Feest Isolation Days – 27 March 2020
Sitting at the window in our what will be empty-for-a -long-while main spare bedroom, Terry and I stared into the street and at the houses all around us. Twinkling lights, bright shining lights, the quiet light of our street lamp and darkness. Suddenly someone said “it’s time” and we heard the sound of clapping. All around us people we couldn’t see, most of whom we don’t know, joined in. Hip hip I shouted and Hurrah! came a reply. The applause, along with hoots and screams of delight went on for ages. The NHS is about people. We clapped loudly. Not just for today’s current heroes, but for past and future heroes too.
One woman from the Netherlands, Annmarie Plas, a yoga teacher, who now lives in Brixton, was so impressed by the way her fellow country people had saluted their health service workers she started the Clap for Carers movement here. The notion of a health service for all started in the early 1900’s and finally during the post war government of Clement Attlee, the timing was right. Aneurin Bevan, the Heath Minister became the architect of the NHS building on the work of others to establish the NHS. Working together, sharing ideas, helping each other, the NHS does all of those things and those who work in it deserve our applause. Apparently, Annmaire hopes that this becomes a weekly event. We shall see!
On the other side of the world, a friend is planting a tree in the Newton Reserve on Waiheke Iskand next to their home. Terry and I have love Kauri trees and before we left purchased one for Jules. She’s doing all the hard work of planting! Kauri’s are special. They have a knack of letting their presence be felt before you see them when you walk in the New Zealand woods. These wonderful trees can live for more than two thousand years. They hold a spiritual quality that is deeper than most trees. If you have twenty minutes to spare… and who doesn’t these days (!) listen to the excellent Ted talk at the end of today’s entry about how trees communicate. Wonderful!
We are all connected and doing our best.
For a little light relief, see the other attachment. Made me laugh!
Enjoy! Whatever you get up to. You are not alone.
Communicate with Trees
Planting a Kauri…..
And finally….Piglet …..
With love
Kathy x
Thank you for today’s uplift, Kathy dearest
I’m saving the video for this pm’s enjoyment (for 2 more days we in Nairobi still 3 hours ahead of UK here)
Robert McFarlane’s latest book is ‘Underland’ – it’s an extraordinary read in many ways but the chapter on tree connectivity is riveting. Add the Pulitzer prize-winning ‘Overstory’ in to your reading and there’s no chance taking a walk in the forest will ever be the same again…
Our house looks on to 1000 hectares of the Karura, the world’s largest city forest.
I’m woken by the ‘roar’ of the colobus monkeys – a group recently re-located here from encroached-upon upcountry sites – who celebrate each dawn with their strange and very insistent croaking vocalisation. You could google colobus kenya to get an idea…
Should you be a McFarlane fan – as patently I am! – he is conducting an online book club starting tomorrow eve with discussion of Nan Shepherd’s ‘The Living Mountain’.
I get info through twitterfeed but i’m sure how to join in etc all there if googled