all'.  Just had to write that as the naming of parts makes me giggle. A couple of screws lightly tightened and an extra long piece of string so I could easily manipulate it around the wheel.  Spinning wheels rely on tension from two points and achieving the balance is not always easy but the wheel has worked its magic all through history.

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These people from down the road at Mixenden spent a whole week trying to get a small dog called Rosie out of a 12 inch rocky hole.  Rosie had fallen 15 feet into the hole.  Rock breaking, earth lifting they were determined to rescue the poor pooch, and they did and she is doing well.

The other photo I have collected is of Whitby Abbey's artwork, all apparently done with environmentally friendly pigments.  It does of course represent hands holding on to the roots of a  tree.  It was paid for by The Lottery and the installation land art was made by David Poppa.

The ‘Heritage Tree’ honours the seven inspirational people who have "changed the game across heritage, land and nature” over the last three decades.