Last week saw some pretty serious rain and flooding up in the Northeast of the country. Sunday Times reports here (Flood victims help each other) and here (Six killed in Mpumalanga floods.)
While reading about the tragedy online this series of 3 short videos caught my attention, I thought that I’d share…
Continue reading “Elephants in trouble – Kruger National Park”
Hi Soutie, I know this is a subject close to your heart, and mine.
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=162979
I think this chap presents a sensible solution. I particularly agree with this observation:
“Most donor agents appear not to like the idea of a regulated trade; maybe because it is the most likely solution, and a solution is not what they seek?
The public should be cautious about donating money to these agencies. They may be perpetuating the crisis.”
When the fitter said he couldn’t turn off the stop-cock I decided to go for a walk. Better be out, I thought, if there’s going to be a flood.
I left the house after three o’clock and by the time I’d done my deliveries and postings I decided to walk back the long way, through the Churchyard and park. The light was like golden-syrup, the sun low in the sky and here just throwing light onto the old yew tree, over the Churchyard wall. It was so very peaceful and still. In the air a slight scent of woodsmoke.
Today when I opened the curtains at about 8:45, I was greeted with white scenery. A hoar frost had covered everything and as the sun came up it made a wonderful sight. Soft yellowed light, long shadows. But no photos. I hadn’t had my first cup of tea.
Later, after Scout’s Judo run and a little light shopping we came back at about mid-day to find the little garden in our communal driveway still in shade and therefore still frosted.
Continue reading “January 14th – a brief nature report, for near Oxford, UK”
January can be rather dreary here in the UK, but we have had some lovely skies. Here are some photos to cheer you up – in case you need cheering up.
On Tuesday after work as I drove home (I had finished in good time) the sky was fantastic, and I decided to go down to the canal to take some shots, but arrived after the main colours had faded – too late really… but I like this one
On the canal Continue reading “A little sunshine”
I’m always intrigued by the nanny state’s efforts to control my consumption of alcohol. For years they’ve published guidelines like ‘no more than 3 or 4 units a day’ – which I reckon is hardly table stakes for anybody who enjoys a drink! I mean, I like a half or two before lunch and a glass or two of red with the meal – so that blows my quota for the whole day, branding me a soak beyond redemption!
Courtesy William Hogarth
And (wait for it) the latest advice is that the old ‘units per day’ advice misleads us into thinking that a drink every day is OK. It ain’t (allegedly). We should have two alcohol-free days a week. So far nanny hasn’t stipulated which days of the week but no doubt she will.
Am I misguided in thinking that almost everything we consume is inherently bad for us if consumed to excess? Even our cups of tea, daily greens and doctor-repelling apples? So why pick on my daily tipple for special attention? Nanny is already taxing it out of sight.
For more sage words, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16443240. Thank you.
No, not 2011, but it is all over for a while.
Maybe when the weather gets warmer we can strip her off and get her going again.
Sob.
Back in the late summer the Creekers met and decided to pave our access road. It had once been maintained by the County but about ten years ago they decided the last half mile or so was not theirs and abandoned it to its fate. Several of us appealed the abandonment, pointing out that the road had been regularly plowed during the winter and the local school bus used it when there were schoolkids to be hauled. “Nope” they said “If we did that it was a mistake, it’s not ours and we don’t want it”. The road had never really been paved, it was made by spraying tar and rolling fine gravel into the surface repeatedly over the years and twenty years of unmaintained use had almost destroyed the lot.
We got some estimates from several local paving outfits and decided on who would do the job. Not a cheap process building roads, they all proposed stripping the surface completely and relaying the lot in two three inch layers of hot rolled tarmacadam.
after the presents
and too much to eat and drink
there’s the Christmas cake…
Boadicea's Chariot 
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