Dear Jan, thank you. And I've barely had the chance to do anything extra right now, so this is the comment I WOULD have posted on your own latest post: 'Lovely, Jan. Just lovely.' xx
Lovely images of your Spring, and your hatchlings. I never got over to Iona when I stayed on Erriad, but am intrigued by your long term Iona retreats. Love the making of haiku, and the purple bloom at end of your post.
Ah thank you for all of that, Rebecca. The beautiful flower is a camassia – native I think to the US :-) and it has an edible bulb, though I'm growing them for the bees, for the beauty and for my beloved. As it happens, I first saw them in drifts in the garden of a hotel on Iona! - and bought some bulbs here in France and I knew that TM would love them.
Hope you get to the island one day. It changes almost everyone who goes.
Enjoyed your conversation on EA a few weeks ago. Seem to have little extra energy myself for anything other than growing and writing this Substack (and the vegan book). X
We are wavering here between spring and winter still, yesterday was absolutely freezing and this morning there is a thick frost covering… which makes me really pleased that I’m so behind this year in planting up my veg patch!
I’m still waiting to see swallows, sadly I don’t think they will return, the sparrow hawks have frightened off so many small birds already… much as I love to watch them, they are thugs, like the buzzards!
Yes, I agree, Susie, about awareness. Change will come, albeit slowly.
Yes, we had frost this morning too, and ditto!
Each year there are fewer swallows. They have pesticides and storms to contend with, and now so few unconverted barns to nest in (I imagine there might be still quite a few stone barns chez vous, still, though? - There are some around here, but quite a number are being converted to gites...)
Do you know, the bulk of a buzzard's diet is invertebrates, and also frogs and small rodents. They are carnivores, but not aggressive predators like sparrowhawks. X
Always you pack so much into your posts, they make interesting reading, especially the statistics on if all of Britain turned vegan… I think this is a high hope but yes, if only! Even if all of Britain were to eat just half of what is consumed now, the difference would be huge.
I still wait the first swallow here, not jubilant cry from me yet! I did see a house marten up at the château the other day, I fear it was but a brief and lovely vision though. I can only hope to the contrary!
As I type this, a hail storm has just passed. Last weekend we were basking in temperatures of nearly 30c, today it is a glacial (with wind factor) 5c - I have relit the stove much to my disgust because I am literally shivering!
I hope you are feeling more yourself again, and that rain is at least not as persistent! X
Hello Susie! Thank you. I'm working on the idea of a shorter post or two...!
Isn't that National Food Strategy map shocking? I'm stunned every time I revisit it.
No I don't suppose large-scale veganism will happen any time soon, but there are more and more people aware of the issue now and at least reducing animal consumption. We do what we can, don't we?
Seen another 2 or 3 swallows - mainly solo - but no martins yet, though a village about 5 miles away usually has them before the swallows, so they may be in the area, brought on the backs of those strong southwesterlies.
Yes, we lit the stove again yesterday evening! And today it's been really hot, and I've sown a lot of beans... Hope all's good down there. Rx
camassia - what a beautiful creature. I shall look for in local shops to pant next fall. Perhaps I'll get to Iona. ITs come up again recently in some context. One day at a time, one step at a time. XO
This gave me so much to think about -- informative and sobering! But with the wonders of the natural world as well -- thank you x
Dear Jan, thank you. And I've barely had the chance to do anything extra right now, so this is the comment I WOULD have posted on your own latest post: 'Lovely, Jan. Just lovely.' xx
Thank you xx
Your brief anniversary break sounded idyllic...
Lovely images of your Spring, and your hatchlings. I never got over to Iona when I stayed on Erriad, but am intrigued by your long term Iona retreats. Love the making of haiku, and the purple bloom at end of your post.
Ah thank you for all of that, Rebecca. The beautiful flower is a camassia – native I think to the US :-) and it has an edible bulb, though I'm growing them for the bees, for the beauty and for my beloved. As it happens, I first saw them in drifts in the garden of a hotel on Iona! - and bought some bulbs here in France and I knew that TM would love them.
Hope you get to the island one day. It changes almost everyone who goes.
Enjoyed your conversation on EA a few weeks ago. Seem to have little extra energy myself for anything other than growing and writing this Substack (and the vegan book). X
Awareness is half the battle I think Roselle!
We are wavering here between spring and winter still, yesterday was absolutely freezing and this morning there is a thick frost covering… which makes me really pleased that I’m so behind this year in planting up my veg patch!
I’m still waiting to see swallows, sadly I don’t think they will return, the sparrow hawks have frightened off so many small birds already… much as I love to watch them, they are thugs, like the buzzards!
Yes, I agree, Susie, about awareness. Change will come, albeit slowly.
Yes, we had frost this morning too, and ditto!
Each year there are fewer swallows. They have pesticides and storms to contend with, and now so few unconverted barns to nest in (I imagine there might be still quite a few stone barns chez vous, still, though? - There are some around here, but quite a number are being converted to gites...)
Do you know, the bulk of a buzzard's diet is invertebrates, and also frogs and small rodents. They are carnivores, but not aggressive predators like sparrowhawks. X
Hi Roselle,
Always you pack so much into your posts, they make interesting reading, especially the statistics on if all of Britain turned vegan… I think this is a high hope but yes, if only! Even if all of Britain were to eat just half of what is consumed now, the difference would be huge.
I still wait the first swallow here, not jubilant cry from me yet! I did see a house marten up at the château the other day, I fear it was but a brief and lovely vision though. I can only hope to the contrary!
As I type this, a hail storm has just passed. Last weekend we were basking in temperatures of nearly 30c, today it is a glacial (with wind factor) 5c - I have relit the stove much to my disgust because I am literally shivering!
I hope you are feeling more yourself again, and that rain is at least not as persistent! X
Hello Susie! Thank you. I'm working on the idea of a shorter post or two...!
Isn't that National Food Strategy map shocking? I'm stunned every time I revisit it.
No I don't suppose large-scale veganism will happen any time soon, but there are more and more people aware of the issue now and at least reducing animal consumption. We do what we can, don't we?
Seen another 2 or 3 swallows - mainly solo - but no martins yet, though a village about 5 miles away usually has them before the swallows, so they may be in the area, brought on the backs of those strong southwesterlies.
Yes, we lit the stove again yesterday evening! And today it's been really hot, and I've sown a lot of beans... Hope all's good down there. Rx
Thank you for this post, Roselle, and the warm energy you manage to squeeze from the Breton rain.
Ah that's kind, David. Glad you saw it like that, and not as a heavy post!
camassia - what a beautiful creature. I shall look for in local shops to pant next fall. Perhaps I'll get to Iona. ITs come up again recently in some context. One day at a time, one step at a time. XO